SUMMARY
- The match between Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair proved to be special for the fans.
- Recently, PWI released their list of Match of the Year for 2023.
One of the most well-liked Superstars on the WWE roster right now is Rhea Ripley. Her devoted fans adore her because of her prowess in the ring. She is also a prominent figure on RAW and the Women’s World Champion of the Stamford-based promotion. Her admirers are constantly interested in finding out more about her as a result.
Another top female superstar in the WWE is ‘The Queen’ Charlotte Flair, who was a member of the Horsewomen group. Currently, Charlotte is one of the WWE roster’s most popular superstars. She began to gain notoriety in 2015 after signing with the main roster. Her remarkable skill in the ring allowed her to win the title of Women’s World Champion 14 times.
Both of these superstars have edged their names in the history books after their immaculate performances inside the squared circle. They had an instant classic at WrestleMania 39 for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Their WrestleMania 39 match has been declared the ‘Match of the Year’ by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
PWI’s 2023 ‘Match of the Year’ award list as voted by PWI readers:
1) Rhea v Charlotte — WWE WrestleMania 39
2) Gunther v Sheamus v Drew — WWE WrestleMania 39
3) Omega v Ospreay — AEW Forbidden Door ll
4) MJF v Danielson — AEW Revolution59% of the votes went to others with… pic.twitter.com/oSdw9YX9ag
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) January 18, 2024
This wasn’t the first time Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair battled at the Grandest Stage of Em’ All. The duo faced each other at WrestleMania 36 when Charlotte won the Royal Rumble and challenged The Eradicator for the NXT Women’s title. The tables turned in 2023 when Rhea won the Rumble and challenged ‘The Queen’ to an instant classic match.
Which other matches were featured on the ‘Match of the Year’ List released by PWI?
There were several other matches on the list, topped by Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair. 2023 saw a lot of shocking moments and rivalries. AEW and WWE gave it their all when it came to delivering outstanding matches. Gunther‘s Intercontinental Title Reign has surely provided some spectacular matches. His instant classic against Drew McIntyre and Sheamus at WrestleMania gained him the second spot.
Kenny Omega faced his long-time rival Will Ospreay at AEW Forbidden Door II, which proved to be another classic. It claimed the third spot in the list given by PWI. The Tony Khan-led promotion had several dream matches with the arrival of Bryan Danielson in the promotion. His matches against MJF, Kazuchika Okada, and Kenny Omega have been spectacular. His bout against MJF at the AEW Revolution claimed the 4th spot on the list.
Despite having a lot of contenders for this achievement, Rhea vs. Charlotte claimed the top spot. It shows the amount of hard work and determination both of them have shown throughout the year. Rhea Ripley has also outworked all other females, winning the PWI’s ‘Woman of the Year’. World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins won the ‘Wrestler of the Year’ title, respectively.