Rhea Ripley has had an incredibly busy night. As tempers flared in the entranceway after Edge ruined Judgment Day's Royal Rumble, and then the group returned the favor, Ripley emerged to back her stablemates. Appearing from the shadows was Beth Phoenix who avenged the brutal chair shot she took from Ripley months ago by flattening the former NXT Women's Champion with a spear.
Rhea Ripley Runs The Gauntlet
Not only did Ripley then have to compete in the women's Rumble, but she entered the match at the number on spot. Turns out The Nightmare is made of pretty stern stuff, as if that was ever in any doubt. Ripley went the whole way, outlasting 29 other Superstars to win the women's Rumble and book her spot in a main event match at WrestleMania. It's the first time a woman has ever achieved that feat, and only the fourth time anyone has ever won from the number one spot.
Ripley started the match with her former friend turned foe, Liv Morgan. Morgan stated that she wanted to win the match from the number one spot, and entering at number two is effectively the same thing, even if it doesn't sound quite as good. Morgan was the last one left with Ripley, both of them stood on the apron with Asuka during the closing moments of the match.
Anarchy On The Apron
The Empress attempted to blind Ripley with some blue mist, but the eventual winner ducked in the nick of time which meant Morgan was the one who wound up blinded. Ripley threw Asuka out of the match amid the confusion, leaving her with an incapacitated Morgan to deal with. Despite not being able to see, Morgan came very close to eliminating Ripley and winning the match. However, The Nightmare locked her legs around Morgan's neck and flung her from the apron for the win.
Unlike Cody Rhodes, who won the men's Rumble to kick off the night, Ripley has a decision to make. Either she challenges Bianca Belair for the Raw Women's Title or Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown equivalent. Ripley has history, and has had terrific matches, with both women. There's also a chance she chases Roxanne Perez's NXT Women's Title. The pair clashed for the first time during the Rumble.
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