Kenny Omega has acknowledged Jade Cargill using his One Winged Angel at WWE WrestleMania 42.
On Sunday, Rhea Ripley faced and defeated Jade Cargill to win the WWE Women’s title. Toward the later stages of the match, Cargill busted out Omega’s finisher with commentary saying it was called the Sandstorm.
Ripley kicked out of the move and the moment soon went viral on social media, soon becoming tribal.
However, Omega reacted to Cargill’s move Monday on X and was positive about it without directly mentioning Cargill or WWE by name:
“When I see the moves I do elsewhere, I only take it as a compliment. If somehow I inspired people to use them, I can only be grateful. Besides, seeing the OWA on the WM ring was kinda neat, right? It’s all good with me.”
Cargill parted ways with AEW in September 2023 and signed with WWE, debuting at January 2024’s Royal Rumble.
When I see the moves I do elsewhere, I only take it as a compliment. If somehow I inspired people to use them, I can only be grateful.
Besides, seeing the OWA on the WM ring was kinda neat, right? It’s all good with me! pic.twitter.com/geEie5PBPC
With IYO SKY helping to even the odds, Rhea Ripley ascended back to the top of the women’s division at WWE WrestleMania 42.
Night two of the event saw Ripley defeat Jade Cargill to become the new WWE Women’s Champion. The match contained interference with Michin and B-Fab — who formed a new faction with Cargill on the road to WrestleMania — trying to help Cargill retain. But Ripley got help from her tag team partner SKY, who took out Michin and B-Fab with a moonsault leading into the finish.
Ripley hit a headbutt and went for Riptide after SKY neutralized the heel interference. Cargill was able to slip out, hit a kick, and go for Jaded — but Ripley escaped and then delivered Riptide for the win. After the match, Ripley and SKY celebrated together with Ripley thanking SKY for having her back.
The result means Ripley, who had been on Raw, is now officially moving over to SmackDown as she becomes the brand’s champion.
At 29 years old, Ripley has now already competed at seven WrestleManias, owning victories over the likes of Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Asuka, and Cargill. WWE President Nick Khan had high praise for Ripley ahead of WrestleMania, saying she’ll be one of the faces of the company for years to come.
Open to managing Cargill, Heyman also mentioned that he wants Cargill to succeed in her own way before partnering up.
“I’m going to continue to let her ride the momentum by herself as a Women’s Champion for all of humanity to be proud of.
Let her get that solidified into the history books so that when Jade Cargill unites with Paul Heyman, you are seeing two superpowers of the universe come together instead of Paul Heyman endorsing a talent that at this time is not accepted by the public, though she should be, as a guaranteed first ballot Hall of Famer,” Heyman said.
“Oh, it’s not willing to, it’s that I want her to have that on her own. I never want it to be that, ‘And then Paul Heyman stepped in, and that’s when Jade Cargill really became a star,‘” Heyman answered when asked about that specific requirement.
Cargill is scheduled to face Rhea Ripley at WWE WrestleMania 42 with her Women’s Championship on the line.
Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss has now also been added to SmackDown tonight.
Both are set to compete in the Women’s Tag Team title match at WrestleMania 42, where Nia Jax & Lash Legends will defend against Charlotte Flair & Bliss, Bayley & Lyra Valkyria, and The Bella Twins.
Rhea Ripley will be on WWE SmackDown tonight just over a week away from WrestleMania 42.
Night two of WrestleMania on April 19 will see Ripley challenge Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship. Tonight, they’ll continue the build to their match with Ripley addressing Cargill’s attack on IYO SKY from Monday’s Raw. A tag match took place on that show with Ripley & SKY defeating B-Fab & Michin — but the heels then got the upper hand as Cargill beat down SKY with a kendo stick as Ripley was forced to watch.
“On Monday Night Raw, Jade Cargill viciously attacked IYO SKY, as Michin and B-Fab held back her close friend Rhea Ripley,” WWE.com wrote.
