10 New Directions For WWE After WrestleMania 39 (Night 1)

4. Rhea Ripley Dominating SmackDown

WWE WrestleMania 39 Rhea Ripley
WWE.com

Charlotte Flair hadn't been working in the face champion role from late-December onwards, so it’ll be nice to have change on Friday nights. Besides, everyone knew going into 'Mania that Rhea Ripley was/is the way forwards, and there’s every chance she dominates the blue brand title scene for a long time to come.

WWE didn't give her that Royal Rumble win as a token gesture, after all. They've watched her struggle to find her place as a champion before, but that was then. Now, especially after rising to prominence as a key member of Judgment Day, Ripley is poised to become the best female on company books.

She put on quite the clinic vs. Flair.

Triple H moved fast to put the bout's physicality over on social media afterwards, and rightly so. It was a super-strong display that made some (ahem) feel foolish for questioning their capabilities in the build up. Yes, that build was creatively weak, but WWE got everything right when it counted.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.