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Former RAW Women's Champion Rhea Ripley has made it her business to become one of the top stars in the company over the last year. She's now been given credit by Matt Cardona as the Female Wrestler of the Year for all she has achieved.
Ripley's work with Judgment Day and Dominik has seen her popularity soar, even though she has been a heel throughout. Her character work as 'Mami' has left fans in stitches through her chemistry with the younger Mysterio.
Ripley is now set to challenge Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 39.
While speaking to Bill Apter for the Sportskeeda Wrestling Awards, Matt Cardona chose Rhea Ripley as the obvious choice for the Female Wrestler of the Year. He specified that despite the fact that she had not won the Rumble until 2023, the work that she put into her character in 2022 alone made her deserving.
"I'm going to go with Rhea Ripley for that. I know she just won the 2023 Rumble and we are judging 2022. But she has stepped up her game, evolved and that's so important in this business. Just a staple of Monday nights, Friday nights, and ,wherever she shows up. To see what she has done since starting on NXT all the way to now, definitely my pick for the winner." [2:31 - 3:00]
FANS CAN ALSO VOTE FOR THEIR FAVORITE WRESTLERS FROM 2022 HERE.
Matt Cardona chose Rhea Ripley to be the one to beat Charlotte Flair
Cardona also went on to pick Rhea Ripley to win the SmackDown Women's Title by beating Charlotte at WrestleMania 39. The two are set to clash after Ripley came away with an impressive win at the Women's Royal Rumble, beating 29 other superstars.
"I think, I mean I picked her for this, right so I'm gonna all the way and stick to my guns and pick that she's going to win the titles." [3:01 - 3:23]
This would see her get a shot against Flair when, years earlier, The Queen had won the Rumble to challenge and subsequently beat Ripley for the NXT Title at WrestleMania.
Fans can follow Matt Cardona on Twitter here and catch his podcast here.
For any quotes taken from this article, please link the video and provide H/T to this article.