“Following this brutal assault, The Eradicator will address the WWE Women’s Champion as she readies herself to challenge The Storm at WrestleMania, tonight on SmackDown at 8 ET/7 CT on USA.”
The SAP Center in San Jose, California is hosting SmackDown tonight. After aligning with Randy Orton last week, Pat McAfee has teased that he has a “massive surprise” to announce.
WWE SmackDown (Friday, April 10) —
Pat McAfee addresses the WWE Universe
Drew McIntyre promises to expose the real Jacob Fatu
Rhea Ripley addresses Jade Cargill’s attack on IYO SKY
Sami Zayn is out for payback on Trick Williams and Lil Yachty
The most detailed update on the Janel Grant case, with her new filing and claims, a look at those claims in detail, what is net for the case, the key thing regarding the future of the case and why it really comes down to the judges ruling, and timeline for all of this. We cover new cais and the arguments for and against binding arbitration or continuing the civil case.
Update on WrestleMania, the card as of this point, reasons for some of the new matches, when matches changed and why, as well as the business for the show, how far behind are ticket sales and interest in the show as compared to the same period last year.
Chris Jericho returns to AEW and as much detail as we have on the decision
AEW Dynasty update and updated major event ticket sales
The death of J Robinson, a college coaching legend and his connections with a number of key figures in pro wrestling, including the recruiting of Brock Lesnar by WWE and the politics behind why WWE waited an extra year to offer him a deal.
The most detailed look at the television ratings for all the pro wrestling shows this past week, including competition, comparisons with one year back, Raw vs. Dynamite and how close it has become, and more.
It’s CMLL tournament of champions month starting this week
Anniversary shows at Arena Mexico and Arena Coliseo this week including a look back at the first show in each building
A look at the four title match show at ArenaMexico on Tuesday
A super hot match to watch on AAA
A look at Stardom’s biggest stipulation of the year and Yokohama Arena show
Current Tiger Mask retires
Best of the Super Junior tournament update
Largest crowd of the year for women’s wrestling in Japan
Hodge trophy winner looked at
Maple Leaf Wrestling announces new TV deal and a look at the weekend shows
Stabbing at a pro wrestling show
Very interesting political match will take place with TNA champion vs. AEW star
American gold medalist challenges UFC undefeated champion
Rebellion notes
Lots of injury updates and business notes
Wrestler complaining about AEW not booking them enough
Kenny Omega talks his and Kota Ibushi’s health
Brody King talks the chants
Tony Khan and his enemies
Kayla Harrison on why her next bantamweight fight will be her last and why she should never have fought at bantamweight to begin with
Crazy Dana White story
Will Mayweather-Pacquiao II take place and what are the issues
Fedor Emelianenko wants to return to combat next year
Nick Khan acquires TKO stock
Bret & Ross Hart talk Badnews Allen in WWE Hall of Fame
WrestleVotes reports that The Usos’ new theme music has been “tabled” after the crowd reaction it received when it debuted on the March 30 episode of Raw at Madison Square Garden.
Nattie shared video of Jacob Fatu training at The Dungeon last night ahead of WrestleMania: “So proud of @jacobfatu_wwe and how hard he’s been working with us since last year. It’s awesome to watch him build and help others in the process.”
Trick Williams spoke to Sun Sport about his transition from NXT to the main roster:
Man, I have to just say, everything that they’ve asked me to do hasn’t been good, it’s been great. It’s literally been a home run.
Them allowing me to talk and do my thing, but at the same time, you know, taking what I do and sending it to the nebula – like Booker T said the other day – sending everything to the nebula, to the next level, that’s what Triple H is really good at.
He took my entrance that was already very good and made it spectacular and that’s what they do at the main roster, I think, better than anybody.
You know, if you learn how to do something with a little bit, then they can take a little bit and make it a lot, cause once they put their creative juices to it, it’s just gonna go crazy.
So I’m grateful for everybody who’s reached out and helped the whoop that trick experience. Triple H, Michael Hayes, Bruce [Prichard] – all of them.
