6 Ups & 8 Downs From WWE Raw (Jan 17)

7. Ripley Sells For Perennial Loser

Rhea Ripley Nikki A.S.H.
WWE.com

Nikki ASH as a delusional villain who thinks she’s the hero is not a terrible character. But WWE once again has decided to ignore their own history in presenting her.

In the weeks leading up to her turn, Nikki was the weak link of her team, constantly beaten easily and always the teammate in peril. So naturally, when she and Rhea Ripley were to square off, she got the upper hand and left her laying Monday night with a beatdown.

No, Nikki didn’t use a weapon to gain the upper hand, just a shot to the back and a few fists and boots before a shove into the steps. Had WWE not spent months portraying her as a pint-sized wrestler who was mostly ineffective, it wouldn’t have looked ridiculous to see Ripley sell her a** off for her.

The story isn’t terrible, but as usual, the execution is lacking, and Rhea is the worse for it.

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Contributor
Contributor

Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fortunately became a fan in time for WrestleMania III and came back as a fan after a long high school hiatus before WM XIV. Monday nights in the Carlson household are reserved for viewing Raw -- for better or worse.