Pic Credit: Rhea Ripley (Instagram)
Professional Wrestling is a theatrical entertainment, where each wrestler portrays a character and gimmick whether as a heel or babyface. Hence, WWE Superstars seldom use their original ring names unless they are captivating.
While the likes of Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Mickie James, John Cena, and many more used their birth names as their ring names, a myriad of wrestlers, especially in WWE, get moniker stage names, suiting according to their in-ring personas.
Likewise, Rhea Ripley, who is one of WWE’s biggest draws at the moment, plays the domineering and indomitable character of Mami on the TV screen. However, it is drastically different from her actual identity and personality beyond the ring. Rhea Ripley’s real name is Demi Bennett.
Once she first appeared for WWE at the Mae Young Classic tournament in 2017, she adopted the name ‘Rhea Ripley’. Throughout her seven years in WWE, she wrestled for NXT UK, NXT, and the main roster consisting of RAW and SmackDown, using the same ring name.
Initially, when wrestlers debut with their new names in WWE, they alter them in the later stages of their careers, especially before making big in the main roster. However, a young Rhea from NXT UK was a crowd puller, and WWE was firm in sticking with her established rebellious and gothic gimmick, keeping her stage name intact.
Where Is Rhea Ripley From?
Rhea Ripley is from Adelaide, Australia. She spent her childhood and teenage days in the South Australian city, attending school there before taking an interest in professional wrestling.
Aiming to achieve greatness in the squared circle, Rhea Ripley, aka Demi Bennett, started training to be a professional wrestler at the age of seventeen. Her initial training was in Adelaide, Australia-based promotion, Riot City Wrestling, debuting in 2014, and she has been a professional wrestler for a decade, performing all over Down Under before getting a breakthrough in WWE.
Rhea Ripley had major accomplishments before signing for WWE, lasting four years. As part of Riot City Wrestling, she won the Women’s Championship twice. She mastered her skills as a performer in the indie, wrestling renowned talents outside WWE. Therefore, the Adelaide promotion played a key role in shaping what Rhea Ripley is today. Presently, she is arguably one of the most successful wrestlers who are originally from outside North America.
When Was Rhea Ripley Born And How Old Is She Now?
As of November 2024, Mami is 28 years old. Rhea Ripley was born on October 11, 1996. She ranks among the youngest main roster stars in WWE today in her late 20s. She is a year older than her former beau, Dominik Mysterio, while younger than her nemesis, Liv Morgan. Additionally, The Eradicate is junior in age compared to her female peers, Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, Nia Jax, Bayley, Alexa Bliss, etc.
Signing for WWE in 2017, she was 21 around that time, making her one of the youngest signees. Despite her talent and prior wrestling experience, she spent four years in WWE’s development brand in the United States and United Kingdom, honing her prowess and developing her character for the main roster.
She was one of the standout stars emerging from WWE’s developmental brand. Rhea Ripley was the first female star to win both the NXT UK Women’s Title and the NXT Women’s Title, securing a place in the WWE history book.
Where Does Rhea Ripley Live?
Even though Mami is from the other side of the planet, Australia, she currently lives in the United States as a WWE Superstar. She has been living in the States for seven years upon receiving a contract from the Stamford headquartered promotion.
Orlando, Florida, is the home to several WWE Superstars due to the location of the WWE Performance Center. Rhea Ripley currently lives in Orlando, Florida, where she resides with her husband, the former WWE and current AEW wrestler, Buddy Matthews.
As one of the highest-paid female stars on the roster, she owns a big house. On Instagram, she frequently gives a glimpse of her in-house gym, posting her workout sessions from there. Living in Orlando enabled her to have easy access to WWE PC, where she perfected her craft in pro wrestling after arriving in WWE. Moreover, several WWE wrestlers are originally from Orlando, and the city has a rich wrestling culture compared to other US cities.
Avik Das is an English Literature graduate with an experience of over six years as a professional writer. He has written for renowned publications such as The Sportster, Sportskeeda, Pinkvilla, and The Things
