On this week’s episode of WWE RAW, Rhea Ripley relinquished the WWE Women’s World Championship after suffering a shoulder injury at the hands of Liv Morgan last week.
On a recent edition of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray reacted to the unfortunate development in Ripley’s career. He said,
“I know on the surface it sounds bad, but it’s not necessarily bad. It’s not like she got hurt before WrestleMania. She got through WrestleMania, she got injured, now she’s going to go away for a little while. Sometimes … what do they say about absence? (It makes the heart grow fonder) Same thing in wrestling. Sometimes when you go away for a while, it makes the fans yearn for you to come back. They get excited for you when you come back. Rhea Ripley has been positioned as a heel. It’s the fans who are into her — she’s got a great entrance, phenomenal look, she gets the job done in the ring. This time away will be good for Rhea. Recharge the battery, heal your injury, and when Rhea Ripley comes back, when they hit her music on her return, the WWE will have a monster woman babyface on their hands in Rhea Ripley.”
Meanwhile, Ray’s former tag team partner D-Von Dudley expressed his admiration for Paul Heyman’s induction speech during the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony held earlier this month.
As D-Von was present at the arena during the ceremony, he was unsure which parts of Heyman’s speech had been censored for the television broadcast.
In a recent appearance on the “Gabby AF” podcast, Dudley said,
“His speech made me sweat. I thought the induction was great because Paul really did deserve it. Paul changed the face of professional wrestling, of course, along with the likes of Cactus Jack, and Terry Funk, and [Atsushi] Onita bringing that FMW style from Japan to the United States in which ECW was born. But with the ideas and the booking of Paul and how he ran that company, it was great, and how he gave a bunch of misfits an opportunity when other wrestling organizations wouldn’t have dared give us an opportunity, he gave and made us into stars.”
Rhea Ripley Relinquishes WWE Women’s World Championship After Injury
On the latest episode of WWE RAW, Rhea Ripley made the difficult decision to relinquish the WWE Women’s World Championship due to a shoulder injury she sustained during a match against Liv Morgan. This unfortunate turn of events has left fans and fellow wrestlers concerned about Ripley’s future in the industry.
WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray, also known as Bubba Ray Dudley, recently shared his thoughts on the situation during an episode of the “Busted Open Radio” podcast. He offered a positive perspective, stating that while Ripley’s injury may seem like a setback, it could actually work in her favor.
Ray pointed out that Ripley managed to compete in WrestleMania before getting injured, which is a significant accomplishment. He believes that her absence from the ring will create anticipation among fans, making them even more excited for her return. Ray also highlighted Ripley’s popularity with the audience, describing her as a talented wrestler with a captivating entrance and an impressive in-ring performance.
According to Ray, this time away from the spotlight will allow Ripley to recharge and heal her injury. When she eventually makes her comeback, he predicts that the WWE will have a formidable female babyface in Ripley, as fans will be eagerly awaiting her return.
Meanwhile, D-Von Dudley, Ray’s former tag team partner, expressed his admiration for Paul Heyman’s induction speech at the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Heyman, known for his influential role in professional wrestling and his work with ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling), was honored for his contributions to the industry.
D-Von, who was present at the ceremony, mentioned that he was unsure which parts of Heyman’s speech had been censored for the television broadcast. However, he praised Heyman for his impact on professional wrestling and credited him with changing the face of the industry.
D-Von acknowledged that Heyman, along with other wrestling legends like Cactus Jack and Terry Funk, played a crucial role in introducing the FMW (Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling) style from Japan to the United States, which ultimately led to the creation of ECW. He commended Heyman for giving opportunities to wrestlers who were considered misfits by other organizations and transforming them into stars.
Both Bully Ray and D-Von Dudley’s comments shed light on different aspects of the wrestling industry. While Ripley’s injury may seem like a setback, it presents an opportunity for her to recover and return as a fan-favorite babyface. Heyman’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame serves as a reminder of his significant contributions to professional wrestling and his impact on the careers of many wrestlers.