10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About Rhea Ripley
2. The First Asuka Match
There was a cinematic quality to Bianca Belair's awesome contest with Sasha Banks on Night One of WrestleMania 37.
The historical significance of their main event moment wasn't lost on either woman, and a fairly wretched build dissolved thanks to buzz and excitement generated by the socially distanced crowd. Buoyed by that rather than nonsense plotting about not being able to coexist with Reginald the sommelier, the pair put forth one of the best matches of the year.
Mirroring the inclement weather that weekend, lightning didn't strike twice on Night Two.
Rhea Ripley and Asuka's unspectacular and uninspiring offer felt agented out of their own control and in desperate need of some narrative heft. WWE had failed so needlessly in establishing heat between the two in the build that even as Challenger, Ripley was scanning more like a cocky heel than an earnest babyface with a year's extra grit and experience.
It wasn't so much a good match as a well-worked series of sequences happening in front of us all. The women deserved better, the crowd deserved more, and it's not been a Moment™ the company have been all that keen to trumpet ever since.