Not right now, and not in a bad way. I don’t know. I feel like since I’ve come back from my injury, I’m very much just trying to stay in the moment and be present. Obviously, WrestleMania is heavy on my mind, but I’m not feeling any anxiety or pressure yet. I’m just kind of taking everything day by day and just preparing as best as I can. So no, I don’t feel pressure right now in this moment.
Jade Cargill responded to a fan who claimed that she is on PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs):
I was going to read you for filth. But it’s no point. Long story short. No, I’m not on anything. I have GREAT genetics and I work hard. You can look at my brother and see my genetics. This clip is when I found out about my neck issues which affected my lifting. I swear yall will try to discredit me for anything. I’ve ALWAYS been muscular. But I see you can use a meal plan.
Plus WWE drug tests us like crazy. Next subject idiot.
Yes, because me and Max have gone at it for years, way before AEW on the independents we were at each other’s throats. So to take that from him, somebody that is literally my polar opposite, would mean everything. But on the flip side, if Kenny Omega’s champion, that’s a first time ever match. Something that a lot of people never thought they’d see. I would never think I would’ve ever saw that. I was never in that realm at the time with Kenny and New Japan [Pro Wrestling] and everything like that.
To be world champion is everything because I feel this company has given me everything outside the ring and inside the ring. To be the face of this company I truly feel like you need to be that world champion so this week is pretty much do or die.
David Benoit was at Dynamite in Edmonton last night and shared backstage photos with Chris Jericho, Adam Copeland, Christian Cage, and Ricochet.
That match against MJF feels like what I’ve been preparing for my entire career. When I was banned from traveling to the US [due to immigration issues], I was always number-one on those lists of ‘the best wrestlers you’ve never heard of.’ Then I came to TNA, and I became ‘one of the best wrestlers you’ve kind of heard of.’ Now I’m where the best wrestle, fighting the champion.
MJF is in a great position right now in AEW. He’s the champion, he’s the number one guy. He is the best at what he does. There has never been a better MJF in history than MJF. I think that was a great first encounter. I have a feeling there will be more, and I feel like that was a very good starting point.
There have been bumps in the road but the truth is that Tony Khan and AEW have been good to GCW since day one, both publicly & privately. I am grateful and thankful that they continue to allow their talent to perform on our events.
First of all, Mercedes Mone – amazing. She’s always been loyal man. Always just coming back to us [House of Glory] and knowing her roots. That’s how I am. So, I love that more about her… Ever since she came up to our school when we were in the other venue, like a little bodega store in Queens, actually. She came by and she’s like, I want to go over this match with you and run some spots and work out with you guys. And we’re looking at her because at this point, she’s in NXT. What you doing here?
I don’t care what anybody says about her. You cannot work like this girl. This girl works. She comes in just to talk and chill, but decides to bring her wrestling shoes and her gear and trains and sweats, and then talks about wrestling. As someone that loves pro wrestling like her, I don’t see a reason not to be around her.
TNA issued a statement to The Takedown on SI regarding Slammiversary taking place in Boston after initially being planned for Long Island. In the statement, TNA confirmed that potential logistical issues presented by the World Cup played a factor in the June 28 PPV’s location:
We are super excited to bring Slammiversary to the Agganis Arena at Boston University for the first time ever.
We also are well aware, as the world likely is, of the logistical traffic issues expected in New York City in late June, particularly with the World Cup in the area, NYC Pride, New York Mets home games and so much more.
Shotzi Blackheart, Trevor Lee, Ikuro Kwon, Donovan Dijak, Bishop Dyer, Diego Hill, KUSHIDA, Lady Frost, and Austin Aries have been announced for CMLL & MLW’s interpromotional event at Arena Mexico on May 1.
In partnership with Nike, Japanese women’s wrestling promotion Sukeban will be holding a show at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on May 19.
A SmackDown champion is anticipated to make an appearance on Raw tonight following last week’s events.
According to PWInsiderElite.com, Jade Cargill is slated to make an appearance on the upcoming episode of Raw.
Cargill will defend the WWE Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 42. Additionally, her newly formed alliance with Michin and B-Fab altered the powerplay in her favor.
