Rhea Ripley: The History Of The Nightmare Among Women’s Wrestling.

As Rhea Ripley makes her way to the ring, the blaring of rock music booms through the arena.
“This is my brutality!”

Over the past few years, the WWE’s Women’s Division has had major changes done to it. Some of these revolutionary changes included: Revamping the once labelled Diva’s Title, to the Women’s Championship, adding a Women’s Tag Team Title, and made sure all female wrestlers were referred to as ‘Superstars’ along with the male wrestlers. With this modernized and rejuvenated women’s division of wrestlers, we were introduced to many new names. WWE’s developmental company, NXT had brought in many new Women to add to their ever-growing roster, all with dreams to make it to the main roster. With new and old faces alike, we couldn’t help but notice one specific newcomer catch the WWE universe’s attention. This tall, muscular brute went by the name of Rhea Ripley.

 

You’re probably thinking, “But new RoX-TV writer Summer Reigns! What’s all the hype around Rhea Ripley?” To do this incredible woman justice, Let’s take a step back to 2013.

 

Groundbreaking Beginnings
Building from the ground up

Demi Bennett, but as you know her now as Rhea Ripley, started her wrestling career in 2013, fighting in an Australian independent wrestling promotion titled Riot City Wrestling (RCW). Bennett dominated the ring with ease, and only with her wrestling there for roughly one year, she had become a two-time RCW Women’s champion.

Her talented did not go unrecognized, as in May of 2014, she had signed with New Horizons Pro Wrestling (NHPW). Bennett was able to make her grand debut at NHPW’s multi-night show, Global Conflict. She stepped up to the challenge, entering herself into the Global Conflict Tournament. Despite her getting eliminated quick, she returned the following night, joining a four-way mixed tag-team match. Six months later, Bennett was able to have a fatal four-way match for the NHPW women’s title, sadly, she did not step out with the title. But later, ended up retuning to Riot City Wrestling, winning the RCW women’s championship. You can check out her match winning the title below.

Bennett made a strong impression on the Indy wrestling circuit, causing many new companies and promotions to look for her. Soon, Bennett found herself in a new promotion, Melbourne City Wrestling (MCW), a wrestling company who was in a strong alliance with Riot City Wrestling, often having wrestlers from both promotions undergo intense rivalries. Here, Bennett would take the RCW Women’s Championship to defend her title. While within MCW, Bennett would often be seen on their match cards defending her title. She soon became a well-known face in MCW and RCW. After having a streak of three successful title defenses, Bennett would soon find herself wrestling her last match in RCW on April 22nd, 2017, with one last title successful title defense.

This final match at Riot City Wrestling had fans saddened, but soon, a tweet from Riot City Wrestling published a tweet announcing her signing and scouting by the WWE. In response, Many fans sent warm wishes, messages to congratulate, and overall were excited to see RCW and Australia represented in the WWE. User @Heaton_Inc replied to this announcement sending some encouragement to Bennett.

Good to see Aussie Talent finally being displayed in the #WWE. It's about damn time @StallionDuckx3

— Heaton_Inc (@Heaton_Inc) March 2, 2017

New Environment, New Person
How Demi Bennett Became Rhea Ripley

Finally, in 2017, Demi Bennett had officially finalized her contract with the WWE, sealing the deal with the Aussie and Vince McMahon’s empire. As she started to accustom herself to training, she realized she needed a change. Demi Bennett, which was her real name, soon changed her in ring name to Rhea Ripley. Ripley took on a more grunge, punk-rock look. Adding not only a new hairdo, but a silver embedded leather jacket with chains hanging from her beltloops, and wrists. While noting on the new look, Ripley spoke in a future interview on the new look and character. At the end of the day, it was all about being herself.

 

“I’m going out there and being me, this is the way I act, and this is the way I dress.” Rhea stated in a 2021 interview. “That’s why Rhea Ripley is so important—she’s reaching out to a group that didn’t always have someone like them to look up to.” Ripley spoke, calling out to her fans that found comfort in her character. For NXT at the time, this kind of look was not seen often among the women’s division, so it made Ripley stick out in the best way possible when she made her debut in the Mae Young Classic in late 2017.

Early NXT Days
Dominating the UK scene

Rhea Ripley would soon go to make her on-screen debut when NXT had announced their ‘NXT UK’ Brand. Ripley took part in an eight-woman tournament. This tourney was made to establish the first ever UK Women’s champion, which Ripley would soon go on to dominate. Defeating the others, she would be the first NXT UK Women’s Champion (pictured left). Ripley would go on to hold the title for 139 days, soon losing it to Toni Storm at NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool, deeming it her first ever loss within the brand of NXT UK. Ripley would only go on to lose one other match before her final match within the NXT UK circuit that took place on October 5th, 2019.

