Rhea Ripley Makes Surprise NXT Return, Match Announced

Rhea Ripley is back in NXT.

The main event of this week’s episode of the development brand featured a #1 contender’s Elimination match to determine the challenger for the Women’s Tag Team Championships. The duo of Izzi Dame & Tatum Paxley won this match, defeating Fatal Influence’s Fallon Henley & Jazmyn Nyx.

Fatal Influence leader and the current NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne was not happy with her teammates over the loss, and she started berating them in the ring.

As Jayne called herself the greatest Women’s Champion of the brand, however, Stephanie Vaquer made an appearance. She talked about how she is going to win the Women’s title at Wrestlepalooza to prove that she’s the greatest.

When Jayne pointed out that Vaquer was alone while she had her group, Stephanie asked if the NXT champion knew what time it was, and Tiffany Stratton came out.

The WWE Women’s Champion first listed all her accomplishments to make her own claim at being the greatest. Jacy then got on the mic and said that Stratton’s return was like super seniors returning to high school to feel cool again.

The Buff Barbie Doll mentioned that The Mami will not be a fan of that analogy, and then came Rhea Ripley to a thunderous applause from the NXT crowd.

Ripley proposed a match between the two teams for the homecoming special next week, before they charged on Fatal Influence. The babyfaces sent the heels packing and stood tall to end the show.