SmackDown Women’s Title Match: Zelina Vega vs. Rhea Ripley

Back from a break and out comes SmackDown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley by herself. Ripley was drafted to RAW in the WWE Draft, while her opponent was selected by SmackDown. The LWO music hits next and out comes Zelina Vega in Puerto Rican flag attire. An emotional Vega receives a big pop and greets family members at ringside. We get formal ring introductions from Irvin. Fans cheer loudly for Vega as she holds the flag open while crying.

Cole says Vega has dedicated this match to her father, who passed away in the 9/11 attacks. The bell rings and Ripley taunts Vega to boos. Vega ducks a quick attack and the “ole!” chants start up. Vega gets slammed into the corner but she side-steps and kicks Ripley.

Vega grabs a flip-flip from her mom to a huge pop, then throws it at Ripley, angering her. Vega fights in and flies off the middle rope for a hurricanrana but Ripley catches her for a big powerbomb in the middle of the ring. Vega kicks out at 2. Ripley man-handles Vega now, working her over and taunting the crowd. Ripley with shoulder thrusts in the corner.

Ripley launches Vega into the turnbuckles and she goes down. Ripley mocks The LWO by using the taunt made famous by WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero. Ripley continues to dominate and talk trash to Vega. Ripley with a rib breaker now. Ripley scoops Vega to her back for a Gory Special. Vega gets out and side-steps, forcing Ripley to hit the ring post shoulder-first. Vega fights Ripley off with forearms. Vega is sent back to the corner but she fights back out as fans rally. Vega with clotheslines but Ripley headbutts her.

Vega blocks Riptide and turns it into a big DDT. Vega rallies the crowd and hits 619 for a pop. Vega goes to the middle rope, does the Eddie taunt, then hits the Meteora for a close 2 count. An emotional Vega can’t believe it.

Vega unloads while Ripley is dazed on her knees. Vega charges but Ripley intercepts her with a roundhouse kick to lay her out. Ripley then follows up with Riptide for the pin to win and retain in the middle of the ring.

Winner: Rhea Ripley

After the match, the music hits as Ripley stands tall. We go to replays. Ripley makes her exit with the title draped over her shoulder. Fans begin chanting and cheering for Vega as she gets back to her feet. An emotional Vega now stands tall and waves to the crowd as they chant to her. She blows them a kiss and exits the ring as we go back to a break.

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Zelina Vega vs. Sonya Deville

We go back to the ring and Sonya Deville waits as Zelina Vega makes her way out. Chelsea Green is out with Deville. Cole hypes Vega vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley at WWE Backlash.

The bell rings and they lock up. Deville slams Vega to the mat with ease. Deville trash talks and drops Vega with ease again to prevent a lock-up. Vega with a takedown but Deville blocks the next attempt.

Deville unloads with body blows in the corner. Vega uses the ropes for an arm bar but she’s forced to break. Vega ends up on the floor, arguing with Green, which allows Deville to drop her from behind. Deville brings it back in for a 2 count.

Deville unloads with kicks in the corner now. Deville takes Vega down and rag-dolls her with a headlock. Vega fights up and out but Deville quickly cuts her off and drops her for 2. Deville unloads in the corner again as the referee warns her. Deville goes for a long vertical suplex but Vega counters.

Vega looks to mount offense but she runs into an elbow and goes down. They tangle again and Vega rolls Deville up for the pin to win out of nowhere.

Winner: Zelina Vega

After the match, Vega stands tall as the music hits. Ripley suddenly attacks Vega and lays her out. Deville goes for Ripley but Ripley nails a headbutt. Green gets on the apron but she jumps off when Ripley stares her down. Ripley goes for Vega again to deliver Riptide, but Vega counters and spikes her with a DDT. Ripley sits up in the corner, clutching her title, and she’s furious as Vega runs away to the back.

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The Survivor Series go-home edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX opens at 8:11pm ET due to college football running live on FOX. We’re now live from the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island. Michael Cole welcomes us, and he’s joined at ringside by Wade Barrett. We go right to the ring.

We go to the ring and Team Damage CTRL is out – Bayley, Rhea Ripley, Nikki Cross, and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions IYO SKY and Dakota Kai. Bayley takes the mic and she’s not happy with Team Belair dragging their reveal out, and being here on Thanksgiving night (her words). She calls Team Belair out and here comes RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Mia Yim. Belair says they didn’t come alone tonight. The music hits and out comes Becky Lynch to a big pop.

