I found myself far more invested in this match than I expected.
Going into WWE Clash in Italy, I knew what WWE wanted me to think. Jade Cargill was supposed to feel like an unstoppable force. A superhero. A walking action figure with enough bicep muscles to fill an entire gym catalogue.
The problem is that every time I watch her wrestle, I reach the same conclusion.
Jade Cargill looks incredible.
Jade Cargill is not a very good wrestler.
And because of that, I spent almost seventeen minutes in Turin desperately hoping Rhea Ripley would retain the WWE Women’s Championship.
The setting certainly helped.
This was WWE’s first Premium Live Event in Italy, staged inside the Inalpi Arena before more than 12,000 fans who treated the occasion like a football derby. The atmosphere felt enormous. Every near fall mattered. Every counter received a reaction.
It was exactly the sort of environment where weaknesses become impossible to hide.
For Jade Cargill, that had to be terrifying.
This wasn’t another carefully protected title defence. This wasn’t a six-woman tag where somebody else could carry the workload. This wasn’t a squash match.
This was nearly seventeen minutes against arguably the best complete performer in women’s wrestling.
And honestly, it showed.
Rhea Ripley Had to Carry This Match
The opening portion of the match followed a fairly predictable pattern.
Cargill used her size and power advantage to throw Ripley around the ring. She landed some impressive power spots. She bullied the champion physically. At one point she even stopped to do push-ups, attempting to humiliate Ripley and establish dominance.
The crowd hated it.
I hated it.
Which, annoyingly, means it was probably working.
Professional wrestling is supposed to manipulate your emotions. Sometimes that means making you cheer. Sometimes it means making you furious.
The more Jade taunted Ripley, the more I wanted Ripley to shut her up.
That’s effective wrestling.
Jade Cargill Looks Like a Superstar
The issue is that once the match moved beyond simple power exchanges, the differences between the two performers became increasingly obvious.
She was throwing strikes.
She was delivering kicks.
She was launching herself around the ring.
She was bumping like a lunatic.
She was creating transitions.
She was selling.
She was generating drama.
She was basically dragging the match uphill while carrying another wrestler on her back.
The most frightening moment came when Ripley absorbed an electric chair drop over the top rope and crashed awkwardly onto the apron and floor area.
It looked brutal.
Not wrestling-brutal.
Actual brutal.
For a split second I genuinely wondered whether WWE’s top women’s star had just broken her back trying to get a great match out of somebody else.
Fortunately, she was fine, but the visual lingered.
It also reinforced the wider concern surrounding Cargill.
At this level, looking like a superstar isn’t enough.
You have to be able to wrestle like one too.
That might sound harsh.
But this was the longest singles match of Jade Cargill‘s career and there were extended stretches where Ripley appeared to be constructing the entire performance around her.
The Interference Nearly Changed Everything
The funny thing is that despite all of this, I became completely invested.
Not because I suddenly believed Jade had transformed into an elite worker.
Because I genuinely believed she might win.
That is where the storytelling succeeded.
The interference from B-Fab and Michin changed the entire emotional temperature of the match.
Suddenly the title felt vulnerable.
Suddenly Ripley felt vulnerable.
Suddenly every failed Riptide attempt felt significant.
The match produced multiple rope-break sequences and several dramatic reversals that made it feel increasingly likely WWE were preparing to pull the trigger on a title change.
Even the infamous B-Fab rope-break moment added to the chaos.
The execution wasn’t exactly flawless.
Let’s be polite and call it “untidy.”
But credit where it’s due.
Cargill recognised the situation immediately and adjusted on the fly, preventing the sequence from completely falling apart.
For someone regularly criticised for ring awareness, it was actually one of her better moments of the evening.
Meanwhile the ringside drama kept escalating.
Alexa Bliss had already been taken out of the picture after Cargill’s vicious attack days earlier.
Charlotte Flair was lurking.
The factions surrounding both women had transformed a singles championship match into a small-scale civil war.
And that is why the finish worked so well.
