Rhea Ripley spoke with The Battleground Podcast where she was asked about to possibly returning to WWE’s developmental territory NXT.
Rhea admitted she does miss her old stomping grounds. However, she recognizes that since NXT has transformed to NXT 2.0, the experience may be different than she remembers.
“I miss NXT. Right now, how it is [with NXT 2.0], how it’s all changed, I don’t know if I’d really fit in. When it was the metal scene and very grungy, I loved that NXT,” Rhea explained. “Not saying that the one now is bad or anything, just saying that it’s definitely more for the up-and-comers. Everyone’s trying to make a name for themselves. But, saying that, I would definitely go back in a heartbeat, especially to help my girl, Raquel Gonzalez. I don’t like it when she gets jumped, so I’ve got her back.”
Ripley was drafted to stay on RAW this past Monday, and other top female stars like Becky Lynch moved over from SmackDown to RAW. This gives Rhea a brand new list of opponents she can compete against, including the current SmackDown Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch.
“I do like the color red, I do like being on RAW, but I really want to step in the ring with Becky again. I got to wrestle her once in NXT and it got cut short by Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn, and Marina [Shafir], so I would love to step in the ring with her again and I would love to be a grand slam champion,” Rhea stated. “I love disrupting the peace, apparently. But that day will come and my time will come whether it’s this draft or next draft, I really have no idea. But I’m down for a fight whenever so if Becky want to fight me, then I’m ready.”
Another question was sent Rhea’s way asking if she’d ever be interested in unifying the WWE Women’s Tag and WWE NXT Women’s Tag Titles together to crown a team as Undisputed Champions. Rhea liked the idea, especially because it will give her another opportunity to wrestle one of her favorite opponents, Io Shirai.
“I would love that, and that would be a good excuse to go to NXT, as well. And I haven’t wrestled Zoey Stark, but I have wrestled Io Shirai many, many times and I would love to step in the ring with Io again. She’s one of my favorite competitors to be in the ring with.
