Rhea Ripley vs Raquel Rodriguez WWE Payback 2023 Live Blog

Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley retained her title in a singles match against Raquel Rodrigues with a little assistance from Dominik Mysterio at WWE Payback 2023. Check below for live updates and highlights from the match.

Storyline

Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan called out Rhea Ripley on assaulting Natalya over and over again. As a result, Raquel & Liv got into a brawl with Rhea where the latter injured Raquel’s left knee. The bad knee even cost them the Women’s Tag Team titles as they lost to Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green. 

Later, Rhea Ripley injured Liv Morgan and put her out of action as well. On the August 21 episode of Raw, Raquel returned and attacked Rhea Ripley revealing that she is medically cleared to compete.  Adam Pearce then revealed that Rhea Ripley would defend Women’s World Heavyweight Title at WWE Payback. 

Live Updates

Raquel Rodriguez is the first one to make her entrance. WWE Women’s World Heavyweight Champion Rhea Ripley is the second one to walk out. 

Raquel & Rhea start things by testing their strengths with a lockup. Rhea pushes Raquel, the latter pushes her back. Rhea hits Raquel with the shoulder tackle but Raquel does not even budge. Raquel does the same to Rhea but the latter stands her ground as well. 

After a back and forth, Raquel finally drops Rhea with a shoulder tackle as the latter leaves the ring. Rhea comes back inside, but Raquel drops her again. Rhea fights back and tries to send Raquel to the other side of the ring, but Raquel overpowers her.

Raquel hits Rhea with the clothesline followed by a slam. Rhea finally fights back and hits Raquel with a dropkick to the face. Rhea continues her offense and covers for a two-count. Rhea hits a kick to her spine and then stretches her rib by putting on an arm lock. 

Rhea puts on the headlock, but Raquel tosses her across the ring. Raquel tries to fight back but Rhea drops her and stomps her. Raquel tries to fight back again but Rhea comes up with another vicious drop kick.

Rhea holds Raquel’s neck, and the latter does the same and finally drops Rhea again. Raquel shifts the momentum to her side as she hits the fallaway slam followed by a splash to the corner. Raquel goes to the second rope, but Rhea drops her. 

Rhea climbs to the top, but Raquel drops her on the rope with a kick and then hits her with the delayed vertical suplex for a two-count. Raquel manages to connect the spinning cork screw elbow for another two-count

Raquel tries to hit the Tahana bomb, but Rhea counters and then connects a running knee for a two-count. Rhea goes for the Rhiptide but Raquel counters and tries to hit the powerbomb but fails. Raquel picks up Rhea and takers her into the corner and hits several shoulder tackles before setting up Rhea on the top rope. 

Raquel tries to go for the superplex but Rhea pushes her and Raquel lands on her bad knee. Rhea targets the bad knee and puts on the prism lock. Raquel manages to escape the submission. She sends Rhea out of the ring with a boot as they take the fight outside.

Raquel picks up Rhea and slams her into the ring post and barricade. Raquel breaks the count and sends Rhea shoulder-first to the ring post again. They get back inside, but Dominik Mysterio distracts Raquel. The latter hits him with the running slam. 

Rhea targets her bad knee again, and then finally connects the Riptide to get the pinfall.