100 Greatest WWE Matches Of All Time (Ranked)
48. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley vs. IYO SKY (WrestleMania 41)
On the surface, Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley vs. IYO SKY looked like it'd be a routine match for all 3 women that wouldn't pull up any trees or live long in the memory. Most watching, including this very writer, got that one wrong! This Women's World Championship scorcher kicked off the second night at WrestleMania 41 with all the frenzied energy that Jey Uso vs. Gunther lacked just 24 hours before.
Someone must've sat the trio down before the show and said: 'Watch this' before sticking on a highlight reel of Cruiserweight Title moments from WCW, because that's what some of the exchanges felt like at times. These women were inspired by something going in, and they were visibly motivated to put on one of the best matches of the entire weekend.
One of the biggest compliments anyone could pay to it is that Bianca, Rhea and IYO all seemed like plausible winners, so fans were on the edge of their seats waiting to see what might happen. That was refreshing, because both Belair and Ripley had been cast as unstoppable workers in the past, but here was pint-sized underdog SKY to steal the plaudits and retain her title with a superb moonsault following Bianca's KOD on 'Mami'.
Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest, who were up next on the card in a 'Sin City Street Fight', had no hope in hell of matching this opening treat. It was the kind of bout 'Mania 41 weekend sorely needed - just something to get the blood pumping. 15 minutes of sheer joy, and a celebration of everything that's right about wrestling.