WWE has started using Judgment Day more frequently across all three of its weekly television shows. While overexposure is often a concern, in this case, it helped to show that Rhea Ripley is becoming the biggest woman in wrestling.
She has cemented herself fully as the leader of the faction. Over the past month, that status has brought with it exciting storylines. These include feuds with most of the top women on the roster and interactions with Seth Rollins, The Bloodline, Drew McIntyre, and Cody Rhodes.
Each moment has been different, telling a different story for the viewers. However, all of them, both men and women, have started to calibrate their feuds and characters around Ripley. Being such a central figure in WWE not only makes her the company’s main character, it means Rhea Ripley is becoming the biggest woman in wrestling, period.
WWE is Still the Top Spot for Women’s Wrestling
Many women are making a good living by entertaining fans and putting on fantastic matches across the globe. As other promotions have developed, so have their women’s rosters. Even with promotions like AEW hitting new heights, though, WWE is still the major league.
It has the best balance between solid booking for their women’s division and weekly fans to tune in for a match. Yes, some promotions like Stardom focus more on female talent, but they don’t have the reach. Promotions like AAA, NJPW, or AEW have sizeable fanbases, but they use women less than WWE.
While there is still quite a ways to go for wrestling to reach a long-awaited parity between male and female talents, WWE strikes the balance best right now.
That fact alone means that whoever is on top in WWE is more than likely the most prominent woman in the industry or, indeed, in the conversation. That is why Rhea Ripley is becoming the biggest woman in wrestling so quickly. As the women’s champion on the flagship show of the largest wrestling promotion, she has the most name recognition among fans. Being involved in the top promotion isn’t enough all alone.
There is a reason that performers like Sable don’t have the same reverence about them as legends like Lita or Stratus, in-ring proficiency.
Rhea is Booked as Unbeatable
Rhea Ripley is an outstanding wrestler. From the moment she appeared at the Mae Young Classic in 2017 onward, her ring work has been consistently good. At WrestleMania 39, Rhea Ripley and another all-time great, Charlotte Flair, had one of the best matches of the night without any build at all.
She went on to win the title and has not lost it yet. Even before becoming the true leader of Judgment Day and launching her career, Ripley was always liable to have breakout performances in the ring.
At only 27 years old, Rhea has held her own in several high-pressure positions with far more experienced talents. Her brawling style conceals her deceptively proficient technical abilities. She has always had the skills and the raw athletic ability to perform at a high level.
Rhea’s mastery of the in-ring performance is a significant contributing factor in her rise. Being utilized for segments is a big deal, but a true superstar in wrestling needs to back it up when the bell rings.
The moments that make up a match are the ones fans remember forever. With Ripley, every slam, strike, and blow looks and feels like an essential part of the match. Fans are invested in her success and failures in the matches, which makes the moments outside the match that much more impactful.
She is Often the Most Interesting Person on Screen
It bears repeating that Rhea Ripley is phenomenal as a wrestler. However, even when she isn’t an active competitor, the spotlight tends to find her. Some of that is attributed to her booking.
Whenever she isn’t fighting, she is helping Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, or Damian Priest win their matches. Perhaps more important than her presence during the matches, she makes the most out of every segment with a microphone.
Building up on her greatest weakness when debuting has paid off significantly. Ripley’s promos helped power through the early stages of the still confusing Judgment Day storyline, getting them to their prominent perch in WWE.
Ripley has grown dramatically in her promo work. At one point, she was one of the weakest members of the Judgment Day team on the microphone. Now, she is usually the most captivating aside from Dominik. It is about something other than the words or delivery of them, too.
As Rhea appears in more segments, she has had to play off different situations and superstars. The way she reacts to these scenarios and superstars is always interesting and adds a ton to both the show and her character overall. It is often the little things that separate professional wrestlers as good or great. Ripley has mastered the little things to stand out and cement herself as the latter of the two.
Why is Rhea Ripley Becoming the Biggest Woman in Wrestling?
Rhea Ripley is becoming the biggest woman in wrestling. This is not for lack of competition, but from concentrated booking that feels fresh. There were moments throughout that Ripley felt like a valet with a title. In those times, it was nearly impossible to see her surpassing the top of the pack like Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair.
It was even less possible to imagine a world where Rhea was discussed alongside icons like Lita or Trish Stratus. Ripley has found herself in the conversation with each of those talented women. More than that, she has been tasked with doing something none of them ever had the opportunity to do.
She has taken up a starring role on three television brands, often acting as the anchor of Raw. She has led a faction of men who have generally been the top heel group in the company for months. All of these things while still being a dominant force in the ring against rivals of both genders. Ripley has been asked to do it all and, recently, has more than delivered.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
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