WWE May Have Subtly Confirmed Rhea Ripley’s New Partners On SmackDown
Rhea Ripley officially returned to SmackDown on Friday.
Her movement from Raw was due to her becoming the WWE Women’s Champion by defeating Jade Cargill at WrestleMania 42. On this week’s red brand, she shared an emotional backstage segment with IYO SKY, confirming her departure.
While Ripley received a champion’s welcome in Fort Worth, Texas, she also learnt who her potential challenger for the title could be, and that too in a brutal fashion.
Earlier in the evening, the Fatal Influence trio of Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, and Lainey Reid made their main roster debuts by attacking WWE legends Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Brie Bella, and Paige.
Jayne, Henley, and Reid were promoted from NXT earlier in the week as part of the post-WrestleMania shake-up.
During her segment, Rhea Ripley promised to be a fighting champion and issued a challenge to any woman in the locker room. This prompted Fatal Influence to make their presence felt for the second time in the night.
As the leader of the group, Jacy stepped up while getting mercilessly booed by the audience every time she spoke, which was reminiscent of Dominik Mysterio’s segments after he turned on his father at the 2022 Clash at the Castle.
Both women then competed in a non-title match made official by SmackDown GM Nick Aldis.
The action was fast-paced and back-and-forth, which allowed Rhea Ripley to maintain her dominant presence while also letting Jayne create a good first impression on the viewers.
In the closing minutes, when Ripley attempted her Riptide finisher, Henley and Reid jumped into the ring and attacked the champion, causing a disqualification.
However, Ripley succumbed to the numbers game, as Jayne took her out with her Rolling Encore finisher.
Rhea Ripley’s Potential Allies Revealed On WWE SmackDown
WWE managed to set up a strong debut for Fatal Influence while also painting Rhea Ripley as a strong Women’s Champion on SmackDown.
Following the assault on her by Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, and Lainey Reid, Ripley was seen backstage meeting with a medical professional to tend to her injuries.
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss were already being tended to. Ripley and Flair appeared confrontational due to the history of their rivalry with each other. Bliss, on the other hand, was the peacekeeper. Flair said that she would take care of Jayne next week before leaving.
WWE may be setting up a 6-woman tag match before a final contender for her championship is determined. With Backlash scheduled for May 9, a potential clash between the women in a tag team setup is possible.
Between December 2025 and January 2026, Ripley, Flair, and Bliss joined forces a couple of times during their rivalry with the Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) and the Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax & Lash Legend).