5 Things you might not know about NXT UK Superstar Rhea Ripley
Rhea Ripley has been wrestling since the age of 16, but she became a worldwide sensation when she made her WWE debut at the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Since then, Ripley has become the face of NXT UK and gone on to win the first ever NXT UK Women's Championship.
Ripley will also look to make a splash at the upcoming Survivor Series pay-per-view. Billed as a clash between WWE's three brands (RAW, SmackDown, and NXT), Ripley made her presence felt on the last episode of SmackDown Live with a successful tag team debut (with Tegan Nox). In what may very well have been a visual demonstration of WWE's future, Ripley appeared alongside Triple H and the NXT roster at the show's conclusion.
While Ripley is set to be a formidable force in the years to come, many wrestling fans simply don't know much about the former NXT UK Women's Champion. Ripley recently appeared on an episode of Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia where she revealed several little known facts about herself.
#5. She changed her look to get away from the Toni Storm comparisons
When Rhea Ripley made her WWE debut in 2017, she had long flowing blonde locks and looked quite a bit like fellow Aussie Superstar Toni Storm. With fans often comparing the two Superstars, Ripley decided it was time for a change and drastically altered her look.
Ripley told Chasing Glory host Lilian Garcia:
"Growing up in Australia, I always had the long beachy hair. That was just who I was, but then when I got here and Toni Storm was also here, people kept saying we looked the same because we're both rockers, as well. I was like, 'I've got to steer away from Toni,' and a few people mentioned that I should cut my hair and I thought about it as well."
Since that time, Ripley has sported a slicked-back cut that goes well with her rugged in-ring persona. She credits the new look for giving her a change in attitude, as well.
"One day we had a show in Ocala and it was stinking hot - I wasn't even doing much. We had like a Rumble and I decided to just wet my hair before hand because it was too hot. I was just dying backstage and I went out there and wrestled and said, 'That was the best thing I've ever done.' So, I just do it from now on. I like it. I like whipping my hair at people, it's great. Watching them flinch, I love it!"
Ripley has found a home in WWE, where she is allowed to be herself and although it is a publicly traded billion dollar company, don't expect Ripley to dress in business casual anytime soon:
"When we have to dress up and stuff, they're like, 'Business casual.' I'm like, 'Guys, I don't do business casual.' If I can wear a leather jacket with studs and chains on it, that's my business casual. I don't even want to wear heels....It's good. Now that I've shown them who I am and the fans know who I am, I get away with being me."