Lynch and Team Belair rush the ring and a brawl breaks out with Team Damage CTRL. They go to the floor but Becky and Bayley are left in the ring. Becky with a big Exploder suplex. She plays to the crowd for a pop. Ripley stares Lynch down from the apron and then slowly comes in. Lynch tells her to bring it and fans rally. Team Belair is watching from the apron behind Lynch. Ripley ends up backing away with Team Damage CTRL. The announcers hype tonight’s line-up and we come back to a shot of Lynch celebrating her return on the stage.

Credit: WrestlingHeadlines.com

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We go right to the ring and out comes The Judgment Day – Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest. The pyro goes off as Mike Rome introduces The Judgment Day and they slowly march to the ring, wearing black suits. Some fans boo as we see video of last week’s Balor vs. Rey Mysterio match, and how Ripley came walking out with a lifeless Dominik Mysterio to distract.

The group poses on the apron and then stands tall in the middle of the ring as fans boo. Ripley says they run Monday Night RAW and that’s been the harsh reality to The Mysterios week in and week out, she even proved to Dominik that she really is his Papi, as she destroyed his soul. The boos get louder. Balor says everyone really loves The Mysterios and they don’t get it, but for everyone who loves them he’s got some very sad news – The Mysterios will not be here, because poor little Dominik had his soul crushed last week, and Rey was destroyed by Balor in the middle of the ring, 1-2-3, to further solidify Balor’s already-legendary status in this business.

Fans boo Balor. Balor wants to hear what Priest will do to WWE Hall of Famer Edge next week. Priest asks what won’t he do to Edge next week. Priest asks fans if they want to see Edge confront The Judgment Day now. Fans respond with a pop but Priest informs them Edge isn’t here tonight, he’s in Toronto promoting next week’s match. Priest goes on with words for Edge and says he doesn’t need anyone at ringside to deal with Edge. Fans give Priest the “What?!” treatment as he goes on about ending Edge, and how it will be just he and Edge next week, no Balor or Ripley at ringside. Priest says Toronto will now be known as the place where he sends Edge back into retirement, and this time retirement won’t be filming TV shows or wack movies, retirement will be WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix wheeling him around and feeding him through a tube, for the rest of his life. Fans boo but Rey suddenly attacks the heels from behind. Rey clears the ring and sends Priest back off the apron as he tries again. Ripley then faces off with Rey, taunting him. Balor comes from behind with a steel chair but Rey dropkicks it into him. Rey with chair shots to Balor now. Priest rushes in but Rey unloads with chair shots as fans cheer him on.

Rey goes to smack Balor with a chair while he’s down but Ripley puts herself in the way. Rey then turns to hit Priest with the chair but Ripley grabs the chair from behind, which allows Priest to level Rey with a big boot. They triple team Rey now and Ripley drops him face-first with a DDT on the chair. Fans chant for Edge now as the triple team continues. They place the chair over Rey’s body and Balor then smashes into it with a Coup de Grace from the top. The Judgment Day stands tall over Rey as the boos get louder and officials check on Rey. We go to commercial.

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Rhea Ripley vs. Nikki A.S.H.

We go back to the ring and out comes Rhea Ripley. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and we get a new “coming soon” vignette from Veer Mahaan. He is still just “coming soon” with no date set. We go back to the ring and out comes Nikki A.S.H. The bell rings and Nikki yells at Ripley for what happened at Elimination Chamber, then rocks her in the mouth. Nikki keeps yelling until Ripley levels her with a big shot. Ripley tosses Nikki across the ring and works her over while talking trash.

Ripley with shoulder thrusts in the corner. Ripley drops Nikki in the corner and tosses her across the ring again. Ripley misses a shot in the corner but puts the brakes on and cuts Nikki’s comeback off. Ripley with a long vertical suplex in the middle of the ring. Nikki rolls to the floor and yells at the announcers about how she told us that Ripley is the villain here.

Ripley comes out and slams Nikki’s face into the announce table. Ripley rolls Nikki back in but wastes some time shrugging to the announcers. Nikki attacks Ripley as she comes back in, unloading with punches. Ripley comes back and hits a Riptide in the middle of the ring for the pin to get the fairly quick win.

Winner: Rhea Ripley

After the match, Ripley stands tall as the music hits. We go to replays. Ripley poses and looks down at Nikki to end the segment.

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John Morrison is meditating in the back when WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley walk up, asking what he’s doing. Morrison is tapping into his inner chi. Nikki says everyone should follow their dreams. They walk away and laugh as Ripley asks Nikki if she knows what Morrison was talking about, but she doesn’t. They look back and Morrison is meditating again.

