Backstage, Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley is stretching. It is 52 degrees in Philadelphia. She will defend her title in the first match.
Motionless in White sings Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley’s theme song as she approaches the ring. Ripley is absolutely fired up.
Women’s World Championship: “The Man” Becky Lynch vs. “The Eradicator” Rhea Ripley (c)
Samantha Irvin does the in-ring introductions. There are “Challenger” and “Champion” graphics for Lynch and Ripley, respectively.
Michael Cole mentions that Becky Lynch has been sick all week with strep throat. They talk about the fever she had all week, which got as high as 102 degrees. The bell rings, and they circle the ring. They lock up, and Ripley shoves her down before talking trash. Lynch gets to her feet and slaps her in the face. Ripley slaps her back. They brawl to the corner, and Ripley knocks her to the apron. Lynch quickly snaps Ripley’s left arm off the ropes before slinging it into the ring post. Lynch connects with a missile dropkick that sends her out of the ring. Lynch goes for a baseball slide, but Ripley counters by putting her in the electric chair position. Lynch pulls herself to the apron to get out of it and kicks Ripley in the injured shoulder. Back in the ring, Lynch takes it to Ripley before Ripley slams her down on her face. Ripley connects with a northern lights suplex for a two-count.
Ripley gets Lynch in the corner and shoulders her in the midsection a few times. The referee warns her to get out of the corner. Lynch kicks back, but Ripley quickly clubs her down. Ripley grabs her by the hair and talks trash. Ripley goes for a delayed vertical suplex, but Lynch counters into an inside cradle. Ripley kicks out at one, maintains her hold on Lynch, and hits a vertical suplex for a two-count. Ripley smiles. Ripley clubs away at her before sending her into the ropes for a stiff dropkick. Ripley signals that Lynch is no challenge for her. Ripley stomps away at her before smiling at the crowd. Ripley casually goes to the apron and climbs to the top rope before doing a gyration a la Eddie Guerrero. Lynch pops up and hits an arm drag off the top rope. Ripley grabs her left arm in pain.
They get to their feet and go back and forth with strikes. Lynch kicks her in the midsection, but Ripley cuts her off. Lynch soon hooks the head and connects with a tornado DDT for a two-count. Lynch gets the crowd fired up and goes for a Manhandle Slam, but Ripley elbows out. Lynch manages to get her into the corner and jumps off the ropes to kick her in the chest. Ripley is leaning against the ropes, so Lynch hits a flying leg drop to the apron to knock her to the floor. Lynch attacks her at ringside and connects with a Bexploder into the barricade. Lynch quickly gets her in the ring and heads to the top rope for a flying leg drop. 1… 2… Ripley kicks out. Lynch attacks the arm and sets up for the Dis-Arm-Her, but Ripley fights out. Lynch elbows her back and jumps off the second rope, but Ripley catches her. Ripley slams her down and follows up with a gnarly knee to the face for a near fall!
Ripley bounces Lynch’s face off the mat on top of the prominent Pride Energy Drink logo. Ripley goes for a Riptide, but Lynch counters and takes her down for a cross-arm breaker attempt. Lynch locks it in, but Ripley quickly gets to her feet and powers her up for a powerbomb. Lynch won’t let go, so Ripley slams her a second time. Lynch is still hanging onto the arm for dear life, so Ripley hits a sit-out powerbomb! Ripley covers: 1… 2… Lynch kicks out! The commentators talk about the cold temperature in Philadelphia and wonder how it impacts the competitors. Lynch punches Ripley, so Ripley head-butts her. Lynch attacks the arm, but Ripley fights back with a boot to the face for a two-count. Ripley is growing more and more frustrated. Ripley wildly clubs away at the scrappy challenger. They get to their feet and exchange blows. Ripley head-butts her back and charges, but Lynch sidesteps her, sending the champion shoulder-first into the ring post. Lynch applies a Dis-Arm-Her over the ropes. The referee counts, but Lynch releases before the count of five. Lynch goes for a diving leg drop, but Ripley counters and applies the Prism Trap! Lynch tries to get to the ropes, but Ripley pulls her to the center of the ring. Lynch crawls to the ropes, but Ripley pulls her back to the center of the ring and applies a body scissor to keep Lynch from moving. Lynch rolls over and pins Ripley’s shoulders to the mat for a two-count.
Ripley quickly kicks her and goes for a Riptide, but Lynch fights out. Lynch connects with a Manhandle Slam and covers! Is the yearlong reign of Ripley over? 1… 2… no, not yet! Lynch goes for a Dis-Arm-Her, but Ripley fights out. Ripley grabs the arm and ducks a kick from Lynch before connecting with the Riptide! 1… 2… The Man kicks out! Ripley is irate and argues the count with the referee. Ripley heads to the top rope, but Lynch cuts her off. Lynch attacks and connects with a superplex. Lynch grabs a cross-arm breaker before turning her over for a Dis-Arm-Her! Ripley screams in pain, but she fights up with Lynch in the electric chair position. Lynch grabs the ropes and pulls Ripley over in a modified hurricanrana, but Ripley lands on her feet and still has Lynch on her shoulders! Ripley connects with an electric chair drop on the floor! Ripley gets her in the ring and goes to the top rope. Ripley connects with a Frog Splash! 1… 2… Lynch barely kicks out!
Lynch slowly crawls to the corner on the apron to take a moment to recover. Ripley talks trash to her and hooks the head from the second rope. Lynch fights out of a deadlift superplex attempt and forearms her in the face. Lynch climbs to the second rope for a Manhandle Slam, but Ripley gets out and lands on her feet. Ripley connects with a Riptide into the turnbuckles before hitting a second Riptide on the mat! 1… 2… 3! Ripley’s yearlong reign continues!
Winner by Pinfall and still Women’s World Champion: “The Eradicator” Rhea Ripley
