After WWE began sharing multiple short vignettes of a mysterious figure on social media last month, many expected a character to debut or return, but instead, the teasers led to a promotional video for WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, leading fans to be both disappointed and angered by the result. The advertisement featured Triple H walking into a room to meet with Cody Rhodes, Brock Lesnar, CM Punk and Roman Reigns, who were sitting around a poker table. Although fans were already frustrated with the announcement, WWE Hall Of Famer Bully Ray Dudley went into detail about a larger issue that arose once the official poster for WrestleMania was revealed after the promotional video.
“What is even more interesting is the lack of a female presence on this promotional photo and in the promotional video, and that seems to be the big chatter and the scuttlebutt throughout the wrestling world today. Why no female superstar? Why not one of the women on this poster, on this commercial? That’s what people are really up in arms about today, and one of the things that I heard on social media was the fact that one particular woman is not on this poster, not on this promotional ad. That woman? Rhea Ripley.” He explained on “Busted Open After Dark.”
Bully Ray continued to argue that the wrestling community considers Ripley to be a bigger star than Brock Lesnar in 2025, and feels that many fans share the opinion that “The Beast” doesn’t belong in the promotional video.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Busted Open After Dark” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
