A few months ago, WWE features Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky entered the Survivor series as an ally – but this weekend, they enter Wrestlemania as an Enemies. As three of the most decorated wrestlers in the WWE female division, Belair, Sky and Ripley are no strangers to fight for the spotlight, but this year’s Wrestlemania road was more rocky (and more personal) than ever.
Before their triple threat match for the WWE Women’s World Championship at night, two from Wrestlemania 41, Belair, Ripley and Sky spoke to Variety On how their longtime friendships have become embittered.
According to Ripley, tensions began to increase after interfering inadvertently with a match between Sky and Liv Morgan, which led the disqualified sky and losing a chance to compete in the wages of the elimination chamber.
“Obviously, my emotions sometimes seem to take over me. I couldn’t help it, ”says Ripley. “I was upset. I ran there and put myself in the face. I didn’t want to hit Liv. But when someone pulls your hair, you will hit yourself. All I wanted to do was help Iyo, but she didn’t understand that. Iyo did not give me the time of the day to even explain to me, she decided and took into account. ”
To make amends to cost his longtime friend and compete with a potential place in Wrestlemania, Ripley (who was champion at the time) offered Sky a match for her female world championship.
“Iyo has been with me for NXT days. We have always been together, ”she adds. “Even when I was part of the day of the judgment, I helped damage the CTRL with the war games. We were always on the same wavelength. I gave myself a female world championship match, it is a massive business. It is someone I have never beaten before, it is a massive risk for such a small reward for me. But as soon as I told him that the match was made.
Although Ripley claims to have been manipulated by a friend, Sky maintains that it is only business.
“I love Rhea Ripley. Maybe she loves me too, ”says Sky. “We have trusted ourselves and we have been rivals for a long time. She gave me the opportunity to challenge her title, which was a good sporting spirit. She had confidence that she could defend herself against me, but I am still ready. I am a champion, so I took my chance. ”
Remove the Ripley Women’s World Championship officially makes Sky a WWE Triple Crown champion: one of the few women in the history of the company to hold three different titles in single. Sky is no stranger to gold collection. Before coming to WWE, she reigned as a dominant champion in promoting the world’s fame in the world of the Japan.
“When I was in Japan, I was honored to be the summit of Joshi Wrestling. I worn all the titles, ”explains Sky. It was my first dream, my next dream after that was to become number one in the world. I cashed to become WWE women’s champion, so it was a dream come true. But I want to challenge for a title, not cash. The congestion was great, I had a great moment. This championship was equal, a fair fight.
Ripley is resolutely not as happy, who has spent the last months trying to resume his way in the photo of the world title.
“It was as if she played me,” said Ripley. “She manipulated my emotions, which, congratulations to her, it worked. She is champion of the women’s world, and now I am who has trouble returning to the Wrestlemania match. ”
But while Ripley had trouble recovering his place in Wrestlemania, Bianca Belair hit her ticket for Las Vegas by winning a tumultuous match of the elimination room in March. Although Belair is delighted to return to Wrestlemania, she says Variety His victory is marred by the current conflict between Naomi and Jade Cargill, two of his closest allies.
“I have the impression that in recent years, all of this has been to focus on the test of winning a title or trying to stay undefeated,” said Belair. “This year, with Jade and Naomi falling, this is the first time that I have been going to Wrestlemania completely alone. I lost all my friends. Even one of my closest friends, Rhea Ripley, is emotionally everywhere right now, and that really got me out of my element.
Ripley, for her part, admits that she is unstable by the way Belair insisted in her psychology, taking into account their vast story: Sky, Belair and Ripley all participated in the first NXT women’s game game match in 2019.
“This is another with which I lived everything with NXT,” explains Ripley. “We were really the three main ones, so I found it and I had known it for a very long time. I have always concluded Bianca. We have always been on opposite marks but in a similar place in the female division.”
