Rhea Ripley WWE SummerSlam 2026 Opponent

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Rhea Ripley WWE SummerSlam 2026 Opponent

Rhea Ripley currently sits at the top of the SmackDown women’s division as the WWE Women’s Champion.

On the June 1 edition of Monday Night Raw, the Queen of the Ring tournament started with the winner going on to challenge for either the WWE Women’s or Women’s World Championship.

‘Mami’ facing the Queen of the Ring could make for an intriguing battle that will be a high profile match on the WWE SummerSlam 2026 card.

Here are seven potential SummerSlam opponents for Rhea Ripley.

7. Jade Cargill

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

Following Mania, the feud between Ripley and Cargill continued with the two ladies going on to face each other at WWE Clash In Italy 2026.

However, ‘Mami’ once again defeated Cargill to retain the WWE Women’s Championship.

Despite her most recent loss, Cargill could win the Queen of the Ring for the second straight year and advance to face Ripley for the title at the WWE SummerSlam 2026 premium live event.

6. Chelsea Green

Chelsea Green is someone who has hit somewhat of a crossroad in her career after not being surrounded by her Secret Hervice.

With no Piper Niven or Alba Fyre around, Green has been trying to become friends and allies with Tiffany Stratton.

However, Green is also learning how to take care of her business on her own, which could come to benefit the former WWE Women’s United States Champion as she enters the Queen of the Ring tournament.

Green advancing through the tournament and eventually winning would prove to be a shocking winner and could set up an interesting story with WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley.

5. Tiffany Stratton

On the June 5 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Tiffany Stratton came out to interrupt Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair.

Stratton made it clear that even though she is the reigning Women’s United States Champion, she wants to regain the WWE Women’s Championship as well.

In 2025, Stratton held that same title for 302 days and only lost the gold thanks to a knee injury.

Despite not being part of the current field for the Queen of the Ring, Stratton could find herself in the tournament as a replacement and go on to win the crown to face Ripley for the gold at WWE SummerSlam 2026.

4. Liv Morgan

To the surprise of many fans, WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan has entered the Queen of the Ring tournament.

Morgan is someone who is ambitious and not willing to rest on her laurels despite no challengers emerging for her title.

Wanting to win the crown and go on to challenge Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s Championship, Morgan will look to walk out of SummerSlam 2026 as a double champion.

Morgan winning the Queen of the Ring seems likely considering her current status as one of the biggest stars in the WWE women’s division and her history with Ripley that could culminate at SummerSlam 2026 this August.

3. Becky Lynch

At WWE Clash In Italy 2026, Sol Ruca defeated Becky Lynch to win the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship.

Coming off this loss, ‘The Man’ will look to rebound by entering the Queen of the Ring tournament.

Lynch feels like someone in the field that has some unfinished business with Rhea Ripley stemming from their bout against one another at WrestleMania 40 in 2024.

Looking at all of the competitors in the bout, Lynch feels like a major star that could give Ripley a tough test come the WWE SummerSlam 2026 premium live event.

2. IYO SKY

On the June 1 WWE Raw, IYO SKY defeated Giulia, Roxanne Perez and Lash Legend to advance to the Queen of the Ring Tournament semi-finals.

In the next round, SKY will face Raquel Rodriguez in the semi-finals with the winner moving on to the finals at WWE Night of Champions 2026.

Considering ‘The Genius of the Sky’ has history with both Liv Morgan and of course Rhea Ripley, it feels like there is a good chance SKY could win the tournament.

IYO surviving the field for the Queen of the Ring could set the stage for a rematch with her best friend Rhea Ripley that has all the makings of the headliner for WWE SummerSlam 2026.

1. Charlotte Flair

Over the past few weeks, fans have seen Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair overcome their past issues with one another to do battle with Fatal Influence, Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab.

Despite their encounters with one another over championship gold and personal pride, there has been a bond formed between Ripley and Flair while standing side by side with one another.

However, Flair will now compete in the Queen of the Ring tournament and has made it clear that her sights are set on the WWE Women’s Championship.

Rekindling their longstanding rivalry, Flair feels like a smart choice to challenge Ripley for the title in what would be a WrestleMania worthy bout for the WWE SummerSlam 2026 card in Minneapolis.