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7 WWE Stars To Join New Rhea Ripley Faction

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WWE's Rhea Ripley and AJ Lee

At WWE WrestleMania 42 Night Two, Rhea Ripley defeated Jade Cargill to win the WWE Women’s Championship.

Ever since winning the gold, Ripley has found herself in the line of fire with multiple different stars coming after her in recent weeks.

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Whether it be Cargill, Michin and B-Fab or Fatal Influence, there have been quite a few competitors looking to target “Mami,” which could lead to her needing some backup and to build a faction around her.

Here are seven WWE stars to potentially join a new Rhea Ripley faction.

7. IYO SKY

IYO SKY celebrates with Rhea Ripley at WWE WrestleMania 42

IYO SKY did not compete in a match at WWE WrestleMania 42 a year after stealing the show with Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair

Stemming from their longstanding rivalry that dates back to WWE NXT, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY have gone from opponents to best friends.

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Forming a tag team, RHIYO became one of the most popular duos in all of WWE and even won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.

Whenever Ripley has needed backup in recent months, it has been SKY who has come to her aid and the same has been the case the other way around.

IYO moving to SmackDown could see her being the first member of a new Rhea Ripley faction that will look to contend with all the opposition on the blue brand.

6. Alexa Bliss

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While IYO SKY remains on Monday Night Raw, Rhea Ripley has needed other stars to have her back against Fatal Influence, Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab.

Along the way, Ripley has formed a tentative alliance with Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair.

While there are still issues with Flair, Bliss has been more open to Ripley’s help and sees her as someone who she can trust.

With her resume and everything she has accomplished, Bliss feels like a logical first option to join a new faction led by Ripley in the near future.

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5. Charlotte Flair

As previously mentioned, Rhea Ripley has formed a partnership with Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair in recent weeks.

Over the course of her main roster career, Ripley has not had a bigger rival than Flair, who she has faced at two separate WrestleMania events.

There still seems to be lingering issues between Ripley and Flair that need to be resolved over the course of the weeks to come.

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If they are able to put their differences aside, Ripley couldn’t ask for a better ally to have than “The Queen,” who is still among the most decorated and prominent stars in the WWE women’s division.

4. Jordynne Grace

WWE star Jordynne Grace

Jordynne Grace was called up from WWE NXT to SmackDown in January 2026

In January 2026, Jordynne Grace was called up to the WWE main roster after over a year on the NXT brand.

The former three-time TNA Knockouts World Champion has been widely regarded as one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world today.

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With her distinct look and unmatched strength, Grace could be a force to be reckoned with in the women’s division on Friday Night SmackDown.

Now that Ripley has joined the blue brand, it feels like a match made in heaven for the WWE Women’s Champion to recruit Jordynne to be by her side in this new potential faction.

3. Zaria

WWE stars Rhea Ripley and Zaria

Rhea Ripley and Zaria shared a backstage segment on the October 29, 2024 episode of NXT

Rhea Ripley is viewed as a pioneer to younger stars coming from Australia to make their way to the WWE.

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One of the stars who followed in Ripley’s footsteps to be part of the WWE roster in recent years is Zaria.

Over on WWE NXT, Zaria has been a prominently featured star in the women’s division and looks to be on the cusp of finally winning singles gold.

Wanting to be a mentor in this new potential stable, it would make sense for Ripley to recruit Zaria to be part of what she is trying to create.

2. AJ Lee

AJ Lee hitting the Black Widow on Becky Lynch with Rhea Ripley watching at WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2025

AJ Lee secured the win for Rhea Ripley’s WarGames team at WWE Survivor Series 2025

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In September 2025, AJ Lee made her return to the WWE after over a decade away from the pro wrestling business.

While she instantly found success again with key wins over Becky Lynch, it looks like this return run for Lee might be over already.

After losing the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship back to Lynch, Lee might need a current star to open the door for her return.

Being the top star for the WWE women’s division, it should be Ripley, who invites AJ to make her return to the company to be the veteran in this new potential group.

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1. Damian Priest & R-Truth

On Friday Night SmackDown, Damian Priest and R-Truth formed a new pairing based on their friendship that developed when they were “together” in The Judgment Day.

This led to Priest and Truth defeating The MFTs to win the WWE Tag Team Championships earlier this year.

Fans have seen Priest maintain his friendship and connection with his other Judgment Day alum in Rhea Ripley as well.

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Now that all three are part of the Friday Night SmackDown roster, Ripley, Truth and Priest could be the building blocks of a new faction looking to take over the blue brand.

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SP3 joined the WrestleTalk team as a feature writer in 2021. Known from his Tru Heel Heat Wrestling YouTube channel and co-host of Alex McCarthy's Wrestling Daily, SP3 brings his views and outlooks on professional wrestling in written form here. A long-time fan of WWE, WCW, ECW, NJPW, IMPACT and now AEW, SP3 will offer a wide range of features expressing his love affair with the business.

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