00:00Well, the week of WrestleMania in Vegas is just awesome.
00:04Vegas will also have SmackDown and Raw during WrestleMania weekend.
00:08That's Friday, April 17th, Monday the 20th.
00:11And it's gonna be at the T-Mobile Arena.
00:12And tickets are on sale now at AXS.com.
00:21One.
00:22Yes.
00:24Get up.
00:25We're done.
00:25Stop.
00:25Stop.
00:28Oh.
00:30You back?
00:32You want some of this?
00:34I'm actually in line behind two others.
00:36Two others.
00:37Who's the...
00:39Did you forget?
00:40You done injuring me, making me sit at home for months, and you thought I was just gonna
00:44disappear?
00:47You ain't stupid.
00:49Oh, yeah?
00:49No, but fuck.
00:51I actually think it's better if she doesn't see it coming.
00:53You right.
00:54I wasn't gonna hit her.
00:54I just wanna see her scared.
00:56It's better if we bruise that ego, hurt that pride, take that title, and then she don't
01:02gotta worry about WrestleMania.
01:05What a shit.
01:10meet in with Ed Kendo.
01:12Julia was enraged a week ago when she came up short in her Elimination Chamber qualifier.
01:17Alexa Bliss won that.
01:20desire.
01:43Alexa Bliss won that.
01:47And her opponent from Adelaide, South Australia, Tia's one-half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, Rhea Ripley!
02:03Who never backs down from a challenge.
02:06Hey, a week ago, of course, Tag Team Champions, Tia and Rhea, were in a brutal championship match and dissolved
02:13in the chaos, Wade.
02:14Yeah, against Nia Jax and Lash Legend, both teams came close to victory on several occasions, but eventually, the competitors
02:22completely lost focus on the victory part, and a devastating brawl ensued, absolutely nowhere was safe as tables were broken,
02:33then security barriers were broken, the ref threw this whole thing out, and of course, ultimately, the bodies of four
02:39competitors were completely broken too.
02:42Now, the rematch of that incident will be taking place next week on SmackDown, but for this week, Rhea Ripley
02:49has some singles to deal with.
02:51That's going to be so much fun, there it is, next week in Louisville, Kentucky, the WWE Women's Tag Team
02:58Championship match, Rhea Ripley, EO Sky, against the Irresistible Forces next week.
03:05And we are back on the USA next week.
03:09Yes!
03:11Olympic schedule comes to an end, so USA Network next week for Friday Night SmackDown, the night before Elimination Chamber.
03:22Elimination Chamber, that on the women's side, speaking of Nia Jax, now includes Kiana James, who pulled off the upset,
03:32winning the triple threat earlier tonight, here in Florida, over Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax.
03:39So, we had some major crosswords last week in the aftermath of that, that tag melee that we saw a
03:46few moments ago, Julia and Kiana James talked a little smack to our tag champs, EO and Rhea Ripley, clearly
03:53very unhappy with each other.
03:55Now, you also mentioned not so long ago, Joe, that Julia lost her opportunity to qualify for the Elimination Chamber,
04:02of course, Julia and Kiana James lost their tag opportunity against the tag champs a couple of weeks ago.
04:09So, Julia highly irate at the moment, and this, right from the off, has been a very, very aggressive version
04:16of Julia, who is not backing down to the intimidating Rhea Ripley.
04:21No, she's not at all, and that's Rhea with that strength and power, but Julia's got her locked up here.
04:28Mostly transitioning to that grovick-type move there, trying to choke out Rhea Ripley, but Ripley simply too strong, too
04:36much left in the tank, very difficult to disable Rhea Ripley this early in a matchup.
04:41And you mentioned what happened on February 6th when Rhea and EO scored a pinfall on Julia in that tag
04:46team championship match, and then a week ago when Rhea was commenting,
04:50Oh, you must be mad about how Elimination Chamber qualifying went.
04:54But once again, attempt to think of a tornado DDT there, but Ripley just holding on, refusing to go down,
05:00and now forcing this into a vertical suplex.
05:03We'll see if this one works out, and yeah!
05:05Oh, it does, as the delayed vertical suplex is delivered by Rhea.
05:10And just the one count, but you can see writhing in pain with her back is Julia.
05:15Yeah, I feel like suddenly Mami's woken up, and it's not going to finish this!
05:19Looking for Riptide right away!
05:20Julia able to escape it, and then slam Ripley down.
05:24A yank of the hair.
05:25Referee wasn't too impressed, but it's done the job.
05:28Warning sent the way of Julia, but Julia now with a firm upper hand.
