WWE WrestleMania 36 Night 2 begins now! For some reason they play the entire intro from last night again. It’s still longer than it needs to be. Once again Rob Gronkowski introduces us, says it’ll be even more hype tonight because it’s Sunday and he knows a thing or two about Championship Sunday. Our opening match is a pretty unique one as it sees Charlotte Flair challenge Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women’s Championship.
NXT Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
Tentative in the opening moments. Charlotte avoids the lock-up, trips her down and mocks her, “This is our NXT Champion!” she says, gesturing towards the fallen Ripley. Goes for the Figure Four but Ripley kicks her away. Ripley’s offended she thought it’d be that easy. Lock-up, Charlotte shoves her into the corner. Break forced, Ripley gets in Charlotte’s face. Charlotte with a series of loud knife edge chops! Whip reversed, Charlotte handstands in the corner but gets a kick to the face, Ripley pulls her out and nails her with the Riptide out of nowhere for a nearfall!
Charlotte bails from the ring, Rhea eventually pursues but Charlotte slips back in and as Ripley tries to follow, Flair stomps her into the mat. Rhea with some upkicks, pulls Charlotte by the hair to the floor! Charlotte with a double throat thrust on her way back up though, toss into the steps but Ripley back elbows her way up, goes atop the steps for a senton! Back into the ring, standing dropkick lands. Shoulder thrusts into the corner, Rhea is amping up the intensity. Kick to the back, smashes her face into the mat. Vertical suplex for a 2 count. Kicks to the back, body scissor applied as he yanks at the hair. Smacks to the back of the head and shoulders, Charlotte trying to fight out with elbows. Looking for a bridge but can’t pin her, Ripley turns her around for a cover for 2! Kick sends Charlotte to the apron, Flair avoids a big boot, snaps the leg across the top rope!
Flair stomps on the leg and lets out a big “WOOOO”. Twists the leg around the middle rope, gives it a kick. Ripley tries to upkick her out but Charlotte catches it and drives her knee into the canvas time and time again, but eventually Ripley stands out of it for a big slap but gets a kick to the knee that drops her immediately! Charlotte with a toe hold now. Rhea still desperately trying to kick her away but gets her leg smashed into the mat. Charlotte outside the ring, pulls the bum leg out and smashes it into the ring post until she lands a kick to the face. Ripley crawls away but the moment she gets back up, Flair nails her with a chopblock!
Referee is asking if Ripley wants to stop the match and she howls “NO”. Charlotte says she made NXT as she leaps on that leg time and again. Body slam attempted but Ripley lands out of the back of it, Wheelbarrow Facebuster! But she can’t cover. FIght back to their feet, Charlotte with some heavy hits, LOUD knife edge chop! (I think they’re amping up the volume of the strikes since that’s not so hard to do with this scenario, but that’s totally fine by me.) Ripley ducks one, cravate applied and knee lifts to the face! Charlotte backs her into the ropes to force the break, ducks a few kicks but eats a roundhouse, charging dropkick but she comes down selling the leg again! Short-Arm Clotheslines nailed as Ripley smacks the bum knee. Charges, Charlotte with a back body drop takes her to the apron, kick to the leg and she falls to the floor!
Charlotte goes up top but Ripley surprises her, gets up to the apron and big boots her! Hoists her onto her shoulders, Electric Chair Facebuster for a nearfall! Charlotte fights back up, back suplex but Rhea lands on her feet on the escape, sells the leg again as Charlotte gets her with a big forearm. Into the corner, Ripley knocks her away, goes up top, missile dropkick lands flush for a nearfall! Charlotte avoids a kick, basement dropkick, knee drop to the leg. Wants the Figure Four, Ripley kicks her away, headscissor roll, stomps to the stomach as she keeps hold of the legs. And now, the Standing Cloverleaf! She’s a little too tall to be lifted off the canvas by this but it looks painful anyway! She makes it to the ropes for the break though.
Charlotte retakes the advantage, looks for the Figure Four again but gets kicked away, Charlotte jackknifes her, transitioned into a Boston Crab! But Ripley rolls through for an exchange of cradles, Ripley with the final kick out and follows up with a sweeping kick to the head! Charlotte up first though as Ripley is struggling to stay off her back thanks to that bum leg. Charlotte stomps her on her way up, Ripley surprises her with a superkick for a nearfall! Ripley batters her into the corner, body shots, shoulder thrust. Charlotte tries to fight out but Ripley takes her up to the top rope. Haymaker to the cheek!
That one legit looked stiff to me. Ripley pursues, wants a superplex. Flair reverses and sends her down to the mat! Slowly stands atop the top rope for a moonsault… but Ripley gets the boots up, nails her in the jaw! But as she staggers up, Charlotte nails her with a mighty spear for a nearfall! She made her genuinely take her down with that one. Inside cradle for a nearfall, turns the kickout into the Figure Four, she finally has it cinched in! Ripley struggling mightily, smacking at the legs but Charlotte is starting to bridge… and there it is, all the way in with the Figure Eight! Ripley fights as long as she can but has to tap!
Winner: Charlotte Flair
And there you have it. A good match with a simple story and the conclusion sees Charlotte Flair make her way back to NXT. First time a former champion has ever made their main roster trek only to regain their old NXT title, pretty cool.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: Get TheOvertimer’s Hottest Stories, Breaking News and Special Features in your email, CLICK HERE!
