Daily DDT
Fansided

Rhea Ripley will defeat Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Championship

By Raphael Garcia

Apr 11, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Asuka (green/yellow attire) and Rhea Ripley (black attire) during the Raw Women's Championship match at WrestleMania 37 at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 11, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Asuka (green/yellow attire) and Rhea Ripley (black attire) during the Raw Women's Championship match at WrestleMania 37 at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Rhea Ripley made her intentions clear as she sets her sights on Charlotte Flair for WrestleMania 39. 

Rhea Ripley has been on a career tear since joining The Judgement Day. What started as a questionable faction, became a group where her character work excelled and elevated the entire group. Heading into the 2023 Royal Rumble, Ripley was the favorite to win the event and she did just that from the number one position. Now, she’s heading toward a WrestleMania title shot and she will be the woman to defeat Charlotte Flair.

Everyone remembers how the first iteration of Rhea Ripley versus Charlotte Flair played out. The world was in the throughs of the COVID-19 global pandemic. WrestleMania was presented in the WWE Performance Center without a crowd. It was an awkward time and an especially awkward match that ended with Ripley tapping out to The Figure Eight.

That was an amazing booking decision for all the wrong reasons. Ripley was the hot hand, coming from WWE NXT as a dominant champion. She was built as a force that could even stand up to the men on the roster. But once she got to WWE Raw, the booking direction changed and the impact on Ripley put her on a 180-degree change of direction.

The story doesn’t stop there either. Guess who ended Ripley’s run as WWE Raw Women’s Champion in 2021? Yep. The Charlotte Flair.

Charlotte Flair doesn’t need the spotlight of a title right now

Whether fans enjoy it or not, Flair is an individual who remains in the title picture by default. She’s also been the one to halt the momentum of individual fans who continued to push to see at the top. See Sasha Banks and Asuka as two prime examples. Ripley had her momentum cut short twice by Flair and it’s time for that to swing back in her direction at WrestleMania 39.

One of the biggest tasks in front of Triple H in his position leading creative is to create new stars. Ripley was one of the few in the women’s division, but this is an opportunity to build her into a bigger name with a big win at WrestleMania 39. The women’s division needs a shot in the arm such as a credible and fresh champion for WWE SmackDown. Flair and Ronda Rousey before didn’t do anything to move the direction of the division forward, and Ripley can be a boost that helps do so when the group needs it the most.

Next. WWE struggles to tell Bray Wyatt's story. dark

Rhea Ripley made her announcement that she is going to focus her ire on Charlotte Flair. With the history, these two women have it’s time to see Ripley get the biggest win of her career and do so by taking the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship off Flair’s waist.