Rhea Ripley, currently one half of the Women’s Tag Team Champions alongside IYO SKY as the team Rhiyo, has pushed back against suggestions that she is avoiding challenges for their titles. The controversy arose after Bayley, during an interview on Busted Open Radio, commented on her failure to qualify for the Elimination Chamber and floated the idea of teaming with Lyra Valkyria to face Ripley and SKY at WrestleMania. Bayley accused Rhiyo of deliberately evading their challenge.
“RHIYO keeps ducking us…And we all KNOW WHY,” wrote Bayley.
In reply, Ripley shared a meme featuring the reverse Uno card, implying that it was Bayley and Valkyria who were the ones avoiding competition rather than Rhiyo.
How Rhiyo secured the Women’s Tag Team Titles
Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY claimed the Women’s Tag Team Championships on the January 5, 2026 episode of RAW by defeating The Kabuki Warriors, comprised of Asuka and Kairi Sane. Their reign has since drawn attention from other teams eager for a shot at the belts, including Bayley and Valkyria, who have pushed RAW General Manager Adam Pearce to officially recognize their partnership as a tag team on the path to WrestleMania 42.
Rhea Ripley’s ambitions include intergender dream matchups
Beyond tag team competition, Ripley recently revealed in a discussion with GQSports her interest in an intergender dream match. She expressed enthusiasm for a rematch against Dominik Mysterio and shared her longtime wish to face Randy Orton in the ring. Ripley noted that fans have been eager to see her receive an RKO from Orton, a scenario that might now be realized within the WWE 2K26 video game.
“Obviously I would love to put belts to a**es against Dominik Mysterio again, but if not him then I will let everyone live out their wildest dreams and I would love to face Randy Orton. Because everyone wants to see me get RKO’d for some reason and it didn’t happen before so, maybe we can live that out in the game,” said Ripley.
Outlook on WWE’s tag team scene and future storylines
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria’s attempts to formalize their tag team status with the support of RAW’s management suggest ongoing developments in the Women’s Tag Team division as WrestleMania approaches. The reactions between Rhiyo and their contenders, along with Ripley’s outspoken ambitions, indicate that WWE is setting the stage for dynamic encounters featuring these wrestlers. How these rivalries unfold may significantly impact title defenses and intergender match possibilities in upcoming WWE events.
RHIYO keeps ducking us…
And we all KNOW WHY. https://t.co/0h9wOwvW8d
— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) February 20, 2026
— RheaRipley_WWE (@RheaRipley_WWE) February 20, 2026