05:34Coming in hard to that corner.
05:36Julia really getting better as the week's pass here on SmackDown, getting more and more comfortable in that ring.
05:43Drop kicks are all the way to the other corner.
05:46I mean, what a test this is against Rhea Ripley.
05:48So Rhea Ripley has already qualified for the Elimination Chamber.
05:52Io Sky got her qualifier this Monday on Raw.
05:57Presumably taking it easy tonight, resting up ahead of that while Mami does the damage.
06:02Io Sky against Raquel Rodriguez and Kairi Sane to determine the final spot in the Women's Elimination Chamber.
06:09That comes your way on Raw.
06:12And this is just Mami finding those extra gears now.
06:16Oh!
06:17And that was one gear through Mami's shoulder first into the post.
06:20Nice movement there from Julia, and Rhea Ripley's in big trouble there.
06:25Boy, you could hear that impact echoing throughout.
06:28Amaranth Bank Arena, and then the steal steps.
06:31So Julia is in control against Rhea.
06:45Boy, Julia turns things around against Rhea quickly.
06:48Yeah, that's what you have to do against a bigger, stronger opponent.
06:52If you're smart enough, use their strength, use their momentum against them,
06:57bake them in as Julia just did.
06:59And over-exerting herself in that attack in the corner was Ripley.
07:03And Ripley ended up eating shoulder first the steel ring post.
07:11It's not often you see that.
07:13Shots of Rhea Ripley just bouncing off a compacted up.
07:15This is a Julia with an extra drive in her tonight.
07:20Perhaps impressed by tag partner Keanu James qualifying for the Elimination Chamber and thinking,
07:26you know what, I'm going to try upstaging her now.
07:30With a major singles victory against Rhea Ripley.
07:36Slamming her into the top of that barrier.
07:41You see the emotion that Julia is battling with tonight
07:45as Rhea looks to turn things around.
07:47And Liffard, a barrier shot to Julia.
07:50Yeah, and I think Julia has been the picture of composure at times here
07:55since arriving on SmackDown.
07:56And I think the angry version of Julia
07:59is clearly peeling back the layers
08:02and finding something extra special here
08:04and really dominating Rhea Ripley.
08:07And it's rare you see anybody doing that.
08:12She's locking up her arms
08:14in between the ropes and pulling back.
08:17So let me check, is that the beautiful part
08:19or the madness part?
08:20That would be the madness part.
08:21I think you're right on that one.
08:24Rhea's look in the eyes of the US champ.
08:28Who knows she's in full control of this one
08:31and I don't think too many people
08:33would have predicted Rhea Ripley
08:34at the feet of Julia
08:36this easily in this matchup.
08:39The intensity of Julia that we are seeing here.
08:45I'm not going to stretch her out here
08:47with all that leverage
08:48pouring back in the compromised position of the lower.
08:50Oh my.
08:53Oh, that might be a knockout.
08:54That might be a knockout.
08:56One, two, four.
08:57Oh, the jaw of Ripley bouncing off the mat.
09:01I have no idea how Ripley kicked out there.
09:05The force coming down with her leg
09:08and just slamming Ripley's head.
09:10And there is no respite whatsoever
09:12from these attacks from Julia
09:14who is on a mission tonight.
09:16Well, I go as far as to say
09:18this is the best Julia has looked
09:20since arriving on SmackDown.
09:26Complete control
09:27and making it look almost effortless.
09:54Julia, the United States champion
09:56is in control here
09:57in this non-title match against Rhea Ripley.
09:59It's all the emotion of recent weeks
10:01that has boiled up in Julia
10:03and we have seen plenty of spirit
10:04and plate energy.
10:06Came up for it
10:06in the elimination chamber
10:08qualifying.
10:08Lost an attack.
10:10Oh!
10:10And now taking it out on Rhea.
10:12Went for that.
10:13Arrivederci, Rhea Ripley
10:14just about getting a hand up
10:16and blocking it
10:17in the nick of time.
10:19And Ripley
10:20has been taken to test tonight
10:23by Julia
10:23but is still alive in this one
10:26and looking to turn things around.
10:30center of the ring
10:31Julia and Rhea Ripley
10:33eight days away
10:34from elimination chamber.
10:36Rhea Ripley will be in it
10:37on the women's side.
10:39Julia's tag team partner
10:40Kiana James
10:41that's one of the big stories
10:42of the night.
10:44She pulled the upset
10:44to punch her ticket
10:46to elimination chamber.
10:49And now Mami.
10:51Here comes Rhea.
