Hea Ripley is heading into 2026 with momentum and a schedule that already seems busier than anything she handled last year.
She closed out 2025 with strong performances on both Raw and SmackDown, and early indications are that WWE is preparing her for bigger storylines rather than slowly bringing her in. Its first major spotlight will come on January 5, when WWE kicks off its Raw crossover event with the Stranger Things franchise. Ripley is set for a Women’s Tag Team Championship match that night with IYO SKY, which instantly puts her front and center at the start of the year.
What this really means is that WWE is keeping her visible in multiple divisions at once. She also scored a solid victory on SmackDown in mid-December alongside Damian Priest, serving as a reminder that the company has no plans to let her take a back seat.
A new direction taking shape
Discussions around Ripley’s next move point to a rebranding. There is constant buzz about his move to SmackDown as WWE shuffles the pieces heading into the new year. A change like this usually signals that the creative wants new feuds, new clashes, and a reset of character direction. Ripley has been tied to the same group and orbit for a long time, so a move would open doors she hasn’t yet entered.
It is also said that she could find herself at the head of a faction. Fans and analysts keep coming back to the idea that WWE could build a unit around her instead of keeping her tied to old alliances. Nothing is confirmed, but the idea has a lot of traction, in part because Ripley’s presence tends to elevate whoever stands next to her. If WWE wants to develop new stars in 2026, it would make sense to give him a leadership anchor.
