Rhea Ripley Recalls Nearly Quitting WWE Early in Her Career – Rhea Ripley has become one of WWE’s most dominant Superstars, but her path to the top was nearly derailed early in her career due to a prolonged losing streak and a crisis of confidence.
In a new interview with Paste Magazine, Ripley opened up about a difficult period in 2017 when her WWE future felt uncertain. After a failed attempt to earn an NXT Women’s Title match against Nikki Cross in October of that year, Ripley endured a significant slump, losing 16 of her next 20 matches. At the time, she was working against rising stars such as Bianca Belair and Shayna Baszler.
“I literally broke down. I was at my lowest, and I wanted to quit,” Ripley admitted. “I wanted to give it all up, and I was like, ‘No, you have to continue for all the people that actually did believe in you. You have to prove the doubters wrong.’”
Looking to reinvent herself, Ripley revamped her entire look and persona ahead of the 2018 Mae Young Classic, which marked a turning point in her career. It was at that event that she introduced the now-familiar Rhea Ripley character that WWE fans have come to know.
“I said, ‘This is me now.’ And they were like, ‘Okay, we’ll see if it works.’ Luckily, I went out there, and I was so much more confident. The second Mae Young Classic, I was me. I didn’t care. I just wanted to go out there and do what I loved. I wanted to brutalize and entertain, and that’s where Rhea Ripley grew into.”
Ripley’s evolution ultimately paid off. She went on to capture championships in NXT UK, NXT, and on the main roster, becoming one of WWE’s most decorated female Superstars in the modern era.
Now, she’s set for another major milestone. Ripley will compete in a triple threat match for the WWE Women’s World Championship against IYO SKY and Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 41, set to take place this Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Rhea Ripley Recalls Nearly Quitting WWE Early in Her Career
