Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley
Ripley in 2024
Birth nameDemi Bennett
Born (1996-10-11) 11 October 1996 (age 28)
Adelaide, South Australia
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 2024)​
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Demi Bennett
Rhea Ripley
Billed height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)[1]
Billed fromAdelaide, South Australia
Trained byWWE Performance Center
Scotty 2 Hotty
Debut24 May 2014

Demi Bennett (born 11 October 1996) is an Australian professional wrestler. She currently wrestles for the WWE, where she competes on the Raw brand under the ring name Rhea Ripley. She was a member of the stable The Judgment Day and is currently teamed with former Judgment Day member Damian Priest, who are billed together as The Terror Twins.

During her time in the WWE, she has been a one-time Raw Women's Champion, one-time WWE SmackDown Women's/Women's World Champion (with her and Bayley having the longest single reign of this title at 380 days), one-time WWE Women's Tag Team Champion, one-time NXT Women's Champion, one-time NXT UK Women's Champion, the winner of the Women's Royal Rumble in 2023, and the winner of the NXT UK Women's Championship Tournament.

Career

WWE

Ripley started her WWE career by competing in the first Mae Young Classic in 2017. She made it to the second round before losing to Dakota Kai.[2] She then made her debut on the NXT brand on 25 October 2017 in a battle royal to become number one contender for the NXT Women's Championship.[3]

On the 22 March 2021 episode of Raw, Ripley made her main roster debut. She challenged Asuka to a match for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 37 which Asuka accepted.[4] She defeated Asuka on the second night of WrestleMania 37 to win the Raw Women's Championship.[5]

She joined The Judgment Day at WrestleMania Backlash after she attacked AJ Styles in his match against Edge.[6]

At the Royal Rumble in 2023, Ripley competed in the women's Royal Rumble match. She entered at #1 and was able to win the match. She became the first woman to win the rumble at #1, had the longest time in a women's Royal Rumble match at 1:01:08, and was the fourth person overall to win from #1 (after Shawn Michaels in 1995, Chris Benoit in 2004, and Edge in 2021).[7] On the first night of WrestleMania 39, Ripley defeated Charlotte Flair to become the SmackDown Women's Champion.[8] The title was renamed "Women's World Championship" on June 12.

On the April 15, 2024 episode of Raw, Ripley vacated the title after she injured her right arm. This ties her and Bayley for the longest single Women's World Championship reign at 380 days.[9]

Personal life

She is married to AEW wrestler Buddy Matthews.[10]

Championships

Ripley as the Women's World Champion

References

  1. ↑ "Rhea Ripley". WWE. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "Powell's WWE Mae Young Classic Review: Episode Two featuring Sarah Logan vs. Mia Yim, Mercedes Martinez vs. Xia Li, Miranda Salinas vs. Rhea Ripley, and Marti Bell vs. Rachel Evers". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Nikki Cross won a 17-Superstar NXT Women's Championship Qualifying Battle Royal". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  4. ↑ "3/22 WWE Raw Results: Powell's live review of Rhea Ripley's debut, WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Sheamus in a non-title match, Raw Women's Champion Asuka vs. Peyton Royce in a non-title match, Kofi Kingston vs. AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy vs. The Miz, WWE Fastlane fallout". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Rhea Ripley def. Asuka to capture the Raw Women's Championship". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  6. ↑ "WWE WrestleMania Backlash results: Powell's live review of Roman Reigns and The Usos vs. Drew McIntyre and RK-Bro, Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey in an I Quit match for the Smackdown Women's Title, Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins, Edge vs. AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley vs. Omos, Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  7. ↑ "1/28 WWE Royal Rumble PLE Report: Keller's detailed report and analysis including Reigns vs. Owens, Pitch Black match, Belair vs. Bliss". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Rhea Ripley def Charlotte Flair to capture the SmackDown Women's Champion". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  9. ↑ Russell, Skylar (April 15, 2024). "Rhea Ripley Confirms Injury, Vacates WWE Women's World Championship On 4/15 WWE Raw". Fightful. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Rhea Ripley & Buddy Matthews get engaged". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  11. ↑ "2019 Wrestling Awards: Kofi Kingston's WWE title win at WrestleMania is the Moment of the Year". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  12. ↑ "From MJF and Rhea to...a Viking? Here are the 30 best pro wrestlers under 30". ESPN. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Thunder Rosa On Her PWI Women's 100 Ranking: It Was Shameful Of Them". Fightful. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  14. ↑ "RCW Women's Championship history". Riot City Wrestling. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  15. ↑ "The Top 10 Women Wrestlers of 2019". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  16. ↑ "WWE Women's Championship history". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Women's World Championship history". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  18. ↑ "WWE Women's Tag Team Championship history". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  19. ↑ "NXT Women's Championship history". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  20. ↑ "NXT UK Women's Championship history". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Rhea Ripley won the Women's Royal Rumble Match to earn a Women's Championship Match at WrestleMania". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Major news from Sunday night's NXT UK tapings (CAUTION: SPOILERS)". WWE. Retrieved September 29, 2023.

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