On the April 3 edition of SmackDown, Ripley faced Michin in a singles bout. That came to an abrupt halt with B-Fab and Cargill’s attack on her. While Cargill was setting Ripley up to hit her signature Jaded move, IYO Sky rushed to the ring to assist her former tag team partner.
After Ripley’s Elimination Chamber win, targeting Cargill’s title for WrestleMania 42 she switched brands from Raw to SmackDown. WrestleMania 42 marks Ripley’s seventh consecutive match at the Premium Live Event and Cargill’s first.
Meanwhile, Sky is involved in a feud with The Kabuki Warriors on Raw. There is a new threat on the horizon after she cost Raquel Rodriguez her match against Stephanie Vaquer on the March 16 edition of Raw. This led to a singles match between Sky and Rodriguez on the March 23 episode.
Barely four years after her first pro wrestling match, Jade Cargill is set to face Rhea Ripley in one of the premiere matches at WrestleMania 42. But Ripley was not her first choice for a Mania opponent, and she claims that Ripley had more help getting to this point than she did.
Cargill shared her thoughts in an an appearance on the Joe Budden Podcast. First, she was asked if she would rather be facing Charlotte Flair instead of Ripley.
“It was just, we’ve always teased Charlotte Flair since day one,” she said. “And every time I had a face-to-face with this girl, we got a huge reaction. I’ve had maybe two face-offs with Rhea. The reaction, it was a total difference in reaction here. I would think that we’ll build more to Rhea because we don’t have history. Not saying Charlotte and I have history, but there’s been more of a reaction with Charlotte and I having attitude and yelling at each other than that.”
Cargill conceded that she does understand why Ripley is getting the match now: “I believe the reason why we went this route is because it’s more money that’s going to be made going against Rhea.”
Cargill followed by claiming Ripley was ‘built by WWE.’
“I want to say this. I want to say this,” Cargill said. “Yeah, she’s great. She’s great. But, however, she also is backed and always has been built by WWE. She came from the indies. Yes, she went to NXT. Her character has developed along the way. If you see how she looked when she first got into wrestling to now, it’s a huge transformation.
“But also the machine does that for you, she continued. “It pushes you. It helps you try different things, you know, and she goes out there and she delivers every single time. So, you’re going to do nothing but invest more and more and more.”
In Cargill’s eyes, she didn’t get the same kind of help. “I’m raw,” she said. “My first match ever was on TV. Like I just said, I didn’t go through the indies. I didn’t go through all the training. I didn’t do all that. My NXT was AEW.”
Cargill’s first ever pro wrestling match was a mixed tag on AEW Dynamite in March of 2021, teaming with NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal (in his second match ever) against the team of Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet.
Ricky Saints addressed the intention behind the Saturday Night’s Main Event XLI photo in November 2025. He was photographed with Jade Cargill, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes backstage, all who happened to be formerly associated with AEW.
In an interview with the New York Post, Saints reflected on the photo with the WWE champions. He cited there was no malicious intent towards his former promotion. He attended the show to watch Cargill’s match from backstage, and the others happened to be around while he was taking promo photos with his NXT Championship.
“That picture was not based on us wanting to prove a point or anything. I was there to see Jade (Cargill) have her match and it just happened that I saw Punk. It was all just circumstance. It wasn’t like a deliberate thing and Punk wanted a picture, so I said, ‘Hey, why not?’ I was there with my (NXT) title because I was also taking promo pictures. It just worked out. There was no ill will about it. We all know each other, we all like each other, and it was a cool moment. Look at us, we’re all champions right now. Whatever agenda people want to apply to it is up to them. I doubt anyone really cared over there (in AEW) or over here.”
At SNME XLI, Punk defeated Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Title while Cargill captured the WWE Women’s Title from Tiffany Stratton.
Rhodes defended his Undisputed WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre in a singles match. There was an added stipulation that if Rhodes was disqualified or counted out, he would lose the title.
Saints has often praised Rhodes for being an impactful figure in his life and career.
