Rhea Ripley is the new WWE Women's Champion. The Eradicator defeated Jade Cargill on Night 2 of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, hitting the Riptide for the pinfall to end Cargill's reign that had stretched past 165 days.
The finish came after Cargill's allies Mia Yim and B-Fab tried to swing the match in the champion's favor, only for IYO SKY to sprint down and even the odds. With the interference cleared, Ripley connected with the Riptide and pinned Cargill clean to capture the title.
RHIYO Pays Off at WrestleMania
The result delivers the payoff WWE had been building since early April, when Ripley brought SKY over to SmackDown as her backup plan against the numbers game. Cargill described the trio as "allies of convenience" rather than a stable in the lead-up to the event, and that loose alliance proved unable to hold up under WrestleMania pressure.
Ripley and SKY celebrated in the ring together after the bell. The RHIYO reunion has been one of the most over moments in the women's division this year, though the heavy emphasis WWE has placed on the friendship has fans bracing for an eventual turn between the two.
How the Match Played Out
Cargill controlled the early exchanges with her power game, dropping Ripley with a shoulder block, bodyslam, and a Ripcord superkick into a facebuster. Ripley fired back with a dropkick that sent the champion to the floor, but Cargill answered with a snap scoop powerslam and a Blue Thunder Driver that nearly ended it.
The two traded strikes from their knees in a heated exchange before Ripley connected with an enzuigiri and a spinebuster for a near fall. After the interference attempt was neutralized by SKY, Ripley landed the Riptide for the three count.
Ripley Captures Title for First Time Since 2025
The win marks Ripley's first singles title reign since March 2025. She earned the WrestleMania shot by winning the Women's Elimination Chamber on February 28 in Chicago, outlasting Alexa Bliss, Kiana James, Asuka, Tiffany Stratton, and Raquel Rodriguez.
For Cargill, the loss ends a championship run that began on the November 1, 2025 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event when she defeated Tiffany Stratton. She had not suffered a one-on-one defeat in roughly seven months heading into the match.
What's Next for SmackDown's Women's Division
Ripley now leads the SmackDown women's division as champion with SKY still primarily aligned with Raw. Tiffany Stratton remains a looming presence on the blue brand, and Cargill is expected to invoke her rematch clause.
WrestleMania 42 streamed live on Peacock and ESPN from Allegiant Stadium across both nights of April 18 and 19. Full coverage of Night 1 results is available here.
