Rhea Ripley may be heading to WrestleMania 42 with a championship opportunity, but a new report suggests the original plan for the match looked very different.
Ripley secured her spot at WrestleMania after winning the 2026 Women’s Elimination Chamber match, earning a title shot against WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill. However, according to the previous edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the match was not originally expected to feature Ripley. Dave Meltzer reported that WWE initially planned for Bianca Belair to challenge Cargill for the championship at WrestleMania.
“The original plan for this year’s WrestleMania was to be Jade Cargill defending the women’s title against Bianca Belair,”
Meltzer wrote, noting that the plan would have likely required Belair to win either the Royal Rumble or the Elimination Chamber. In recent weeks, anticipation for the Ripley vs. Cargill match has also been fuelled by a heated exchange between the two stars on social media.
Rhea Ripley And Jade Cargill’s Social Media Exchange Ahead Of Their WrestleMania 42 Match
Ripley and Cargill also traded comments online that left some fans wondering whether the tension was legitimate or part of WWE’s storyline. During an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez suggested the online feud is part of a deliberate effort to generate interest in the match.
“They’re doing an angle on Twitter to make you think that they actually hate each other,” Alvarez said.
He noted that the storyline even involved other wrestlers, including Chelsea Green and Piper Niven, which added to the perception that the conflict might be genuine.
“They’re trying to make it out like it’s a shoot and they’re gonna really fight at this show,”
Alvarez explained. “It’s an attempt to get some heat for the match.”
WrestleMania 42 is scheduled to take place on April 18 and April 19, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