Saints made his WWE debut on NXT in February 2025 after nearly five years with AEW. He won the NXT Championship in September, a title he held for around 70 days before Oba Femi dethroned him.
Bianca Belair informed Rhea Ripley mid-match at WrestleMania 41 that she suspected a broken finger.
Ripley was a guest on The Ebro Laura Rosenberg Show. She revealed Bianca Belair informed her during the match at WrestleMania 41 that she believed her finger was broken. When further questioned about how much of the match was left after the injury was discovered Ripley estimated it happening around halfway through.
“I might’ve landed on it…You should’ve seen it in the match. We hit the ground and I see her turn around and she goes “I think I broke my finger”. And I’m like ‘Oh, that’s not good.'”
Ripley was asked about the atmosphere heading into her WrestleMania 42 match against Jade Cargill. She claimed there was a lot of hype and pressure given how this was labeled a dream rivalry by many. Ripley explained the need for her to surpass her previous performances at WrestleMania.
“I do. I definitely do. I feel like this is a match that a lot of people have wanted for a long time. Especially at WrestleMania, there’s already so much pressure going into that day, and into that match. And also going off of last year, it was the same at WrestleMania 39 when I faced Charlotte. Then going into WrestleMania 40 I have to do just as well as I did the year before like I really have to.”
Ripley disclosed the added pressure that comes into effect when facing someone like Cargill who doesn’t have extensive experience in the industry. And the role she plays in making Cargill up her game in the match.
“But now stepping in with someone that has only had limited experience within the wrestling industry compared to a lot of people on the show, I do have that pressure to kind of uplift her, and bring her to a different level. So, we can go out there and make magic just like everyone expects from us. We’ll see what happens, you know, it’s unpredictable, wrestling is so unpredictable. Anything can really happen but I know I’m going to go out there and give it 110%, and try and get her to try new things and level up her own game.”
This year, Ripley walks into her seventh consecutive WrestleMania match. At the event last year, she competed in a triple threat match featuring IYO Sky and Belair for the Women’s World Championship. Belair has been out of in-ring action since then.
After winning the Elimination Chamber in February, Ripley earned the opportunity to challenge for the WWE Women’s Championship. However, an online dispute between her and Cargill made their rivalry personal.
WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill has brought in some backup before her match against Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 42.
Cargill and Ripley confronted each other in the ring in tonight’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown. Ripley finally decided she was done talking and wanted to fight, but Cargill declined and started to leave.
Her exit was blocked, however, by Michin and B-Fab. The duo teased a showdown with Cargill, but then stood beside her, and eventually the three of them surrounded Ripley in the ring.
Ripley stood her ground and hit B-Fab with a superkick but was soon overwhelmed and taken out. Jade finished her off with Jaded and posed over her prone body. Wade Barrett referred to Cargill as “the ringleader of the Tormentors,” perhaps hinting at the name of this new faction.
The new union came out of nowhere because Michin and B-Fab have been feuding with Cargill for the last several months. In fact, the last TV match for each of them was a loss to Cargill—last week for Michin, and in November for B-Fab.
Ripley earned a title shot against Cargill by winning the Elimination Chamber match on the last day of February. The two have never been in the same match before.
Jade Cargill has Charlotte Flair on her radar after checking Rhea Ripley off her list of dream opponents.
On Complex Grabs The Podcast, Cargill was asked about the fantasy match bookings fans were conjuring up after WWE announced her signing with the company in 2023. In the interview, she also discussed who was the dream opponent she expected to face on a stage like WrestleMania out of Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair.
“Of course, she’s the top girl. She’s the number one girl in our company currently. You know, she’s placed at such a high position and I’m going to reach the top, the highest of heights within this company. I mean, in what five years now, I have a title. I’ve been a champion three times over. I never worked the indie scene. I’ve been blessed to create such splash and to be the type.”
