Rhea Ripley isn’t shying away from the spotlight ahead of WrestleMania 42, openly admitting she feels the weight of expectation as she prepares to challenge Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship.

Speaking on The Ebro Laura Rosenberg Show, Ripley addressed the unique challenge of facing a rising star still building in-ring experience, making it clear she sees part of her role as helping elevate the champion on WWE’s biggest stage.

“I do, I definitely do feel the pressure,” Ripley said. “I feel like this is a match that a lot of people have wanted for a long time, especially at WrestleMania. There’s already so much pressure going into that day and into that match.”

She reflected on past WrestleMania performances and the expectation to keep raising the bar, while also acknowledging the added responsibility this time around.

“But now stepping in with someone that has only had limited experience within the wrestling industry compared to a lot of people on the show, I do have that pressure to kind of uplift her and bring her to a different level so we can go out there and we can make magic just like everyone expects from us. We’ll see what happens. It’s unpredictable, wrestling is so unpredictable. Anything can really happen. But I know I’m going to go out there and give it 110% and try and get her to try new things and like level up her own game.”

Ripley also spoke about competing without a title following her recent loss, admitting it feels unusual but doesn’t change her mindset.

“I feel kind of naked in a way without it,” she said. “But I don’t mind not having a title because every time I walk through the curtain and walk onto the stage in front of everyone, I feel like a champion. I don’t need a title to represent how dominant I am in WWE. That being said, at WrestleMania, yeah, I will be getting a title.”

After winning the Elimination Chamber, Ripley secured her shot at Cargill, with the championship clash set for WrestleMania 42 on April 18 and 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.