On tonight’s WrestleMania Backlash, both Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair set out for one goal. That goal was for both of them to retain their respective championships that they won at WrestleMania. They both did just that.
Since winning at the biggest show of the year, Ripley and Belair have referred to their title wins as a “new era.” An era where fresh champions have been crowned.
Starting with Ripley, her back was against the wall as she had to defend her RAW Women’s Championship against not just one but two women. She faced both the woman she defeated at WrestleMania, Asuka, along with the woman who felt she should have been at WrestleMania, Charlotte Flair.
The Triple Threat opened the show and put on a great outing with plenty of time given to show what all three women can do.
In a highly competitive match in which any of the participants could have won, Charlotte Flair went for the pin on both her competitors at the same time after hitting a double Natural Selection. Both Asuka and Ripley kicked out.
Moments later, Ripley goes for the Riptide on Asuka but The Empress counters. Asuka goes for the Asuka Lock but Ripley fights it off. Flair then takes down Ripley with a big boot but winds up in the Asuka Lock herself. The Queen rolls through the submission and tries for the Figure Four but gets blocked.
Flair on the apron delivers a big boot once again but this time to Asuka in order to avoid a Hip Attack. This ends up knocking Flair to the outside. Ripley takes advantage of that encounter by hitting Riptide on Asuka to get the pin and retain her title.
You can watch Network Exclusives by bother Ripley and Flair below.
Now on to Bianca Belair who retained her SmackDown Women’s Champion against Bayley.
Bayley was hellbent on getting back the title that she has made history with by being the longest-reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion in history. With “Bel-Loser” shaved into the back of her head, Bayley had all the confidence that she was going to walk out of WrestleMania Backlash as the champ.
Moments leading up to Belair winning we saw Bayley come within mere milliseconds of becoming a three-time SmackDown Women’s Champion. Bayley got a series of near falls before raking the eyes of the champion.
Bayley then used Belair’s hair braid against her by pulling her in and hitting a ripcord Bayley to Belly which caused a near fall that was all too close. The challenger then went for the Rose Plant which the champion blocked to get the pin and retain her title.
You can view Belair’s Network Exclusive after her first title defense victory in the Tweet below.
What did you think of the two matches at WrestleMania Backlash? Was it the right call for Ripley and Belair to retain? Leave your thoughts below.