“So, yes, she was one of my opponents. I mean, one of the dream matches I wanted to have amongst others like Charlotte Flair. And I thought that’s actually the opponent I thought I was going to face at Mania was the likes of Charlotte Flair. You know, we’ve been teasing it for so long. And I think that’s a money-making match. I mean, she’s a Queen of home, right? And I am as well. And I think we have such similar aesthetics sometimes that I think it’s more of a like who’s who? Like who’s really like that Queen or whatever you want to say. I didn’t really dream book Rhea as being the person I would have had my ‘Mania match with this year.”
Cargill’s answer remained the same when questioned on feuds for the second half of the year particularly if Bianca Belair and Naomi made their returns. She reiterated Flair still being the No.1 dream opponent noting that SummerSlam would be the perfect stage for it to happen.
“Well, when I retain, we’re gonna, yeah, assuming that in the air. I think well I would love to go on to face Charlotte at SummerSlam, but if Bianca returns, I don’t know what ‘cause the way the big three kind of split up was, like it was like a missing piece.”
“So, I think it’s a storyline we need to embark on when everybody’s healthy and ready to go. I think everybody will want to see that story line. it’s so many avenues you can go with that storyline, right? But the person I would want to see at SummerSlam since I’m not seeing them at Mania will be Charlotte. It’s already there.”
Cargill gave further backing on her reason for choosing Flair.
“It’s about breaking her. She’s stoic. Like I’m stoic, but she’s very like, you know, so I think it’ll be a great match. And I know Charlotte’s a woman for pulling people up and making them better. And that’s the people I want to work with.
Earlier this month, a social media encounter began when Ripley posted a throwback of her championship matches at WrestleMania over the past six years. Cargill took notice and responded by calling her a “second option.”
Ripley instantly clapped back by sharing throwback interviews of Cargill labeling her a “dream opponent.” As the back-and-forth continued, Ripley claimed that all Cargill did was talk. Eventually, Ripley showed up to the March 6 edition of SmackDown to confront the champion and set up their title match for WrestleMania 42.
WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill recently revealed she had to change her technical wrestling style because it did not receive any reaction from the fans.
Before joining WWE a few years ago, Cargill enjoyed a dominant run in AEW, where she held the TBS Championship. However, after jumping ships to WWE, Cargill spent a significant amount of time training at the Performance Center before making her main roster debut.
Speaking with Complex Graps for a new interview, Cargill explained why she had to change her technical wrestling style in AEW, which she learnt from Bryan Danielson.
“Daniel Bryan taught me so much technical wrestling, and I tried it. I tried to do some technical wrestling, it’s funny because when I tried technical wrestling, I have tried it, go back at my old stuff at my previous company. I tried it, I had no reaction out of fans. I learned so much. I was training with him every week,” Cargill said. “You know what fans want to see? Me picking somebody up and throwing somebody around, me talking my smack. They don’t want to see me on the ground grappling. I know how to grapple, I know how to do it, they don’t want to see that. They cheer, they boo, they get up out of their seats, they do what they need to do when I’m pounding to the ground, that’s what they like.”
She further opened up and paid her gratitude to Booker T and Billy Gunn for helping her with the techniques and wrestling style she currently uses.
“The person I can say that, [their] technique and advice I’m using, it’s two people. One is Booker T, and the other one that I’m using is Billy Gunn. I kind of went away from what Billy Gunn was telling me initially. If you look at Billy Gunn, look at his size, he knows how to use his size,” Cargill continued. “Other than Lash [Legend] and Nia [Jax] and probably Raquel [Rodriguez], I’m amongst Raquel right now. I’m 5”10. I’m a big girl. There’s no reason why I should be going toe-to-toe with little girls. Look at the way I look, I’m just aesthetically pleasing. I can go, I pick people up, that’s what I do. I whoop ass, that’s what I do. I just look good with it, too.”
Cargill, 33, is currently scheduled to defend her women’s title against Rhea Ripley at the upcoming WWE WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Jelly Roll and a contract signing are among the things set for the next episode of SmackDown.
