'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAACWz4JP/8QAHRAAAgMAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMCBAUAETJRsf/aAAgBAQABPwCsirRwtYa9SNm0IFVeamdLUVRMvAj4RwabQAApAHoQHP/EABYRAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADMf/aAAgBAgEBPwBcP//EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAEDAQE/AKf/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Rhea Ripley will fly to Perth, Australia, this Saturday night to defend her WWE Women's World Championship against Nia Jax.
Ripley admitted to Cathy Kelley on WWE's The Bump that it has not sunk in yet that she will be wrestling in front of her family and the people who are close to her. She also added that there were people whom she blocked out in her life.
In 2022, Adam Copeland formed The Judgment Day by recruiting Damian Priest first and The Eradicator shortly after. Her rise to superstardom commenced from that point on, as her character is what struck a chord with the masses more than the other members:
"To be honest, I've blocked a bunch of people," Ripley began. "Those people that doubted me through the whole thing. School teachers that laughed in my face when I wanted to do projects on WWE, and wrestling in general."
She continued about how people judged her and even asked her to find a real job rather than pursue a pipe dream:
"Even just having the plan that I did to try and dedicate my craft and make it to WWE, I had people all the time like, 'You should find a real job, and study, you should do something else, you're never gonna make it, it's never gonna happen, it's a silly dream, you have to be more realistic about your life,' and the one thing I have to say about that is, where are you guys?" [From 26:50 onwards]
This is Rhea Ripley's first appearance in Australia since signing to WWE. Her opponent, The Irresistible Force, will be looking to end her title reign, which commenced at WrestleMania 39. Meanwhile, six women will compete inside the Elimination Chamber to become the number-one contender to the Women's World Championship at WrestleMania XL.
WWE Hall of Famer compares Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley
Throughout the last few weeks on WWE programming, the creative team has teased Mami vs. The Man at the Show of Shows.
During a recent episode of Booker T's Hall of Fame podcast, he stated that Rhea Ripley is a "star," but she has not peaked when compared to Becky Lynch. As far as Booker is concerned, the Irish star is a "ring general" and is at the top of her game today:
"They don't come better than Becky Lynch, man. Ripley right now, she's a star, she's a big-time star," he said. "She still hasn't gotten anywhere near her peak, nowhere near it. But Becky, that girl, she's a ring general; she can go out in the ring and perform at the highest level. She's shown me so much over this last year."
It remains to be seen if The Man prevails inside the Devil's Playground, as the lineup is pretty strong. Aside from her, Bianca Belair, Raquel Rodriguez, NXT import Tiffany Stratton, and recently returned WWE Superstars Liv Morgan and Naomi all have a fair shot at getting the Women's World Champion in April.
If you use the first quotes, please credit WWE's The Bump and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
