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  • 5 NXT Superstars who can take Rhea Ripley's place if she gets sent home 
Rhea Ripley's WrestleMania didn't go exactly as planned

5 NXT Superstars who can take Rhea Ripley's place if she gets sent home 

Rhea Ripley went into WrestleMania 36 as NXT Women's Champion, hoping to knock off Royal Rumble winner and resident Queen of the WWE, Charlotte Flair. It wasn't meant to be, however, as Charlotte took out Ripley's leg weeks before the event, and focused the entire match on snapping it with the Figure-8 Leg Lock.

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Ripley losing via submission was quite a shock to fans of the Mosh Pit Kid, but recently we've learned why she may have lost the belt. Reportedly, her visa expired recently, and she was forced to go back to her home country of Australia until things could be settled.

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Whether that's true or not is yet to be determined, as there are conflicting reports surrounding the rumor. However, if it's true, NXT will need a new top star to battle Charlotte Flair. Considering that there's a ladder match coming up to determine the new #1 contender, it looks like WWE was prepared for this situation. In fact, most of the competitors from that match have found themselves on this list, save for one Superstar.

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#5 Tegan Nox

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'The Girl with the Shiniest Wizard' hasn't exactly had the best run in NXT. Reportedly slated to win one of the Mae Young Classic tournaments, Nox was injured during both. However, since returning, Nox has picked up a lot of steam, and gotten the backing of the NXT Universe.

That's thanks to a pretty personal rivalry with her former best friend, Dakota Kai, who turned on her and attacked her knee at NXT TakeOver: WarGames in 2019. Since then, the two have been involved in one of the most heated feuds in recent NXT history.

Tegan Nox knocked off Deonna Purrazzo back in March to advance to the upcoming ladder match looking to find Charlotte Flair's first #1 contender. If Nox can walk out the winner, she'll shoot to the top of the division while also picking up a vital win over one of the most hated competitors on the Black and Gold brand.

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#4 Mia Yim

This ladder match won't be Yim's first rodeo
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The Blasian Baddie has been a constant threat to the NXT Women's Championship for a little over a year now. After a great showing in both Mae Young Classic Tournaments, losing to the runner up of the first tournament Shayna Baszler, and the winner of the second, Toni Storm, she moved to the NXT roster where she began racking up some incredible wins.

MiaYim's record in NXT is pretty impressive, especially considering the women she's knocked off in her short time on the roster. Bianca Belair, Dakota Kai, Kay Lee Ray, Raquel Gonzalez, Xia Li, and more have felt the wrath of the Head Baddie in Charge, and even Shayna Baszler was put to the test in their NXT Women's Championship match in Toronto last year.

Yim's never back down attitude is something that fans can easily get behind, especially if it's someone who's not afraid to go into a fight with a disadvantage, which is something we've seen a few times in the past few years.

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As far as her ability, go back and watch her series with Bianca Belair to see what she's capable of. With the EST of NXT joining RAW and Rhea Ripley reportedly out of the States for a while, Yim is someone who can fill that role.

#3 Dakota Kai

Dakota Kai's new aggressive offense could push her to the top of the card
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During the reign of Shayna Baszler, the NXT Universe watched Dakota Kai constantly punished and tortured by the Queen of Spades. She never gave up, and each and every match saw the Captain of Team Kick's resilience get stronger.

We saw a metamorphosis in Kai back at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, with Kai turning on her best friend Tegan Nox, attempting to injure her leg while also crippling Team Ripley in their war against Team Baszler. Though Rhea Ripley's team would manage to go on and win, somehow, Yim's turn felt somewhat familiar. It reminded many fans of the Tommaso Ciampa/Johnny Gargano split back in 2017.

Judging from the past few years, Tommaso Ciampa proves that a dastardly heel can bring the fans to their side after some time, and Kai is definitely one of the most devilish Superstars in NXT at the moment. With Raquel Gonzalez by her side, she just may win the NXT Women's #1 Contender's Ladder Match.

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If she does, she may be able to dethrone Charlotte Flair.

#2 Shotzi Blackheart

Blackheart and her Shotzi-Tank
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Ah Shotzi Blackheart, the tank driving suicide diving rebel without a cause. Many WWE fans were introduced to Blackheart at the EVOLVE 10th Anniversary Special last summer, where she took part in a hellacious street fight against Brandi Lauren.

While she didn't win, Blackheart proved that she had...well...heart. She's also proven that in NXT with her reckless, fearless assault on Shayna Baszler and an outstanding performance at the gauntlet match last week.

Though she lost to Dakota Kai, Shotzi Blackheart defeated four women in a row to get to Kai, including Xia Li and Deonna Purrazzo, with several different moves. A wild, unpredictable competitor with a stylish entrance and look to boot. Shotzi Blackheart is someone that the NXT Universe has already firmly gotten behind.

Though she isn't in the ladder match, she could find herself in title contention soon if that gauntlet performance meant anything. After being worn down by four women, she nearly put away a fresh Dakota Kai. One has to wonder what she could do if she took on the Captain of Team Kick in singles action.

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#1 Io Shirai

Io Shirai sacrificed her friends to rise to the top
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Io Shirai has been one of the most popular Superstars on NXT since her debut at the Mae Young Classic. Coming in second at the tournament, the Genius of the Sky quickly gained favor with the fans thanks to her incredible high flying ability and absolutely gorgeous moonsault.

Cut to eleven months later, and Shirai turns her back on Candice LeRae. After losing to Shayna Baszler in a steel cage match, Shirai snapped, battering LeRae with steel chairs and being dubbed by Mauro Ranallo as the "Joshi Judas". With a new entrance came a new, psychotic attitude, mesmerizing the NXT Universe.

Since then, she's been a part of several top-tier rivalries, and even joined Shayna Baszler in the WarGames match back in 2019. Recently, Shirai returned to NXT where she knocked off Aliyah to enter the NXT Women's #1 Contenders Ladder Match. Could the Genius of the Sky find herself back in title contention so soon?

If we're looking for someone that emanates that rage and intensity of Rhea Ripley while also sporting a unique look and, let's be honest, fire entrance theme, Io Shirai has to be at the top of the list.

Meet the man who called CM Punk the softest man alive HERE

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Edited by
Pratyay Ghosh
 
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