WWE Announces Rhea Ripley's First Match On Raw In Five Months

Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka in a "WarGames Advantage Match" has been announced for the 11/21 episode of "WWE Raw." 

The match will mark Ripley's first match on the Red Brand since her victory over Alexa Bliss, Doudrop and Liv Morgan on the June 6 episode of the show, where she became the #1 contender to Bianca Belair's "Raw' Women's Championship before being sidelined with a brain/teeth injury. Ripley would subsequently miss nearly four months of in-ring competition before returning to action in a mixed-tag match alongside Damien Priest at a WWE live event last month.

Since that match on October 15, Ripley has routinely wrestled in multi-person and tag team matches at WWE live events, but has been kept off any TV matches — except for her singles bout against Roxanne Perez on the October 18 episode of "WWE NXT." The match against Asuka this Monday would also be Ripley's first singles match on "WWE Raw" since May 29. 

The team of Ripley, Nikki Cross & Damage CTRL (Bayley, IYO SKY, Dakota Kai) will come to blows with Team Bianca (Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Mia Yim & an unnamed partner) in a WarGames Match at the upcoming Survivor Series premium live event. The fifth and final member of Team Bianca is expected to be revealed Monday after Belair refused to give away the surprise this past week. Fans on social media have floated names such as the returning Tegan Nox, Candice LeRae, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Naomi, and Charlotte Flair as possible additions to WarGames. 

The winner of the Ripley vs. Asuka match is crucial since their respective team will earn the entrance order advantage in the WarGames match. While Ripley has been in two WarGames matches in the past, Asuka has never stepped foot inside the dual steel cage structure. SKY and Kai boast of the most WarGames experience, taking part in all four of the previous WarGames matches held under the "WWE NXT" banner.