Rhea Ripley not wrestling on SummerSlam is a major mistake

Rhea Ripley is presented like she’s a major threat throughout the WWE Then why doesn’t she have a match on SummerSlam? 

SummerSlam is a major tentpole annual event on the WWE calendar. It’s an opportunity to showcase the biggest talents across the promotion. The 2023 edition of the show is set for Saturday, August 5 and there’s growing anticipation for what will be a big weekend in professional wrestling. Yet, one major star is missing from in-ring action. WWE Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley does not have a match and that is a massive misstep heading into this show.

Ripley not having a major feud heading into SummerSlam is an amazing issue. WWE has seven hours of television time each week and countless production abilities to create some type of angle of Ripley. While she is a central piece in The Judgement Day, the idea that she is an accessory to the stories involving Damian Priest, Finn Balor, and Dominick Mysterio continues to become a pressing concern for many watching the product. Yes, there was a moment when Ripley was presented as the pseudo-leader of the faction, but that has changed as she’s continually there to support the men without an angle of her own.

WWE hinted toward a build to Raquel Rodriguez or Liv Morgan being an opponent heading into SummerSlam, but the latter suffered an injury and the former being “not cleared” in the storyline. What’s the point of keeping that match off the show? One could say that WWE potentially recognized that the build to the match hasn’t been great, but that’s the case with the entire women’s division at this point. Outside of WWE NXT, the promotion is right back to booking the women as an afterthought, even as there are several top names with massive fan followings on both shows.

Look at what Ripley has achieved when given the opportunity to perform. Her last two televised matches were against Lyra Valkyria and Natalya, two matches that were well-received by fans and media members alike. Instead of allowing Ripley to continue to perform like that, she’s shuddered into a support role for The Judgement Day. Not only does that severely limit what’s available for her once the group splits, but causes further issues felt throughout the entire women’s division. Ripley is a phenomenal talent and one that should be positioned as a top star for the company, a role that she’s capable of playing on her own. Yet, WWE takes the position of booking her like she’s second fiddle.

There are still a few days left in which WWE could throw something together to get Ripley on the card. They’ve done this before with Seth Rollins versus Omos. But whatever the company does the continued issue is clear. The women’s division isn’t getting the care the talented performers deserve and that goes all the way up to the superstar that should be Rhea Ripley.