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Rhea Ripley is one of WWE's biggest stars. At only 26 years old, she's already held gold on NXT UK, NXT, RAW, and SmackDown. She has also been in big-time WrestleMania bouts. Rhea is undoubtedly a prodigy in wrestling today.
Perhaps her biggest moment in pro wrestling yet came courtesy of a bout with Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania. Rhea dethroned The Queen to win the SmackDown Women's Championship, and become a Grand Slam Champion. The title has since become the Women's World Championship.
While Rhea has battled a lot people since winning the gold, it could be argued that the person she should defend her coveted belt against next is Zoey Stark. Zoey was called up to the main roster in the 2023 Draft, and has been a key member of Monday Night RAW ever since.
This article will examine a handful of reasons why Zoey could, and should, be Rhea's next big challenger. While the decision may seem odd at first, there are several quality reasons to justify the move being made.
Below are four reasons why Rhea Ripley should defend title against 29-year old WWE star.
#4. Rhea Ripley will likely need a new challenger after RAW
At WWE Payback, Rhea Ripley managed to defeat Raquel Rodriguez, and retain her coveted Women's World Championship. While The Eradicator did win the bout, the means in which she did so was questionable at best.
Dominik Mysterio, Rhea's partner and Judgment Day stablemate, found his way ringside and distracted Raquel. He ultimately paid for it, by taking a brutal slam, but it allowed Rhea to pick up a win. As a result, Rodriguez has a rematch on RAW this Monday, with Dirty Dom banned from ringside.
While the feud is continuing for now, this Monday's RAW will likely be the end of their rivalry. As a result, Rhea is going to need a new opponent. Seeing as Becky Lynch will be busy with Tiffany Stratton, Zoey is the next logical opponent for The Eradicator.
#3. WWE is reportedly high on Zoey Stark
Zoey Stark has been on WWE's main roster for a few months now. She initially debuted as a solo act, but quickly aligned herself with Hall of Famer Trish Stratus. The two have been a thorn in Becky Lynch's side for months.
That all changed at Payback. After The Man defeated Trish in a Steel Cage Match, Stratus disrespected Zoey, and paid for it. Now, the former NXT star is seemingly a babyface, with a new push on the red brand. Things are looking up and there's good reason for it too.
According to a report from Fightful, shared via @reigns_era on Twitter in the embedded Tweet above, WWE management is high on Zoey. Between the quality of her work, and her work ethic behind the scenes, the company may want to reward her by having her feud with the top dog of the women's division.
#2. Zoey vs. Rhea would be a totally fresh match
Since joining WWE's main roster, Zoey Stark has had eight televised matches and a bout at Money in the Bank. She has shared the ring with the likes of Shayna Baszler, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Nikki Cross, and Candice LeRae.
One person she is yet to cross paths with, however, is Rhea Ripley. Not only have the two not had a match since her call up, but aside from both being in a Royal Rumble Match together, the two have never had a match on any brand at any point.
Given that Rhea has wrestled Natalya what feels like dozens of times between television, premium live events, and at live shows, she could definitely do with a fresh opponent. Zoey and Rhea wrestling around the loop for the first-time ever could be an entertaining way to shake up WWE's live events and television product.
#1. The Ripper needs more wins to continue her dominant reign
As noted, Rhea Ripley first won the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania, by defeating Charlotte Flair. Since then, the title has become the Women's World Championship and The Eradicator has destroyed the competition.
She has successfully defended her title against Zelina Vega, Natalya on two occasions, and Raquel Rodriguez. Ripley has also defeated Dana Brooke, Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, and Lyra Valkyria in non-title action.
Given that so many stars have fallen victim to Rhea already, some in the WWE Universe may think her reign will come to an end soon. On the contrary, Ripley will likely be champion for a long time. As a result, she will need new opponents lined up that she can knock down. Zoey will be just another victim on The Eradicator's list, but a necessary one nonetheless.