Charlotte Flair Saved the Championship
When Charlotte Flair finally intervened, it didn’t feel forced.
It felt earned.
Despite years of rivalry with Ripley, Charlotte couldn’t simply sit there and watch Cargill’s side cheat their way to victory.
There was also the matter of revenge.
Alexa Bliss had been brutalised.
B-Fab and Michin had spent weeks causing problems.
Charlotte wanted payback.
So when she neutralised the outside interference, it created the opening the match desperately needed.
One final Riptide.
One final explosion from the crowd.
One.
Two.
Three.
Why Rhea Ripley Retaining Was the Right Decision
I won’t lie.
I celebrated.
Not because I dislike Jade Cargill personally.
Not because I think she lacks potential.
But because it felt like the correct result.
Rhea Ripley remains the centrepiece of WWE SmackDown.
She remains one of the best performers in the company.
And she remains somebody capable of delivering major championship matches consistently.
The idea of ending that reign simply to continue forcing the Jade experiment felt wrong.
Now Ripley can move forward.
New challengers.
New rivalries.
New stories.
Most importantly, no need for Rhea Ripley versus Jade Cargill III.
What Happens Next for Jade Cargill?
As for Cargill, I genuinely don’t know what comes next.
The uncomfortable reality is that since arriving in WWE, it has often felt like a losing battle.
The presentation remains elite.
The entrance is excellent.
The physique is extraordinary.
The gear always looks fantastic.
If you’re searching for the best bicep exercise, honestly, just show somebody a picture of half the women involved in this feud and let them figure it out themselves.
But wrestling is not bodybuilding.
Wrestling is not Instagram.
Wrestling is not standing under dramatic lighting while looking intimidating.
Eventually the bell rings.
And once it does, the questions return.
Maybe a programme with Charlotte Flair is next.
On paper, that makes sense.
Charlotte has spent two decades turning difficult situations into watchable television.
If anybody can help Cargill develop further, it’s probably her.
But after Clash in Italy, I remain unconvinced.
WWE SmackDown Needs New Challengers
Rhea Ripley carried this match.
Rhea Ripley 2026 continues to feel like one of WWE’s safest bets.
Whether you’re searching for WWE Rhea Ripley highlights, debating Rhea Ripley height comparisons with opponents, or simply watching WWE SmackDown each week, she consistently delivers.
Jade Cargill still looks like a superstar.
Unfortunately, looking like a superstar and wrestling like one remain two very different things.
And on a historic night in Turin, that difference felt impossible to ignore.
Why did Rhea Ripley retain the WWE Women’s Championship at Clash in Italy?
Rhea Ripley retained because WWE positioned her as the division’s most complete performer and central star. The match story revolved around Ripley overcoming interference, surviving Jade Cargill’s power advantage, and capitalising on a late opening to deliver the decisive Riptide in Turin.
How long was the Rhea Ripley vs Jade Cargill match?
The WWE Women’s Championship match at WWE Clash in Italy lasted nearly seventeen minutes, making it one of the longest and most demanding singles matches of Jade Cargill’s career. The extended runtime exposed both competitors’ strengths and weaknesses in front of a passionate Italian crowd.
What role did Charlotte Flair play in the finish?
Charlotte Flair played a crucial role by neutralising outside interference from Cargill’s allies. Her involvement prevented the match from being decided through numbers alone and created the opening Ripley needed to hit the match-winning Riptide, helping preserve the championship reign.
Why do some fans remain divided on Jade Cargill?
Many fans agree that Jade Cargill possesses elite physical presence, charisma and star power, but critics argue her in-ring development still lags behind her presentation. The Clash in Italy match reignited that debate, as some viewers felt Ripley carried much of the match’s structure, pacing and dramatic storytelling.
What could be next for Jade Cargill after Clash in Italy?
A feud with Charlotte Flair appears to be a logical next step. Such a rivalry would keep Jade Cargill near the top of the SmackDown card while giving her opportunities to gain experience in longer, high-profile matches. It would also allow WWE to continue developing her character outside the championship picture.
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