This was because Ripley was slowly making her merge over to becoming an NXT specific wrestler.

The NXT Level

Rhea Ripley made her debut to NXT while she was slowly moving from NXT UK. On August 28th, 2019, Ripley caught the NXT Women’s Champion at the time, Shayna Baszler off guard by interrupting her promo. Baszler addressed the crowd, boasting how she defeated Bayley, and Becky Lynch, both of which held the Raw and Smackdown Women’s Titles respectfully, and how no one could beat her. Soon, the current champion was interrupted by Ripley, receiving a huge pop from the crowd. “You may have beat Bayley, you may have beat Becky. But when you went face to face with me, I beat you!” Ripley retaliated at the Baszler, giving a wicked laugh. This confrontation led to Ripley challenging Baszler on the spot, to which Baszler retreated. If that’s not a way to make a first impression, I don’t know what is!

Rhea Ripley would go on to compete against Shayna Baszler in a WarGames match* at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. If Ripley’s confrontation didn’t start their rivalry, this match sure did. Ripley would face Shayna Baszler on a December episode of NXT (pictured right), in which she beat Baszler. This made Ripley the first Woman to ever hold both the NXT Women’s Championship, and the NXT UK Women’s Championship.

 

Ripley would soon invade a February edition of WWE Raw, challenging Charlotte Flair to an NXT Women’s Title match at WrestleMania 36. Charlotte would soon respond the following day on NXT, but soon to be attacked by Ripley and Bianca Belair. Flair and Ripley would soon go to WrestleMania 36. Even without any of the WWE universe in attendance, the two wrestlers put on a match for the books. It resulted in Flair winning the gold, ending Rhea Ripley’s 108-day title reign of the NXT Women’s title. Ripley would go on to have her final battle at NXT: New Year’s Evil in 2021. The Nightmare went up against Raquel Gonzales in a Last Woman Standing match, where Rhea Ripley would lose her final match in NXT.

Main Roster Ripley

The momentum that Rhea Ripley had gained from her outstanding performance in NXT, and her extremely over-the-top match at WrestleMania 36, gave her the right push she needed to get to main the main roster. Ripley would make her WWE Raw debut on March 22nd, 2021, challenging Asuka to a WWE Raw Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania 37, to which Asuka accepted. Once WrestleMania 37 came around, Ripley would defeat Asuka. This crowned Ripley as the new WWE Raw Women’s Champion (pictured left).

 

With some back and forth title matches with both Asuka and Charlotte Flair. Ripley would lose the title at Money In The Bank 2021 to Flair. Rhea Ripley would go on to form a tag team with rising star Nikki A.S.H, going to win the tag titles on the September 20th 2021 edition of WWE Raw. Their reign would go on for 63 days, soon losing the titles to Carmella and Queen Zelina on WWE Raw on November 22nd, 2021. The loss resulted in Nikki A.S.H betraying her Ripley, starting a rivalry.

 

Present Day

In the present, and at the moment of writing this, Rhea Ripley is currently tag-teaming with Liv Morgan. The two powerful women donned the name LIV4BRUTALITY. The two’s dynamic continues to create amazing ring chemistry, and fight in a fatal four-way tag match at WrestleMania 38. The team did not take home the titles, instead Naomi and Sasha banks won the tag match, and took home the gold. LIV4BRUTALITY are getting a title rematch on the April 11th Edition of WWE Raw, which I have the pleasure of going to. So, keep an eye out for a review!

This is HER Brutality.

Rhea Ripley is easily one of the most influential and talented wrestlers of our time. Her rough-on-the-edges attitude and rebellious nature makes her extremely memorable. In my opinion, I can say that I look forward to her matches the most. For she is not only entertaining, but an inspiration to me as well. Ripley shows that you can look however you want, be yourself, and dominate the squared circle how you see fit. The path of destruction Ripley has left in the wrestling industry so far is a hard thing to ignore, and the flames will only grow taller. I would love to see her have a nasty heel run, with her tall and metal demeanor, I’m certain she could instill fear into the women’s division in a heartbeat, and I hope WWE sees the walls Ripley is breaking in the industry.

Ripley’s future is bright, and she is already growing to legend-status.

I hope you enjoyed my first article! What is your opinion on Rhea Ripley? Leave a comment below!

For now, this is RoX-TV author,

Summer Reigns,

signing off!

*Wargames matches have been uncommon up until the past few years, so I added a Wikipedia link for those who may not know the rules!