Rhea Ripley has claimed that it was a “little bit disrespectful” that her tag team partner Nikki A.S.H. didn’t feature at Survivor Series.
At Survivor Series, Rhea Ripley teamed with Bianca Belair, Carmella, Liv Morgan and Zelina Vega to take on Team SmackDown in a battle for brand supremacy. However, one woman missing from that line-up was Rhea Ripley’s tag team partner, Nikki A.S.H, something not lost on the Aussie Superstar.
Speaking ahead of the event, Ripley said that the decision to not include her partner on Team Raw was a disappointing.
In conversation with Sportskeeda Wrestling, Rhea Ripley first explained that while she might not be sure how the unlikely partnership with Nikki A.S.H. came together, she’s glad that it did.
“It sort of just formed one day and I don’t really know how. But I am sort of glad that it did,” she said. “Because even though she’s older than me, I look at her like a little sister because she is so crazy. I have to reel her in. I need to get one of those backpacks with the lead on them because I feel like she could just disappear at any moment and I’d be like, ‘where did Nikki go?’ It’s been a lot of fun, and I think that opposites really do attract.
She keeps me excited and positive and I keep her grounded and sort of remind her that she has to fight for herself. In the same way, she reminds me that I have to be nice to people.”
Turning her attention to her partners omission from Survivor Series, Ripley branded the decision “a little bit disrespectful.”
“I think I am more disappointed than Nikki is because she’s such a positive person. Yes, I know she’s upset. But I am very upset for her because I know that she’s worked so incredibly hard for everything that she’s accomplished. She’s been in this business for a lot longer than I have. To not have her on the team is a little bit disrespectful,” Ripley claimed.
“To have one half of your Tag Team Champions on the team and not the other half, it seems a little bit silly to me. We obviously work well enough together to be champions, so why not half Nikki on the team with us? I think we could really make some magic. I’m just disappointed, I really am.”
Heading into Survivor Series, Ripley and Nikki had held the Women’s Tag Team Championships since defeating Natalya and Tamina in September. Although the odd-couple’s luck finally ran out on the November 22nd episode of Monday Night Raw.
Zelina Vega and Carmella had earned their shot at the champions after beating them on the November 1st edition of Raw.
Ahead of the match, Carmella went through her usual routine of putting on her protective mask while a suitably unimpressed Rhea Ripley and Nikki A.S.H looked on. Once the action got underway, Ripley attempted to use her power advantage to deliver a Powerbomb to Vega but was countered into a Tornado DDT.
With the former RAW Women’s Champion down on the outside of the ring, Carmella delivered a Superkick, knocking Ripley’s head into the ring post.
After tagging in, Nikki A.S.H tried to pick up the pace but was given a Code Red by Zelina Vega which earned the challengers the win.
H/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.