“She also knows too much about me,” adds Ripley. “She knows the difficulties that I go mentally. Obviously, I don’t like to show them to everyone, but she knows what’s going on in my head most of the time.”
For Ripley, see Belair Applaud Sky in their match for the title confirmed that any previous friendship was over. “To make Bianca go there and sit there and encourage Iyo, when all Bianca and I have been talking for years to face Wrestlemania, I had to take a few steps back. I had the impression that Bianca was lying to me. This is where it all started with Bianca.”
Before taking their quarrel in Wrestlemania, Sky and Ripley tried to settle the scoring in a simple match with Belair serving as a special guest referee, but the chaotic affair ended with Belair calling a DQ. Ripley says that she was not impressed by Belair’s arbitration skills.
“I had a lot of bad referees in many different sports, but I think Bianca Belair takes the cake,” says Ripley. “If you can’t do the job, don’t do it. Displus politely. But instead, Bianca wanted the spotlight. She wanted to be the east, blah, blah, blah. You are not the east of the referee, that’s for sure.”
Unable to solve their problems, the tensions continued to the boil until Ripley convinced RAW director of RAW, Adam Pearce, to add it to the title of Wrestlemania de Belair and Sky, which makes it officially a triple threat.
“With Iyo, I gave her the opportunity for a championship match and she was not willing to make me a match until Adam Pearce has official,” said Ripley. “I’m going to have this killer attitude and go there and get what I want. And I want my women’s championship to come back. Honestly, I think Bianca is a little afraid of going 1-1 with me to Wrestlemania. She is afraid that her sequence would be ruined. ”
Belair is currently on a sequence of four-year Wrestlemania victories, but admits Ripley seems to have his number in head-to-head matches.
“We have such a long history. She beat me twice in singles. She is one of the most talented women in WWE. As a competitor, there is nothing more that I would like Rhea Ripley.
Belair continues: “Then you throw Iyo in this equation, which is one of the best in the division. With Iyo Sky, you have to find a way to play his game. On. “
It is true – although Ripley is one of the most dominant competitors in WWE, she is interrupted every time she has square with Sky.
“Every strategy I tried has never worked with Iyo,” admits Ripley. “Entering Wrestlemania is a completely different match is a triple threat. Anyone can slip for a second, which costs the other two match. I must have eyes at the back of my head. Bianca and Iyo have both proven that friendship comes in second position. My state of mind that goes in this match is that these two women do not care about my feelings and do not care about what is happening in my head.
As for the Sky match plan towards Wrestlemania?
“Strategy is a difficult issue,” she says. “They are very strong and powerful, but I can fly. Last year, I entered Wrestlemania as a champion, but I was a heel. This year, I am a babyface, so a lot of people are delighted to see me defending my title, not only Japanese fans. I am very honored to be the hero of someone who moves from another country, who is very small.
As for what her title title looks beyond Wrestlemania, Sky says she is delighted to compete with the NXT women’s champion (and her celebrity colleague) Stephanie Vaquer.
“I know Stephanie Vaquer said that her dream opponent was me. She is incredible, I would like to fight with her. ”
Belair also quoted to go as a dream challenger, if she leaves Wrestlemania as a champion. “Stephanie will go, of course. Giulia. I think Sol Ruca is incredible. Lash (Legend) and Jakara (Jackson), I had some obstacles with them in the Tag division. Lash has power and size, Jakara has all the tools she needs. I am excited to see some of these NXT calls. ”
Lash legend has also drawn the attention of Ripley, who is looking for a range of powerful post-Mania challengers.
“I like my big costaulies daughters, so the legend of the eyelashes is one. I love her, she’s super cool, ”says Ripley. “Jordynne Grace, she is definitely a little juggernaut. Obviously, I have to go with my Australian Zaria, that’s for sure. It would be great to see two Australians represent. She started in the same place I started, Riot City Wrestling. I would love to walk in the ring with her and not only represent the school, but also Australia and Australia in general. ”
This interview was published and condensed.
