"Chyna would have never gone 12 minutes with a female" - WWE Veteran does not want Rhea Ripley in the men's Royal Rumble (Exclusive)
The Royal Rumble is just a few hours away, and most fans are busy speculating about potential surprise entrants. Many wish to see Rhea Ripley enter the men's Royal Rumble; however, Vince Russo recently explained why the creative idea didn't make sense from a booking standpoint.
The Judgment Day member has often been compared to Chyna, as WWE has allowed Ripley to execute moves on male Superstars on RAW in recent times. The parallels between the two are undeniable, as Ripley has a similarly dominating presence on TV that Chyna was known for back in the day.
Vince Russo explained that there was a massive difference between how WWE booked Rhea Ripley and Chyna.
Unlike the current WWE star, Russo noted that Chyna rarely had long matches with other female competitors. In fans' eyes, Chyna conquered the women's division and developed the aura of being capable enough to battle the men.
Vince Russo didn't get the same vibe from Rhea Ripley and blamed WWE's booking, not the superstar, ahead of the highly anticipated Royal Rumble event.
The former WWE writer said the company has not done enough to set Ripley up for a Men's Royal Rumble appearance, and he explained why on The Wrestling Outlaws:
"Chris, again, it's the booking! Chris, we saw her go 12 minutes with Asuka. We've seen her go 12 minutes with other women. If she never went those 12 minutes with other women, Chyna would have never gone 12 minutes with a female. Exactly, bro! So, again, Rhea Ripley is an amazing specimen. It's the booking, bro. If they would have never booked her that way, you could have done it." [From 2:30 onwards]
Check out the entire video down below:
EC3 agrees with Vince Russo's comments regarding Rhea Ripley entering the Men's Royal Rumble
Ethan Carter III also chimed in on the topic and briefly spoke about how the dreaded 50-50 booking has often hurt talents in WWE. The former WWE superstar himself didn't get the creative backing and understands why Rhea Ripley is not yet on the same level as Chyna.
EC3 recalled how "The Ninth Wonder of the World" was presented during her prime and reminded fans that she once beat Ivory at WrestleMania 17 in just under three minutes despite having a storyline neck injury.
Carter stated that WWE successfully turned Chyna into an attraction who legitimately moved the needle. EC3 felt Rhea Ripley also had the ability to match Chyna's exploits in the business, but for that to happen, the 26-year-old star would need to be booked better.
EC3 said:
"When you're doing 50-50 (booking) with people on that level to go to that, it does suspend disbelief a little bit. You're right about when Chyna was being booked, never! I remember WrestleMania 17; she had a broken neck before Ivory. She was an attraction, and I think it worked. Could Rhea do it? If anybody can, yes, she could. But how does it work? It all depends on the booking. Anything else doesn't matter." [From 3:09 onwards]
What's your take on Rhea Ripley possibly entering the men's Royal Rumble? Let us know in the comments section below.
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