Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley: biography

Rhea Ripley is an Australian professional wrestler who is currently signed to WWE and performs on the Raw brand.

Childhood and youth

Rhea Ripley, whose real name is Demi Bennett, was born on October 11, 1996, in Adelaide, South Australia. Ripley was always a fan of professional wrestling and began training at the young age of 16, under the guidance of former WWE wrestler, Riot City's King. She quickly made a name for herself on the Australian independent wrestling scene and gained a reputation as a tough and fearless competitor.

Ripley's passion and dedication to wrestling led her to sign with WWE in 2017 and relocate to the United States to pursue her dream. She was initially assigned to NXT, where she continued to impress with her unique look and hard-hitting in-ring style.

Growing up, Ripley was also a talented singer and musician, playing both the guitar and piano. She has spoken in interviews about her struggles with mental health as a teenager and how wrestling helped her find a sense of purpose and belonging.

Today, Ripley is one of the most popular and exciting wrestlers in WWE, known for her punk rock style, imposing physical presence, and fearless attitude.

Wrestling career

Rhea Ripley began her wrestling career in Australia, where she quickly made a name for herself on the independent wrestling scene. Her unique look, imposing physical presence, and hard-hitting in-ring style caught the attention of WWE, and she signed with the company in 2017.

Ripley was initially assigned to WWE's developmental territory, NXT, where she quickly rose to prominence as one of the brand's top stars. She made her NXT debut in August 2017 and competed in her first NXT Women's Championship match in January 2019, where she came up short against Shayna Baszler.

However, Ripley continued to impress and was eventually granted another shot at the championship in December 2019. This time, she emerged victorious, defeating Baszler to become the first Australian to win a championship in WWE. Ripley held the title for 204 days before losing it to Io Shirai in June 2020.

Following her successful run in NXT, Ripley made her main roster debut on Raw in March 2021. She quickly established herself as a top contender and was involved in high-profile matches against Asuka and Charlotte Flair.

At WrestleMania 37, Ripley defeated Asuka to win the Raw Women's Championship, marking another major milestone in her career. She held the championship for 98 days before losing it to Flair at Money in the Bank in July 2021.

Ripley's unique look and in-ring style have made her a fan favorite, and she has been praised for her toughness and fearlessness in the ring. She has also been an advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken openly about her own struggles with mental health.

Despite her relatively short time in WWE, Ripley has already established herself as one of the company's top stars and is poised for continued success in the years to come.

Personal life

In interviews, Ripley has spoken candidly about her struggles with mental health as a teenager and how wrestling helped her find a sense of purpose and belonging. She has also discussed the challenges of being a female wrestler in a male-dominated industry and the importance of promoting positive body image and self-confidence.

Ripley is known for her punk rock style and has cited bands such as My Chemical Romance and Blink-182 as influences. She is also a talented musician and plays both the guitar and piano.

Outside of wrestling, Ripley enjoys spending time with her dog, a German Shepherd named Nyx. She has also expressed an interest in acting and has said that she would like to pursue that career path in the future.

Overall, Ripley is a private person who prefers to keep her personal life out of the spotlight. Though it’s known that Rhea is in a relationship with the wrestler Matthew Adams who is professionally known as Buddy Matthews.

Championships and accomplishments

• Held the NXT Women's Championship for 204 days, the second-longest reign in the title's history.
• Became the first woman to hold the NXT UK Women's Championship and the NXT Women's Championship, having held the former for 139 days in 2018.
• Competed in the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament in 2017, where she made it to the semi-finals.
• Ranked #6 in the 2020 edition of the PWI Women's 100, a list of the top female wrestlers in the world.
• Has been praised for her toughness, unique look, and hard-hitting in-ring style, as well as her advocacy for mental health awareness and positive body image.
• Won the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 37 in April 2021, defeating Asuka.
• Made her main roster debut on Raw in March 2021.
• Won the NXT Women's Championship in December 2019, becoming the first Australian to win a championship in WWE.

Overall, Ripley has quickly become one of the most popular and exciting wrestlers in WWE, and her accomplishments in the ring have established her as a top star in the industry.