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Rhea Ripley has been on a tear on WWE RAW since joining The Judgment Day. The future was always bright for the 27-year-old star, but she floundered for a while before joining the faction at WrestleMania Backlash 2022. Since joining the group, her star has only risen, with her recruiting Dominik Mysterio and eventually becoming the Women's World Champion.
Despite The Judgment Day repeatedly affirming that they have no leader, Ripley has been recognized by many as the group's de facto head honcho. So much so, in fact, that she has drawn comparisons to perhaps the company's greatest faction head, The Bloodline's Roman Reigns. The duo share many similarities, and it's easy to see why one may think that Mami is RAW's answer to The Tribal Chief.
Here are four signs that Rhea Ripley is WWE RAW's equivalent to Roman Reigns:
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#4. Rhea Ripley has been compared to Roman Reigns on WWE RAW
The clearest sign that Rhea Ripley is WWE RAW's answer to Roman Reigns is crystal clear: it has explicitly been said on the red brand! Granted, it was said by Jey Uso, who seems to be taken with her and harbors a huge grudge against The Tribal Chief, but it still holds a lot of significance.
Ripley has been positioned as a top champion on Monday Nights, and carries the same aura of invincibility that Reigns has had on SmackDown for more than three years. Few dare to cross her path, and those that do end up getting "smashed." Should she also have a thousand-day reign, she could end up being as big, if not a bigger star than The Head of the Table.
#3. The Judgment Day's dealings with The Bloodline have established Rhea Ripley as Roman Reigns' equivalent
During Roman Reigns' historic current championship run, he has been portrayed as head and shoulders above almost every other superstar. One could argue that only a few like Cody Rhodes, Brock Lesnar, and Seth Rollins have been treated as true equals to The Head of the Table. Going by The Bloodline's recent dealings with The Judgment Day, Rhea Ripley resides in that exclusive pantheon.
Take for example Monday Night Mami's face-off with Paul Heyman on SmackDown leading up to Fastlane. The Women's World champion commanded both The Bloodline and The Judgment Day members to leave the room, something only Reigns would normally do. Then, her talk with The Wiseman ended with her ordering the latter around, disregarding the need for The Tribal Chief's approval.
Many have declared themselves equal to the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but WWE RAW's own dominant World Champion is the only one to actually receive the same kind of respect.
#2. Rhea Ripley and Roman Reigns have similar styles as champions on WWE RAW and SmackDown, respectively
Rhea Ripley is a dominant World Champion on WWE RAW. She has been accused of not doing enough work in her division (because she's usually facing off with men), but whenever she defends her title, it feels like a big deal. She is the most protected and feared star in the division, and is to many fans the "final boss" of the RAW women's locker room, having last been pinned 500+ days ago.
Roman Reigns is a dominant World Champion on SmackDown. He has been called an absentee champion due to his reduced schedule, but makes each of his matches feel like a big fight whenever he competes. He is the most protected and feared star in his division, having established himself as the "final boss" of the show for almost three years. He has been pinned once in 1400+ days.
These two are the most dominant World Champions in WWE today and if anyone can claim to be "the Roman Reigns of Monday Nights", it's Ripley
#1. Rhea Ripley and Roman Reigns have similar styles as faction leaders on WWE RAW and SmackDown
As faction leaders, Rhea Ripley and Roman Reigns seem different inasmuch as the former is the unsung controller and the latter demands acknowledgement. However, a closer inspection of their styles shows that they are more similar than meets the eye. For one, neither is afraid to use force and threats to bend their groupmates to their will. Ask Dominik Mysterio and Jey Uso.
The duo are also master manipulators, often using any means necessary to corrupt their colleagues, and relying on match interference to maintain success. Thus, they are often the main nucleus around whom everyone else revolves. They are also not shy to cut a deal to get what they want, which is what brought their respective groups into each other's paths in the first place.
Think of Roman Reigns' appearance on the SmackDown season premiere and how many segments were driven by him. Now think of Rhea Ripley's shift on RAW this week, where she appeared in over half a dozen segments. Notice a similarity?
