The WWE Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley, made a notable appearance on the New Year’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown. She kicked off the evening by participating in an intense eight-woman Tag Team match. The match pitted Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Rhea Ripley, and IYO SKY against The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax, and Lash Legend.
In a surprising turn of events, Rhea Ripley also found herself involved in the main event of the evening, which featured Damian Priest facing off against Aleister Black in an Ambulance match. Zelina Vega had been causing trouble for Priest throughout the match, but Rhea Ripley, also known as The Nightmare, came to his aid and helped him secure a victory over Black.
Following his triumph, Rhea Ripley took to her social media accounts to share a picture of Damian Priest post-match, showing him leaving the arena with an ice pack on his head, a testament to the physical toll of the grueling battle he had just endured.
With this victory, Damian Priest has positioned himself as a top contender for the WWE Championship on Friday Night SmackDown. The former leader of the Judgment Day faction has been out of title contention for some time, but his recent win over Aleister Black has put him back in the spotlight.
It is speculated that Damian Priest may now set his sights on the Undisputed WWE Championship and could be next in line to challenge for the title after the ongoing feud between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre concludes with their Three Stages of Hell match next week.
As the road to WrestleMania 42 unfolds, fans are eager to see what plans the creative team at WWE has in store for Damian Priest. With the Royal Rumble 2026 event just around the corner, the stage is set for Priest to make a significant impact on the road to the Showcase of Immortals.
Overall, Damian Priest’s recent victory has solidified his position as a top contender in the WWE, and fans can expect to see more exciting developments from him in the coming weeks on Friday Night SmackDown.
(Editor: Angana Roy)