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RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. vs. Rhea Ripley

We go back to the ring and out comes RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. for this non-title match. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and we see Olympic gold medalist basketball player Keldon Johnson at ringside. We see what happened to Riddle earlier tonight. Kevin Patrick stops Riddle backstage and he’s really sad about Randy Orton walking out on him. We go back to the ring and out comes Rhea Ripley for the next match. The music hits and out comes Charlotte Flair to join the announcers for commentary. The bell rings and Ripley slams Nikki on her face to start.

Nikki fights Ripley off but Ripley grabs her and tosses her across the ring. Nikki fights out of another hold and hits a big bulldog from the corner. Nikki mounts some offense and kicks Ripley away from the apron. Nikki with a crossbody from the apron to the floor, taking Ripley down. Nikki gets hyped up at ringside, raising her fist in the air while staring down Flair. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and they trade pin attempts. Ripley slams Nikki and hits a long vertical suplex for a close 2 count. Ripley beats Nikki around some more and applies a Bear Hug. Nikki fights out with elbows but Ripley tosses her to the mat. Ripley charges and misses, hitting the turnbuckles. More back and forth now. Nikki rolls Ripley for 2. Nikki keeps fighting and blocks an attack into the corner. Nikki with a big tornado DDT for a quick pin attempt. Nikki shows some frustration now but gets hyped up as they return to their feet. Ripley blocks a shot and places Nikki on the top turnbuckle. Nikki fights her off and leaps with a crossbody but Ripley catches her. Ripley with a big Northern Lights suplex for a close 2 count.

Ripley shows some frustration now, arguing with the referee. Nikki with a jawbreaker and a roll-up for 2. Ripley comes right back with a big boot to level Nikki but she hangs on. Ripley follows up with the Riptide for the pin to get the non-title win.

Winner: Rhea Ripley

After the match, Ripley stands tall in the middle of the ring as we go to replays. Nikki is recovering at ringside now as Flair taunts her. Nikki suddenly attacks Flair and beats her down for a big pop. Flair runs into the ring but Ripley floors her with a clothesline. Flair ends up regrouping at ringside as Ripley and Nikki look on from the ring. Ripley’s music starts back up.

RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax

We go back to the ring and out first comes Rhea Ripley for tag team action. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and we get a new vignette from Elias. It’s daytime now as he looks at what’s left of last week’s fire he threw his guitar in. There’s now a tombstone for Elias, reading 2017-2021. He says he’s had #1 hit records and the music didn’t fail him, it just wasn’t enough. WWE stood for Walk With Elias but Elias is dead, he says. Elias walks away from the tombstone and the burnt remains of his guitar still laying on what’s left of the fire. We go back to the ring and RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. is already out with Ripley. Charlotte Flair is also out already. She introduces her partner and out comes Nia Jax to some boos.

The bell rings and Nikki yells at Jax. Jax rocks her with a strike and turns her back but Nikki attacks. Nikki ends up on Jax’s back with a Sleeper but Jax rams her back into the turnbuckles. Jax with a running Hip Attack in the corner, then she rubs her rear in Nikki’s face to boos. Jax keeps control until Flair comes back in. She levels Nikki at ringside with a big boot. Flair shows off and poses to boos as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Nikki finally gets the hot tag to Ripley. Ripley unloads on Flair with clotheslines. Ripley keeps Flair down and knocks Jax off the apron. Ripley yells out for a pop from the crowd. Ripley rocks Flair in the face and nails a Northern Lights suplex for a close 2 count. Flair rocks Ripley into the corner but then runs into big boots. Ripley goes to the top for a missile dropkick but Flair side-steps and she lands hard.

Jax is back on the apron now waiting for a tag. We see Shayna Baszler backstage watching the match with a deck of cards. Jax tags in and catches Ripley with a big Samoan Drop. Jax goes to the second rope for a Vader Bomb but stops to laugh and smack her own rear. Flair tags herself in by smacking Jax on the backside, and Jax isn’t happy. Flair goes on to hit Natural Selection on Ripley for the pin to win.

Winners: Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax

After the match, Flair stands tall as her music hits. She makes her exit while Jax seethes in the ring as Nikki and Ripley recover.

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We get a video package on RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. defeating Charlotte Flair in last week’s non-title No Holds Barred match. Sarah Schreiber stops Rhea Ripley backstage now, asking if she’s still as confident as she was after seeing last week’s No Holds Barred match. Ripley gives Nikki some props for last week’s match but wonders if Nikki has the dark side needed to keep the title because she hasn’t seen it. Ripley says nothing will save Nikki from the beating she gives her tonight, and then at SummerSlam when she becomes the new champion. Ripley walks off.

RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. vs. Rhea Ripley

We go back to the ring and out comes Rhea Ripley to a pop. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and we see how Titus O’Neil helped the Tampa community with school supplies. Schreiber is backstage with RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. now. She talks about how she has her spirit and her drive to help her tonight. She knew Ripley and Charlotte Flair would be hard to deal with when she began all this, but she didn’t almost beat Flair last week, she did beat her, and she’s almost sure she will beat Ripley tonight. Nikki goes on and says she will do what it takes to retain the title at SummerSlam. The music starts up and Nikki makes her way to the ring for this non-title match.

The bell rings and Nikki has her ribs taped up from last week. Ripley with offense early on. Nikki counters and takes Ripley down with a headlock. Nikki keeps control and takes Ripley down with another headlock from the corner. Ripley powers out and slams Nikki face-first into the mat.

Ripley kicks Nikki in the ribs now, sending her to the corner. Ripley with a big thrust in the corner. Ripley drops Nikki in the corner and keeps control. Ripley launches Nikki across the ring by her hair now. The referee warns Ripley about the hair as she keeps control. Ripley launches Nikki into the turnbuckles and she goes back down.

Ripley dumps Nikki out to the floor. She follows but Nikki fights her off. Nikki charges and Ripley drops her face-first into the edge of the apron. The referee counts as Ripley stands tall at ringside. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and Ripley man-handles Nikki on the mat. Ripley keeps control until Nikki finally counters mid-move and spikes Ripley into the mat with a big DDT. Nikki gets up first and rocks Ripley with forearms. Ripley counters with a sideslam attempt but it’s countered as Nikki mounts more offense. Nikki with a close 2 count. Ripley goes right back to work on the injured ribs.

Nikki counters the Riptide and falls on Ripley for a 2 count. Ripley with lefts and rights in the corner now. Ripley takes Nikki to the top and works her over. Ripley climbs up but wastes some time. Nikki blocks the superplex and knocks Ripley to the mat with a right hand. Nikki stands up on the top but Charlotte Flair appears out of nowhere, hitting the apron and shoving Nikki to the mat for the disqualification.

Winner by DQ: Nikki A.S.H.

After the bell, Flair enters the ring as the boos get louder. Flair drops Nikki and kips up. Flair then drops Ripley with Natural Selection as a dazed Ripley was trying to get up from her knees. Flair marches around the ring with the title belt in the air as the boos continue. Flair stands tall as her music starts up. She drops the strap on Nikki and makes her exit.

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Nia Jax vs. Rhea Ripley

We go back to the ring and Nia Jax is waiting with Shayna Baszler. Out next comes Rhea Ripley for this first-time-ever match-up.

The bell rings and Jax talks some trash to start. They lock up and Jax takes it to the corner, man-handling Rhea some to boos. Ripley with two boots to fight out. Rhea with a big strike to the face. This angers Jax and she headbutts Ripley. Jax launches Ripley into the ring post. Jax goes to the apron and poses to boos. She runs and smashes Rhea’s head into the post with her hip.

Jax brings it back in but Ripley fights back. Ripley goes for the Riptide but Jax elbows her away. Ripley gets sent into the corner shoulder-first once again. Jax goes to the apron and tries to sandwich Ripley into the post again, but she hits hard as Ripley moves. Ripley goes to deliver a cannonball to Jax from the apron to the floor but Jax moves and she takes out Baszler instead. Jax comes back and sends Ripley into the barrier with a Samoan Drop. We go to commercial with Jax in control at ringside.

Back from the break and Jax has Ripley on her shoulders in the middle of the ring, stretching and bending her. Ripley slides out and works Jax over, staggering her. Jax is still standing until Ripley uses the ropes to land a big head scissors takedown. Ripley goes on but Jax dumps her to the apron. Ripley with a big kick from the apron to stun Jax.

Ripley goes to the top and nails a missile dropkick for a close 2 count. Jax turns it back around and goes for a powerbomb but Ripley fights up high, then turns that into a takedown. Jax is bleeding from a cut near her eye. Jax levels Ripley and delivers the running leg drop in the middle of the ring for a close 2 count.

One side of Jax’s face is covered in blood. She appears to wave the referee off. Jax scoops Ripley for a Samoan Drop but Ripley slides out. Ripley goes for he Riptide but Baszler gets on the apron to yell at her. Jax charges but Ripley side-steps to avoid her. Ripley comes right back and rolls Jax up for the pin to win.

