Last night, I was pleasantly surprised by Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair’s WrestleMania match for the WWE Women’s Championship. It seems that lightning struck twice in Vegas, because the Triple Threat for the WWE Women’s World Champion had me out of my seat.
Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, and champion IYO SKY took to the opening match of WrestleMania 41 Sunday to contest SKY’s WWE Women’s World Championship, and they did not disappoint. Their contest was equal parts a masterclass in in-ring storytelling and a certified spotfest. Their Triple Threat match was death-defying, high-energy, hair-rising — all of the two-word descriptors under the sun. I cannot lavish enough praise on the three women who were involved in this match, nor can I single out one moment or performer who pulled the entire match together. Each performer did absolutely amazing, and this match did everything it needed to do — in the scope of their feud up until now, and in regards to their careers as it will move on from here.
You might think that “Mami” is overrated or overexposed, but on Sunday, Ripley showed everyone exactly why she is everything she says she is. Ripley played the role of the powerhouse wrestler well, but don’t get it twisted. She’s not just *any* powerhouse. Typically, when you have tall and muscled wrestlers like Ripley, to get them to sell (and sell *well*) is like pulling teeth. Not with Ripley. Ripley was willing to flip, roll, defy gravity, and do just whatever it took to make her opponents look like a hundred bucks.
Belair’s performance was nothing but incredible. Between this feud and her involvement with Naomi and Jade Cargill, I am so glad that Belair has been able to expand her character, and really sink her teeth into these more negative emotions. She was especially aggressive with Ripley, who has definitely been the target of her ire in this feud. What I’m most impressed with, however, was Belair’s willingness to eat the pin in this match — not just lose her WrestleMania streak, but *eat the pin.* It shows Belair’s quiet confidence; she knows she doesn’t have to have this undefeated streak to be taken seriously. She knows that there are things bigger than herself, but that doesn’t diminish her own value. Huge, huge respect to Belair for her work both in- and out of the ring. There’s a reason she’s one of the best alive.
SKY 100% deserved this win. SKY is one of the best women to *ever* do it. Her incredibly agility makes her high-flying moves look absolutely flawless, and she sells everything her opponents give her with such passion. Like, I struggle to put into words just how good SKY is — you just have to watch the match (again). After spending this whole feud as an afterthought, SKY showed up and showed out. Her performance was super satisfying after she spent this entire feud being treated like a third wheel.
Wow, what an opening match. I’m gonna watch it again.
Written by Angeline Phu
