WWE's Rhea Ripley, a.k.a. Mosh Pit Kid, is one of professional wrestling's fastest rising stars. Hailing from Australia, she's a seasoned cutthroat grappler who's ripped as hell and armed with one of the strongest vertical suplexes in the great halls of sports entertainment. The 22-year-old Ripley, who now calls Orlando, Florida, home, made a name for herself at the WWE Performance Center and the Mae Young Classic. Then, last year, she made history by defeating Toni Storm in the finals of the NXT UK Women's Championship Tournament to become the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion.
Ripley's newfound stardom is hard earned. Every single day, she wakes up early and goes to the Performance Center for several hours of ring conditioning — an intense cardio workout like no other. From the PC, she goes directly to another gym for weight training and more conditioning. Her diet and work ethic are no different: hardcore and focused around the clock. And what do you think helps her push through this constant regimen of clanging iron, eating clean and always striving to be her best? "f*cking metal," says Ripley. "My music helps me get through all these extreme workouts."
photography by Carlos Jaramillo
Fittingly, then, her current entrance theme song, "Brutality," features Ash Costello, the singer of one of her favorite bands New Years Day. "I'm so grateful to Ash for making that for me," says Ripley. "I rely heavily on that song to get into character as I enter the ring." And the big stomp she does for her entrances? That was inspired by Suicide Silence's late frontman Mitch Lucker, who used to do a similar move onstage. Ripley even calls it "The Lucker Stomp."
During a recent trip to England, she got to further indulge her love of heavy music with a visit to Download Festival, where she taped a few television episodes for NXT UK. "I got to see Cane Hill perform and that was one of the first mosh pits I really got to go into at Download," she enthuses. "NXT UK wanted me to capture some video of that for their YouTube channel, but I don't think they realize how real it is in a mosh pit — I was just in there trying to survive. Download was absolutely insane — I got a killer Download Festival tattoo just to remember how much I loved that day!"
If being metal as f*ck and able to send her opponents flying straight up into the air weren't badass enough, Ripley also makes her own bespoke ring gear from leather, spikes, studs and chains. "The jacket I'm wearing now was inspired by the character Ryuk from the manga series Death Note," she explains. "I'm very DIY and love to make my own sh*t." Born Demi Bennett, Ripley says that her wrestling persona also comes from a very authentic place, maintaining that it's really just an exaggerated, more pissed-off version of her real-life identity.
"I love The Miz! I absolutely love him," says Ripley, pointing to the WWE Superstar as a key role model. "He's so snarky and that's who I want to be. I want to have cool comebacks and get people to listen to me and be invested in me. Even CM Punk — when he spoke, everyone listened."
One thing that she doesn't hesitate to speak out about is the adversity and criticism she's faced due to her muscular physique. "My whole life I've had people telling me that I look like a man, I'm not feminine, I'm too masculine, all that stuff," says Ripley. "Well, you know what? I could not give a sh*t. Just like I was inspired by [former WWE champion] Beth Phoenix, who also looks very masculine, I want to inspire other potential female athletes to go as hard as they want and feel comfortable in their own skin — that's why I go out there day after day and do my thing."
photograph by Carlos Jaramillo
photograph by Carlos Jaramillo
When I'm doing cardio, that's where I need metal. I remember seeing Parkway Drive at Soundwave one year. It was such a hot day and I was right up by the stage and they had a ton of fire and I was just sweating and moshing. I loved it so much.
photograph by Carlos Jaramillo
photograph by Carlos Jaramillo
I get picked on all the time for lifting weights. I literally couldn't give a sh*t. I'm here in representation of women athletics. I look up to so many powerful women who succeeded before me and I'm here doing my thing to inspire women who will come after me.
photograph by Carlos Jaramillo
I make most of my own ring gear. I'll put all the studs and chains and eyelet holes on them. The only problem with my current jacket is that sometimes I forget I'm wearing it and I'll pick someone up or hug someone and stab them with it.
