Rhea Ripley may have punched her ticket to WrestleMania 42 inside the Elimination Chamber but that wasnt the original plan for Jade Cargill. After Ripley won the 2026 Womens Elimination Chamber match in Chicago on February 28 by pinning Tiffany Stratton clean with a Riptide, WWE quickly set up Ripley vs. Cargill for the Womens Championship on the grand stage, but a new update reveals WWE had something very different in mind before injuries forced a pivot. While speaking on Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez revealed that WWE initially had a different WrestleMania opponent lined up for Jade Cargill. The original WrestleMania direction would have seen Jade Cargill square off against Bianca Belair. However, Belair has not fully recovered from surgery, forcing WWE to pivot. So while the Ripley vs. Cargill bout is now locked in, it reportedly came together due to necessity rather than long-term planning. With WrestleMania 42 approaching, WWE has adjusted on the fly and Ripley is now stepping into a spot that was once earmarked for Bianca Belair. Would you have preferred Jade Cargill vs. Bianca Belair, or is Jade Cargill vs. Rhea Ripley the stronger match for WrestleMania 42? Let us know what you think. Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication. G Add as a preferred source on Google