Winner: Rhea Ripley

After the match, Ripley retreats to the floor as her music hits. Jax gets right back up as we go to replays. Baszler is in the ring now. Jax yells at her, not happy about the distraction. Baszler goes to leave but the argument continues. Jax is bleeding a little heavy from one side of her face. Baszler storms out of the ring as Jax looks on. Jax immediately turns around to a big superkick from Ripley. Ripley then slams Jax with a Riptide for a big pop. Ripley stands tall over Jax as fans cheer her on and her music starts up. We get a replay. Ripley celebrates at ringside now.

Backstage Segment
Kevin Patrick is backstage with Rhea Ripley now. She says the match with Nia Jax was brutal, but not as brutal as a No Holds Barred match, where everything is 100% legal. She laughs and says she will be watching, and she hopes Nikki A.S.H. beats the hell out of Charlotte Flair, but nothing that happens tonight will change the fact that she will win the title at SummerSlam.

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We begin with a look back at what happened last week with the Raw Women’s Championship.

We are in Kansas City, Missouri and your announcers are Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, and JImmy Smith.

We go right to the ring and out comes new RAW Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H. as Mike Rome does the introduction. Nikki rushes the ring as fans cheer her on.

Nikki hits the ring and says she’s always wanted to say this… welcome to Monday Night RAW! Nikki can’t believe she’s standing here as champion, it’s always been a dream. A “you deserve it!” chant starts up. Nikki says she keeps pinching herself to make sure she’s not asleep, but this dream is now real and in the past when she’s reached for the stars, she just didn’t have the confidence needed. But then one day she realized, if she fails, she fails, she’s still her. And when she put on this outfit, it gives her the confidence and reminds her, and she wants to remind all of us, that no matter what, if you believe in yourself you can overcome everything. It worked for her, it can work for you… we can all be Almost Super Heroes. Nikki raises the title in the air as fans cheer her on.

The music interrupts and out comes Charlotte Flair, who Nikki won the title from last week. Flair hits the apron and waits for a crew member to open the ropes for her. Nikki looks on with her title as Flair takes the mic. Fans boo Flair. Flair says that is a nice fairy tale Nikki is telling but hers doesn’t have a happy ending because Nikki as champion is a disgrace. Flair can’t believe Nikki, dressed up like this, is supposed to represent the company. Flair mocks Nikki trying to imagine her on the NBC Today show, where Al Roker would mock her as well. Flair says the fans may also think Nikki is a champion but in Flair’s book, you have ton work to be champion. Flair says she doesn’t believe it and she’s here to add star power and perspective to this ring. Flair calls Nikki an Almost Idiot and as fans chant “you suck!” and she has a brief back & forth with the crowd. Flair goes on about how she dominated Rhea Ripley last week, for Ripley to attack her, and that was the only way Nikki could cash-in. Flair says it’s beneath her to complain but the footage shows she wasn’t even on her feet when the match with Nikki started. Flair says Nikki stole her title.

Flair says she will get her rematch at SummerSlam, and Nikki will bow to the queen. She says Nikki isn’t even to blame for this injustice, the fans are because they can’t handle it when other people are more successful than them. The music interrupts and out comes Ripley to a pop. Ripley mocks the idea of everyone being jealous of Flair. Fans chant “Rhea!” now. Ripley taunts Flair for only holding the title for a day. Ripley also brings up how Flair got herself disqualified last week before the cash-in, and says it should be her who gets the match at SummerSlam. Nikki dismisses the idea of either challenger beating her for the title at SummerSlam. She says they both represented the division well when they were champion, but the women’s division is ready for a metamorphosis and she will be leading that change as the new champion.

Flair has had enough of the super hero crap. She goes on ripping Nikki and says she will leave SummerSlam as champion. Ripley says the title belongs around her waist. The music interrupts and out comes Sonya Deville and Adam Pearce to the stage. Pearce says there are a lot of good arguments and perspectives, so they will address them. Deville says the only fair thing to do is make a Triple Threat for SummerSlam. Flair argues and wants a title match tonight. Pearce makes the match. Flair attacks Ripley from the side and sends her out. Nikki dropkicks Flair and ends up clearing the ring. Nikki stands tall as her music hits while Flair and Ripley look on from the floor.

Backstage Segment

Nikki A.S.H. is in the back and Sarah ambushes her to ask about the match against Charlotte Flair.  Nikki says her confidence has grown and she is not afraid to fail.  She is confident of herself and win or lose she wants to make sure that everyone knows that the hardest of challenges are worth fighting for.  No matter what happens, she will be defending her championship at SummerSlam.

Rhea Ripley shows up behind Nikki and she tells Nikki she can’t help but respect the belief that Nikki has in herself, but she will be walking out of SummerSlam as the champion.  She tells Nikki that she hopes that Nikki gives Charlotte hell.

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