During a recent interview, Rhea Ripley disclosed a disappointing update regarding her WWE tag team partnership with IYO SKY. This announcement came shortly after Ripley’s victory in the Women’s Elimination Chamber at the PLE event held last night in Chicago. The primary reason for the pause is Ripley’s preparation for an upcoming championship bout.
Speaking with Sam Roberts and Megan Morant on the Elimination Chamber Recap Show, Ripley explained that their tag team will likely be sidelined as she shifts focus toward challenging Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 42. Despite the break, Ripley emphasized ongoing support between herself and SKY.
“Obviously, the tag team stuff might have to be put on hold for a little bit, but whatever she’s doing, I’m still going to be there for her and vice versa. It’s kind of sad to think about, because I feel like IYO has kind of been in my life here in the WWE over the past what, year and a half? We’ve been pretty much inseparable, whether we’ve been facing each other or we’ve been tagging together, just growing that bond,” said Ripley.
The duo recently lost the Women’s Tag Team Championships to Lash Legend and Nia Jax during Friday night’s SmackDown, marking another challenging moment for the pair.
Rhea Ripley Proposes Dream Match Against WWE Male Star
Beyond her tag team news, Ripley expressed interest in taking on a high-profile male opponent. She proposed an intergender match against Randy Orton, a wrestler she has long admired and wanted to face. Orton secured victory in the Men’s Elimination Chamber last night and earned a title shot for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42 against Drew McIntyre.
In a conversation with GQ Sports, Ripley dubbed herself “The Eradicator” while sharing her excitement about this potential matchup, highlighting fan curiosity about seeing her receive Orton’s signature move.
“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,” she noted.
Upcoming WWE Championship Clash Anticipated at WrestleMania 42
Rhea Ripley’s focus now turns toward her WrestleMania 42 match in April, where she is set to challenge Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship. This opportunity places Ripley at the center of WWE’s major upcoming event as fans await to see if she can capture the title. Meanwhile, Randy Orton will face Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship, adding further excitement to the marquee showdowns.
The potential pause of Ripley and IYO SKY’s tag team efforts underscores the shifting dynamics within WWE’s women’s division and highlights the intense scheduling challenges that top athletes face as they chase individual glory.
