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Since joining The Judgment Day, Rhea Ripley has become one of the biggest stars in WWE. Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix recently recapped how she suggested to the group's former leader Edge that the Australian star should join the group.
Last May, after her time as a fan favorite started to wear thin, Ripley joined forces with Edge and Damian Priest. Together, they formed one of WWE's most villainous factions, feuding with the likes of Finn Balor and AJ Styles.
On WWE's The Bump, Edge's wife, Beth Phoenix, stated that she and her husband discussed which female star could be a part of the group. Eventually, both legends agreed on Ripley's inclusion in the stable.
"Adam [Edge Copeland] had talked to me on the female side of things, ‘Who do you think of the female roster who could really benefit from having a bigger platform? Who needs it? Who has all of that talent but just hasn’t had the opportunity to shine in a big way?" (H/T EWrestling News)
Check out the full video below:
Since joining The Judgment Day, Ripley's star power has continued to rise. In January 2023, she picked up one of the biggest victories of her career as she won the Royal Rumble Match. The triumph guaranteed her a world title match for WrestleMania 39 this April.
Beth Phoenix on Rhea Ripley's WrestleMania 39 match
Next month, Ripley will take on Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania in Los Angeles.
As part of the same interview with The Bump, Beth Phoenix was asked to pick a winner between Flair and The Eradicator as their 'Mania showdown inches closer. In response, she said:
"I’m pulling for Rhea Ripley. After our matchup [at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023] I feel like she’s on the biggest roll of her life." (H/T EWrestling News)
Rhea Ripley and Flair are no strangers to one another, as the two women faced off at WrestleMania 36 in 2020 for the NXT Women's Championship. After some back-and-forth action, The Queen emerged victorious.
Who will walk out of WrestleMania 39 as the SmackDown Women's Champion? Let us know in the comments section below.
