At this week’s Monday Night RAW in Brooklyn, Rhea Ripley, also known as The Eradicator, and Iyo Sky captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles from The Kabuki Warriors, marking a significant moment for the duo. Buddy Matthews, AEW star and Rhea Ripley’s husband, publicly congratulated Ripley on social media, adding an emotional layer to her victory and bringing the focus keyword, Rhea Ripley WWE Tag Titles, into the spotlight of wrestling discussions.
Ripley and Iyo Sky Defeat The Kabuki Warriors at Barclays Center
The first RAW of 2026, held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, featured multiple championship matches, but the most talked-about was the Women’s Tag Team Championship clash. The Kabuki Warriors defended their titles against the newly formed team of Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky. After a heated battle with shifts in momentum, Ripley managed to pin Asuka, securing the championship belts for her team. The chemistry and teamwork displayed by Ripley and Sky, sometimes called “Rhiyo” by fans, quickly drew buzz from WWE enthusiasts and social media users alike.
Buddy Matthews Shares Proud Reaction to Ripley’s Success
Adding personal significance to Ripley’s victory, Buddy Matthews took to his Instagram stories to express his happiness for his wife’s achievement.
“My wife… is a smoke show!” – wrote Buddy.
Buddy Matthews, a current member of the Hounds of Hell, has been sidelined with an ankle injury from his Continental Championship match against Kazuchika Okada at Grand Slam Australia in February of the previous year. Despite his absence from in-ring action, Matthews has remained vocally supportive of Ripley’s endeavors, contributing to the emotional resonance of her title win on such a major WWE stage.
Other Major Title Changes and Defenses on Monday Night RAW
This eventful episode of RAW also saw Becky Lynch challenge Maxxine Dupri for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Lynch, leveraging the ropes for extra advantage, managed to pin Dupri and walk away with the title, adding another accomplishment to her storied career and reigniting her ongoing rivalry with other women’s division stars.
Looking ahead, the night also set the stage for a high-stakes match in the men’s division, as CM Punk is scheduled to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Bron Breakker. The matchup is particularly anticipated, following several weeks of escalating tension between Punk and Breakker, both prominent names in the WWE landscape.
The series of title changes and exciting matchups at the first RAW of the year highlight not only the competitiveness of WWE’s roster but also the growing personal narratives that resonate with fans, both in the arena and across social media platforms. Ripley’s latest achievement, with public backing from her husband Buddy Matthews, serves as a reminder of the interconnected worlds of WWE and AEW, and the supportive relationships enriching the wrestling community.
Becky Lynch nueva campeóna Intercontinental y adiós al Reinado tan corto que tuvo Maxxime Dupri#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/fIEWzGLptM
— Luis Eduardo (@luisracing222) January 6, 2026