photograph by Carlos Jaramillo
When I was in Orlando all by myself, Luna really was my rock. I was going through a really tough time and it was super lonely, but Luna always put a smile on my face. ... She does the stupidest crap, but I can never stay mad at her — I mean, have you seen her eyes?! She is my little rubbish monster.
photograph by Carlos Jaramillo
photograph by Carlos Jaramillo
Things in life change very frequently ... things get thrown at you all the time. You just have to be ready for anything in this business — that's wrestling. It's just life, really. For example, I used to buy Revolver when I was little and take out the posters to pin up on my bedroom walls. It's crazy — life is insane and it all falls into place.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in the world of professional wrestling, particularly in the realm of WWE, I am well-versed in the rising star that is Rhea Ripley, also known as the "Mosh Pit Kid." Ripley's journey to stardom has been nothing short of remarkable, as she has quickly established herself as one of the fastest rising stars in the industry.
Hailing from Australia, Ripley has made a name for herself through her cutthroat grappling skills and her impressive physicality. She is known for her ripped physique and her ability to execute one of the strongest vertical suplexes in the world of sports entertainment. At just 22 years old, Ripley has already achieved significant milestones in her career.
Ripley's journey to stardom began at the WWE Performance Center and the Mae Young Classic, where she showcased her skills and caught the attention of fans and critics alike. However, it was in the NXT UK Women's Championship Tournament that Ripley truly made history. In a thrilling finale, she defeated Toni Storm to become the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion.
But Ripley's success is no accident. She puts in the hard work and dedication required to excel in her craft. Every single day, she wakes up early and heads to the Performance Center for hours of rigorous ring conditioning, which involves an intense cardio workout like no other. After her time at the Performance Center, Ripley heads to another gym for weight training and further conditioning. Her diet and work ethic are equally hardcore and focused around the clock.
One might wonder how Ripley manages to push through such a demanding regimen. Well, the answer lies in her love for metal music. Ripley credits her music for helping her get through these extreme workouts. In fact, her current entrance theme song, "Brutality," features Ash Costello, the singer of one of her favorite bands, New Years Day. Ripley relies heavily on this song to get into character as she enters the ring.
In addition to her love for metal, Ripley also draws inspiration from other musicians and performers. The big stomp she does during her entrances was inspired by the late frontman of Suicide Silence, Mitch Lucker, who used to perform a similar move onstage. Ripley even refers to it as "The Lucker Stomp." Her recent trip to England allowed her to further indulge her love for heavy music at the Download Festival, where she got to witness a performance by Cane Hill and experience her first mosh pit.
Ripley's determination to be unique extends beyond her athleticism and love for music. She also showcases her creativity through her ring gear. Ripley takes pride in making her own bespoke ring gear, which often includes leather, spikes, studs, and chains. Her current jacket was inspired by the character Ryuk from the manga series Death Note. Ripley's DIY approach to her ring gear allows her to express herself both inside and outside the ring.
Furthermore, Ripley's wrestling persona is an exaggerated, more pissed-off version of her real-life identity. She draws inspiration from WWE Superstars like The Miz and CM Punk, who she admires for their snarkiness and ability to captivate audiences with their words. Ripley aspires to have cool comebacks and to get people to listen and invest in her just as she does with her role models.
Despite her success, Ripley has faced criticism and adversity due to her muscular physique. Throughout her life, she has been told that she looks too masculine and not feminine enough. However, Ripley remains unbothered by these comments and is determined to inspire other female athletes to embrace their strength and feel comfortable in their own skin. She looks up to powerful women like former WWE champion Beth Phoenix, who also faced similar criticism but proved that strength and femininity can coexist.
In conclusion, Rhea Ripley's journey to becoming one of professional wrestling's rising stars is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and love for metal music. From her intense training regimen to her unique ring gear, Ripley embodies the spirit of a true athlete and artist. She is an inspiration to women in the industry and a force to be reckoned with in the ring. Life may be unpredictable, but Ripley's passion and determination have allowed her to carve her own path in the world of professional wrestling.
