Rhea Ripley’s WWE Character Faces Growing Backlash After RAW Title Win as Veteran Rips ‘Softened’ Mami
Rhea Ripley walked out of WWE RAW with championship gold, but the celebration has quickly turned into controversy. On this week’s episode of RAW, Ripley teamed with IYO SKY to capture the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, defeating The Kabuki Warriors in a marquee showdown. While the win added another accolade to Ripley’s already impressive résumé, it also reignited criticism over the current direction of her on-screen persona.
Former WWE writer Vince Russo took aim at Ripley’s character on a recent episode of The Brand podcast, arguing that WWE has dramatically altered what once made her special. According to Russo, Ripley’s intimidating gothic edge has been replaced by a lighter, more affectionate presentation that no longer feels threatening.
Russo claimed that the shift from a dominant, no-nonsense force to a smiling tag team partner has cost Ripley the aura that separated her from the rest of the roster. He questioned whether the change was driven by WWE’s creative direction and suggested that Ripley now feels far less unique than she did during her earlier rise.
The criticism didn’t stop there. Russo also dismissed past comparisons between Ripley and WWE Hall of Famer Chyna, stating that Chyna’s dominance was built on pure intimidation, not emotional or friendly moments. In his view, Ripley’s current portrayal doesn’t come close to matching that legacy.
Despite the backlash, Ripley has shown no signs of second-guessing herself. In a previous appearance on the RAW Recap podcast, the former Judgment Day standout explained why she personally wanted AJ Lee as part of her team for the Women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series 2025.
Ripley spoke highly of AJ Lee’s toughness, unpredictability, and history of defying expectations, revealing she admired Lee growing up and believed her experience made her ideal for the chaos of WarGames. She emphasized that AJ’s ability to fight through adversity was exactly the kind of energy she wanted beside her.
Now holding tag team gold while criticism continues to mount, Ripley finds herself at the center of a heated debate. As fans and veterans weigh in, questions are growing louder about whether WWE’s evolving portrayal of “Mami” is elevating her star power—or slowly erasing the mystique that made her one of the company’s most feared competitors.
