The announcers ponder what Raquel Rodriguez can do to win this match, but also say Rhea Ripley has to guard against overconfidence. Raquel wins the early power tests, so Rhea gets a breather on the outside.
Ripley kicks her challenger in the midsection but can’t budge her on an Irish whip. A battle of clotheslines goes to Rodriguez, who slams Ripley once but gets taken down with a leg sweep/hair grab.
The champ puts Raquel down with a nasty dropkick and peppers her with a few right hands. Ripley smashes her face into the turnbuckle, mocking her fallen tag team partner Liv Morgan.
Ripley takes some time to flex, then paint brushes Rodriguez a bit. Raquel finally buys some time by tossing Rhea across the ring. Some stomps force Rodriguez down to the mat, and Ripley is enjoying this pace now.
A nasty knee shot gets Ripley a near fall. Rodriguez comes right back with a clothesline for her own two count. A chop block to Raquel’s already bad knee makes for a great response, setting up her standing Figure Four. Rodriguez rolls through and forces a kickout from Ripley as her shoulders are pinned.
Raquel slams Rhea but the announcers sell her knee buckling. Both women get to their feet to exchange blows, one of which sends Ripley to the floor. Rhea knocks Raquel’s legs out from under her, but the challenger hoists the champ and smacks her into the post, then the barricade.
Here comes Dirty Dom, when Mami needs him most. Sadly for him, he takes a running powerslam, but it buys Rhea time for some leg kicks and a Riptide for the win.