26-year-old WWE star set to wrestle her first match on RAW in five months against Asuka next week

WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley will be returning to action on RAW for the first time in five months as she takes on Asuka in a singles match next week.

The Eradicator was last seen in action on the red brand on June 6, where she outperformed three other female stars to become the #1 contender for the RAW Women's Championship. However, Ripley was unable to challenge for the Title as she was sidelined due to a health problem.

Since returning to TV programming, Ripley has mostly helped her fellow Judgment Day members in their matches. While she has wrestled on the WWE live circuit and NXT, she has not competed in any matches on the red brand.

Ripley recently joined forces with Damage CTRL for the WarGames match at Survivor Series. She will take on Asuka on the upcoming edition Monday Night RAW to determine which team gets the advantage at the Premium Live Event next week.

WWE Superstars Asuka and Rhea Ripley last faced off in 2021

Asuka and Rhea Ripley are no strangers when it comes to standing across the ring from each other. However, their last singles match was over a year ago on June 14, 2021.

Ripley kickstarted her RAW Women's Championship reign at WrestleMania 37 where she defeated the Empress of Tomorrow in an exhilarating match. The duo went on to feud for another month, with the Eradicator coming out on top every time. Rhea's title reign lasted for 98 days before she was defeated by Charlotte Flair.

The 26-year-old has come a long way since then. She is now the focal point of The Judgment Day and is a key factor in the heel stable's recent dominance in WWE.

According to Drew McIntyre, Ripley is one of the favorites to win the Women's Royal Rumble match next year. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling, the former WWE Champion mentioned the Eradicator when he was asked to pick a winner for the over-the-top-rope battle royale.

"It's hard not to say Rhea right now. She's beaten up most of the guys and she has been an X-Factor for The Judgment Day, and the way she dominated and slammed Luke Gallows, who's legitimately six-foot-seven, 300 pounds, it's hard not to see her as the favorite in that match, especially the kind of back-up she's got as well."

Asuka and Rhea Ripley are two of the most dominant female wrestlers of the current generation. However, The Empress of Tomorrow is yet to pick up a victory over the Judgment Day member, which gives the latter an advantage in their upcoming bout.