In just a few weeks, WWE’s Charlotte Flair will defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 39, and tonight’s face-to-face meeting between them gave fans a preview of how physical and chaotic that match will be. Flair started off with a promo in the ring but was soon interrupted by Ripley and Dominik Mysterio, and Ripley revealed why she wants to bring Flair down a peg. Things soon took a big turn when Ripley punched Flair, and it led to a huge brawl that went all around the ring and even ended up in the crowd before security ultimately regained control.
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Flair started things off by saying “The more things change the more they stay the same. When I was a baby in my mom’s arms this business was built on Rhodes as a challenger and Flair as a Champion. Now here we are in 2023, two weeks away from WrestleMania and this WrestleMania is built upon Rhodes as a challenger and Flair as a Champion.”
“I am walking into my 7th WrestleMania, and in all 7 I was either the challenger or the Champion, but always the star. Now Rhea Ripley wants to be the Champion, wants to be the star, but she can’t become the Champion before she goes through me,” Flair said. “Three years ago Rhea Ripley couldn’t go through me and today she can’t go through me, because the more things change, the more they stay the same”
Ripley then came out to the ring with Dominik, and she said “You’re a 100 percent right Charlotte. I chose you. I didn’t choose Bianca Belair because I have my reasons, but believe me when I say it we will get back to that. When I walk through the locker room, men and women, they all turn their backs and walk away because of fear. Because I’m dangerous and bloody good at what I do and they fear me. Except for you.”
“I mean look at you right now. You’re staring me down without an ounce of fear in your eyes. And to be quite frank with you, that pisses me off,” Ripley said. “You’re the SmackDown Women’s Champion for a reason. You’ve been 14 time Women’s Champion for a reason. It’s because you’re a superstar. You’re one of the biggest stars here in the WWE and I can give you all the credit in the world, but that right there, you’re SmackDown Women’s Championship, I want. Hell I need it! Because I don’t only want to be a star, but I bloody need to be a star. And after WrestleMania, once everything is done and dusted, you’re gonna learn to call me Champion, and you’re gonna learn to fear me.”
Dominik chimed in, saying “Mami is gonna beat you at WrestleMania.” Ripley then hit Flair as Flair went for Dominik, and she said see you at WrestleMania as she left. Flair then put her Title down and looked pissed. She ran out of the ring and charged right into Ripley, and they started to brawl outside of the ring. Flair and Ripley kept fighting around the ring as security tried to split them up, and Ripley would slam Flair into the post and ring apron.
Then Flair slammed Ripley into the barricade. They got away from security again but Flair accidentally took out a security guard, which Ripley capitalized on and used to punch Flair. Then she threw Flair over the announce table. Flair got on top of it and then dove into Ripley, and they would end up going over the barricade and into the crowd.
What did you think of the face-off, and who is winning at WrestleMania? Let us know in the comments and as always you can talk all things wrestling with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
