Heading into WrestleMania 39, there was some debate as to whether Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley or Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens vs. The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) should close the first night.
Ultimately, WWE decided the Undisputed Tag Team Title match should get the main event spot thanks to the story that led up to the bout. Though the SmackDown Women's Title match didn't headline the show, Flair and Ripley received much praise for their match quality.
Speaking on WWE After The Bell, Ripley reflected on the bout.
"Coming out of that match, I did feel like we stole the show. I feel we went out there and left everything we had in the ring and proved to everyone exactly why we should have been in the main event spot. Yes, we didn't have a good build like Sami, Owens, and the Usos; at the same time, Charlotte and I, every time we step in the ring, we bring the brutality, we bring the ferocious when we go out there and we just beat the living crap out of each other. All the praise that we got, it made me happy and made me proud that we went out there and beat the crap out of each other and loved it. It's a weird feeling. I get it, I do get it," she said.
Asked if she had the mentality of "top this" going into the match, Ripley replied, "It's a lot how I felt going into the first women's WarGames match. We had our WarGames shirts and it was FTMF, that was printed on the back and that was the same mentality that I had going into this WrestleMania. The day of was a complete mess to me. I was emotionally unstable, I want to say, because of the lack of sleep and everything coming full circle. I knew that as soon as my music played and I stepped out of Gorilla and into (the arena) and all the fans staring back at me that I was going to switch on and that's when the Rhea Ripley you see comes out and all my confidence comes rushing through my body and I'm going to go out there and do everything I can to steal the show."
Ripley was victorious against Flair, capturing the SmackDown Women's Championship with her win.
Ripley is currently feuding with Zelina Vega and the LWO as Rey Mysterio's battle with his son Dominik Mysterio continues.
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