During Friday’s show, Jelly Roll appeared via video and congratulated his former tag team partner Randy Orton on winning the Elimination Chamber. He also had praise for Cody Rhodes, wishing him luck ahead of his WWE Championship match later in the night. It was later confirmed that the popular rapper and singer would be in Phoenix for next week’s show.
In his first-ever wrestling match, Jelly Roll teamed up with Orton at last year’s SummerSlam in a losing effort against McIntyre and Logan Paul. In his brief comments on Friday, Roll mentioned how much he didn’t like McIntyre.
Also set for next week’s SmackDown is a match between Jade Cargill and Michin. The two were originally set to face off last year, but the match was cancelled after Michin suffered an injury, which she recently returned from. A contract signing will also be held next week for the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 42. Randy Orton and whoever wins Friday’s main event between McIntyre and Rhodes will make their match official.
WWE SmackDown (March 13):
WWE Championship match contract signing for WrestleMania 42
Dave Meltzer addressed the social media confrontation between Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley in Friday’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
During the exchange, comments by Ripley, Chelsea Green, and Piper Niven were critical of Cargill, with Ripley taking specific aim at her in-ring work. Reports over the past few days have suggested the exchange was either a work, a shoot, a work that turned into a shoot, or some combination of the two.
“Not having fun. Not friends. Learn to work and never lie to defame someone’s real human character by ‘breaking the 4th wall” Ripley wrote during the exchange.
Meltzer wrote in Friday’s newsletter that the exchange was not a shoot, but that much of the criticism directed at Cargill, particularly regarding her in-ring work, reflects concerns that have been expressed about her by others.
Meltzer wrote:
“While this was not a shoot, no matter what people tell you, because WWE forbids that type of thing from its talent on social media platforms, the reality is what was said about Cargill was almost identical to what several other women talent have told me over the past year, really starting after the Shayna Baszler and Cargill confrontation went public.”
Meltzer was referencing a report from March 2025 regarding a backstage interaction between Cargill and Shayna Baszler. Cargill was said to have confronted Baszler while pointing to a bruise on her arm and telling her she needed to learn how to work. Baszler reportedly responded, “If I was shooting, you and I would both know.”
Meltzer continued regarding Cargill:
“It’s natural with the resentment of her being pushed while not being good in the ring or anything special on promos, but completely due to her unique look. There was a feeling that look or not, she didn’t get over to the level others have, didn’t improve in the ring and in the case starting in the wake of the Baszler situation, would blame her partners when matches had issues. Most of the women believe they are better and didn’t get the same chances, which leads to resentment,” Meltzer added.
What started as banter between Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley over the weekend quickly turned into something darker.
Fightful Select reported on Tuesday that their exchange seemed to start off as a “playful work” but took a turn once Cargill started to talk about Ripley going to creative. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven also had exchanges with Cargill at one point, with Niven saying maybe she’ll be recovered by the time Cargill is back from her “many vacations.”
Despite this, Fighful reports that WWE is said to be “generally happy” about the buzz following the exchange, with the idea that people will believe Cargill and Ripley genuinely dislike one another regardless of if its true or not. Fightful also said that there is no concern from WWE sources that the two wouldn’t be able to work together.
PWInsider reported that the situation was not something devised by WWE creative, with sources pinning the blame on Cargill. According to PWInsider, sources said this was not the first time Cargill has upset others with how she has conducted herself and while there were reports of Cargill being hurt last year, the real reason she vanished and was seen training at the Performance Center was to let personal issues subside.
Another source told PWInsider that while talent is happy to do what is needed to Cargill over, they feel that the respect they show isn’t paid back, describing it as Cargill being ‘insecure’ when she doesn’t have a reason to feel that way. An additional source said that Cargill is a ‘type A’ personality, and this is something that happens in competition.
On Wrestling Observer Radio on Tuesday morning, Dave Meltzer said while it was a work, the comments that were aimed at Cargill are identical to the thoughts of some backstage.
The exchange over the weekend led to Ripley posting on social media: “Not having fun. Not friends. Learn to work and never lie to defame someone’s real human character by ‘breaking the 4th wall’.”