10:53For the first time
10:54in this match
10:54Ripley looking to build
10:56some momentum
10:57after riding out
10:58a major storm
10:59from Julia.
11:00And boy
11:01have things suddenly
11:02turned around here.
11:03Have they ever.
11:06That is the permanent threat
11:08that Rhea Ripley holds.
11:09Even when she looks beaten
11:11there's still this
11:12lurking in the tank.
11:15the explosive
11:16offense from Ripley
11:17and it is met
11:18by Julia.
11:19Yeah there's absolutely
11:21no letter
11:21from Julia tonight.
11:23It's like a woman
11:23possessed in that ring.
11:25She's looking
11:26to lock her up
11:26in that underhook
11:27butterfly position.
11:30Of Rhea
11:31fighting back
11:32from that second rope
11:34and turn things around
11:35and now she has
11:36Julia in a spot.
11:38Completely unprotected.
11:39Oh.
11:43And Ripley
11:44with such ease
11:46and returns
11:47the favor.
11:50Face plant
11:51right off the shoulder
11:52and Rhea Ripley
11:54looks almost furious
11:55with herself
11:57for allowing Julia
11:58to dominate
11:59so much of this match.
12:07And this could be it now.
12:08Oh she's going
12:09for Riptide Wade.
12:10Rhea wants to end
12:11it right here
12:12as Julia fights
12:13back with a series
12:14of elbows.
12:15Well Julia's done
12:15her homework
12:16knows how devastating
12:17that move is.
12:18Needs something
12:19in reply
12:19and that'll do it.
12:20That's exactly
12:21what she looks
12:22to get here.
12:23And Arriva
12:24dirt she knee.
12:25Arriva dirt she knee.
12:27And Rhea survives it.
12:30But straight back
12:30on the attack
12:31is Julia again.
12:33Absolutely no let up.
12:35Could be a northern
12:36lights bomb right here
12:37but instead
12:38the headbutt
12:39from Rhea Ripley
12:40and quickly
12:42into position
12:43for a roll.
12:45Nia Jax
12:46has arrived.
12:49As has
12:50Lash Legend.
12:52Remember
12:53what's going down
12:55next week
12:56in Louisville.
12:57The irresistible
12:58forces sending
12:59a major message
13:01now to 50%
13:02of the women's
13:03tag champs
13:04Rhea Ripley
13:05who is getting
13:06mugged in the ring
13:07and backup
13:08is on his way.
13:11Here comes
13:12Io Sky
13:13the other half
13:15of the tag team
13:16champions.
13:17Nicely navigating
13:19her way
13:19around Nia Jax.
13:22It's only half
13:23the puzzle there.
13:24The genius
13:25of the sky.
13:26The show
13:27take uppercuts
13:28on Lash Legend.
13:29What a mismatch
13:30those two on.
13:32Rhea clears
13:33the ring
13:34of Lash Legend.
13:40A thorough rival
13:41put an end
13:42to a feisty match.
13:44They will meet
13:45with the tag team
13:46championships
13:47on the line
13:48next week
13:49in Louisville.
13:55Obafemi.
13:56Obafemi.
13:57Obafemi.
13:58Impressive
13:58showing tonight.
14:00You know
14:00I've had my eye
14:01on you
14:01and you are
14:01a Wrestlemania
14:03main event
14:03waiting to happen
14:04and as the
14:05locker room leader
14:07the man filling
14:07the void
14:08that John Cena
14:09left
14:09it is my
14:10responsibility
14:11to get the
14:12next generation
14:13ready.
14:15Oh really?
14:16Now you're going
14:16to do that?
14:17I'm glad you asked.
14:18My three core values
14:19master
14:20inspire
14:21zone in
14:22master the class
14:23inspire to be better
14:24than everybody else
14:25and when the pressure
14:26hits
14:26zone in
14:27and be undeniable.
14:29I can show you
14:30the ropes
14:30both inside
14:31and out
14:32to get you
14:33where you need to be.
14:34Oh really?
14:35Yeah.
14:36You can show me
14:37the ropes?
14:37Yeah.
14:38Okay.
14:38How about you
14:39show me the ropes
14:39next week?
14:40Perfect.
14:41Right?
14:41Yeah.
14:41I'll go talk
14:42to all this about it.
14:43Awesome.
14:45That's awesome.
14:47Wait,
14:48why is he talking
14:49to Oak?
14:50Wait,
14:51no,
14:51not a match!
14:52Not a match!
14:54Zone in two words.
14:56Still to come.
14:57Randy Orton,
14:59Aleister Black.
15:00Our main event
15:01on SmackDown
15:03is coming your way.
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