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‘Old Friends’ Rhea Ripley & Raquel Rodriguez Still Display Signs of Love for Each Other Despite Embarrassing One Another on Live TV

Published Sep 1, 2023 | 8:30 AM EDT

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This weekend WWE will host its upcoming PLE- Payback. The 7th edition of the premium live event will feature two of the most physically dominating female WWE superstars in recent times. Current Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley will defend her gold against Raquel Rodriguez at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 2. Needless to say, shots have been fired, and plenty of it. While the WWE Universe expects a fierce encounter during their bout, recent social media activities of the two have raised doubts.

Rodriguez and Ripley have a history in the promotion. They have both risen through the ranks, honing their skills at NXT, the company’s developmental territory. Recently, both the female wrestlers were seen reminiscing about their past on social media.

What are Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez’s posts about?

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Ripley and Rodriguez signed with the WWE around the same time between 2016 and 2017 respectively. They also graduated to the main roster between 2021 and 2022. With their growth coinciding, naturally, they shared a good bond.

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Recently, WWE shared a post with a series of photos showing the Australian pro wrestler bonding with the Texan. They can be seen having a lighthearted moment, where Rodriguez’s enormous strength shines through.

Both the superstars were seen sharing the images as Rodriguez posted a story on Ripley and her and The Nightmare also posted a story on her Instagram where she is been held by her rival in a playful manner. Instagram story, raising suspicion that they still have a soft corner for each other. However, the social media activities of the two superstars contradict their general behavior towards one another.

In the recent past, Rodriguez and the current Women’s World Champion have traded blows on live TV. With similar physical attributes, Rodriguez seems to manage the onslaught from Ripley better than most in the current roster. In fact, she also humiliated Mami on the August 7 episode of RAW and followed it up with another attack on the August 28 episode of the flagship show.

With momentum on her side, Rodriguez has vowed to cut Rhea Ripley down to her size at Payback. But why is the former Women’s Tag Team champion furious?

Rodriguez’s Payback time or Ripley’s Judgment Day?

There’s a good reason for Raquel Rodriguez to unleash her wrath on her Australian counterpart. The current champion is the reason Rodriguez doesn’t have gold around her waist.

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On July 17, a brazen attack by Ripley left Rodriguez injured backstage. It also cost the 32-year-old and her tag team partner, Liv Morgan, their belt later that night. A week later, The Eradicator attacked and injured Morgan, ending all hopes for Morgan and Rodriguez to win the belt.

At Payback, Rodriguez will look to take the belt off of Ripley as revenge for her past deeds. But it isn’t likely to be very easy. For one, Ripley is a formidable opponent, as proven by her recent run. Secondly, she has the support of her group- The Judgment Day. And while they are a little loose at the moment, Dominik Mysterio is likely to accompany his Mami to the ring and cause distractions for Ripley’s opponent.

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That said, fans will have to wait till the PLE and their bout to find out exactly how it goes. So, what’s your take on the latest development pertaining to their social media activities? Let us know in the comments.

Watch This Story: Kid’s Hilarious Move Pushes Dominik Mysterio Aside for a Picture with Beloved Heel Rhea Ripley

Written by:

Sudipto Maity

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One take at a time

Sudipto is a WWE writer at Essentially Sports. He holds a PG degree in Mass Communication. Being an experienced journalist, Sudipto has interviewed WWE Superstars Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus and hopes to add some more names to that list.
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Edited by:

Sherjeel Malik