PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

LYNCH ON AN INEVITABLE COLLISION COURSE WITH RIPLEY AT WRESTLEMANIA 40

Becky ‘The Man’ Lynch will step into the Elimination Chamber on February 24 after beating Shayna Baszler to qualify for the highly anticipated event.

The superstars locked horns in a hard-fought contest, with Baszler taking the game to Lynch, who was determined to earn a place in the Elimination Chamber with an eye on WrestleMania 40.

Baszler, a former NXT women's champion, came close to defeating Lynch on several occasions. But the Irishwoman's experience paid dividends as she planted her opponent with the Manhandle Slam to claim the victory.

Lynch's victory over Baszler has finally put her on the map, but she will have to go the distance in a six-woman match even though she's one of the favourites with the bookmakers.

Half of the six-woman slots have now been claimed, with Liv Morgan and Bianca Belair joining Lynch in the line-up. 

Morgan beat Zoey Stark after hitting a codebreaker followed by ObLIVion, while Belair shrugged off a slow start against Michin before taking out the ‘Blasian Baddie’ with a KOD.

Two women from Friday's SmackDown will join the ranks as Naomi takes on Zelina Vega while Shotzi battles Tiffany Stratton.

A last-chance match has also been scheduled for next week’s Raw, with Baszler, Michin, Stark and the losing pair from the SmackDown clashes set to lock horns in a Battle Royal to determine the sixth and final member of the Elimination Chamber match.

Whoever wins the Elimination Chamber will get a chance to battle Rhea ‘Mami’ Ripley for the Women's World Championship belt at WrestleMania 40.

Lynch has her eyes firmly on the prize, and a potential clash against Ripley at WrestleMania would undoubtedly prove to be a shimmering showdown, captivating the audience of fans across the globe.

The pair have already teased a potential WrestleMania 40 showdown ahead of Elimination Chamber with a fierce stare-down as the tension between the two female powerhouses hits a fever pitch.

‘The Man’ came out to address the crowd on Monday night RAW after qualifying for the Elimination Chamber but was cut off by a ‘tearful’ Nia Jax, who subsequently touted herself as the next Women's world champion.

Ripley soon entered the fray and went straight after Jax in retaliation for weeks of torture and punishment from the ‘irresistible force’. 

However, Jax was too powerful, fending off the eradicator before being sent outside the ring via a dropkick from Lynch. Ripley and Lynch shared a momentary stare-down that roused the crowd before the former knocked Jax off the apron with a boot to the face.

While Lynch battles in the Elimination Chamber for a chance to compete for the Women's World Championship at WrestleMania 40, Ripley will be defending her title against Jax in her home country of Australia.

Ripley has been a dominant force since winning the championship at WrestleMania 39, but she could be facing the greatest threat to her reign as Jax sets her sights on a first World Championship title.

Jax has run through everyone in her path since returning to the WWE in September, and the past few weeks have seen a fierce rivalry with Ripley, setting the stage for a mouthwatering title showdown.

Despite Jax being in the mix, Lynch wants to face Ripley at WrestleMania, which is unsurprising considering the rivalry between both women.

From intense challenges to untelevised fights involving countless death stare-downs and verbal assaults from their NXT days, we could be in for a potential colossal clash between two veterans of the women's roster.

Lynch, a six-time women's champion, has already put over her potential opponent, claiming the fans love Ripley, but that didn't go down well with former WWE head writer Vince Russo.

Russo said: “We got Becky Lynch, we got Nia Jax, and Becky Lynch is putting Mami over, ‘I know you all like Mami.’ I am watching this, and I am like, ‘Okay, Becky, who are we supposed to root for?’ 

“Are we supposed to root for you? But you’re telling us we all like Mami. You have to care. You gotta get behind a horse. She is sitting there, saying, ‘I know all of you like Mami,' and then she is letting them applaud Mami. 

“So, I am like, okay, Becky, do I want you to win? or should we like Mami? I don’t understand.”

Lynch facing Ripley would be a dream match-up, especially for WWE bettors. Both women have established themselves as dominant forces and boast massive fanbases in their respective countries.

‘The Man’ needs to get past the Elimination Chamber first, but the best betting sites in Ireland would be inundated with wagers if she has a chance of winning the ultimate prize at WrestleMania 40.

The odds are in Lynch’s favour if their recent results are anything to go by, with the Irishwoman defeating Ripley in four matches.

While momentum is with the current Women's World champion, punters on the Emerald Isle would be backing Lynch to extend her impressive streak over Ripley if they face each other.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!

• Tweet