Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley

NXT TakeOver February 16: NXT Championship

Ripley and Belair wrestled a basic match during the early minutes. Eventually Ripley managed to put Belair in the elevated cloverleaf, but Belair kicked out of it and drove Ripley into the post. Belair followed up with a spine buster for a near fall.

With Ripley sitting on the top turnbuckle, Belair whipped Ripley with her hair and then pulled her into a Gorilla Press for a slam. Both women would then counter each other’s finishing moves, and Bianca followed with a spear. Neither woman could keep a sustained advantage.

With Ripley on the outside, Belair connected with a Tope Con Hilo. With both women on the outside, Ripley slammed Belair into the stairs. Belair countered a sunset bomb, but Ripley turned it into the Riptide for the pinfall victory.

Charlotte attacked Ripley after the match, and she grabbed a microphone to tell Ripley she’ll see her at WrestleMania. Charlotte also tossed Bianca Belair into the steps before leaving.

Match Ratings

Six dimensions combine to make up the overall rating. Matches score ratings of 1-10 only if the match lasts for a minimum of 5 minutes.

1. Match Quality– Was the match well wrestled or sloppy?
2. Audience Engagement– Did the live audience care about the match?
3. Competitiveness– Was the match competitive or one-sided?
4. Stakes – Did the match matter?
5. Finish– Did the match end in a satisfying manner?
6. Performance: (1) Poor (2) Below Average (3) Average (4) Above Average (5) Excellent