WWE star Rhea Ripley admits Judgment Day helped her cope ‘mentally’ during difficult injury spell-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Rhea Ripley has revealed how her Judgment Day teammates helped her stay strong during a ‘mentally’ tough injury layoff.

The WWE superstar, who beat Charlotte Flair to become SmackDown Women’s Champion at WrestleMania 39 earlier this month, missed four months of action last year after suffering a nasty blow to the head during a match on Raw and she has reflected on the way Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio kept her on track.

Discussing how she stayed on screen as part of the group even when she wasn’t able to wrestle, she exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘It definitely helped mentally, ’cause having time off when you’re in such a busy schedule all the time, it is very weird.

‘You start questioning a lot of things, so being a part of the Judgment Day, and going out there and still supporting my boys, doing promos and all that, just being in front of the camera, still on the road – it was a good distraction.’

For the Eradicator, it was also a chance for her to grow as a performer and develop her own character as she had time to focus on other areas of the wrestling game.

‘It was a learning period for me, where I learnt to do all these other things as well. I think that’s where the Rhea Ripley character grew the most as well,’ she added.

Rhea Ripley is the current SmackDown Women’s Champion (Picture: WWE)

Rhea stayed strong thanks to Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio and Damian Priest (Picture: WWE)

Rhea also appreciates being able to turn to her real life boyfriend Buddy Matthews – formerly known as Buddy Murphy in WWE – as they both understand the specific pitfalls of such a unique business.

‘It definitely makes my life a lot easier, a hundred percent,’ she smiled. ‘That support coming from someone that understands the grind and everything. It’s very helpful.’

Speaking to us before her huge WrestleMania moment, the 2023 Royal Rumble winner pondered how much she’s pushed on in ‘every’ area of her life since first facing Charlotte in 2020 at that year’s closed doors WrestleMania during the pandemic.

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‘I think I’ve grown overall in every single aspect. I’ve definitely put in the work and the time and the effort at the gym to better myself, and even at work as well,’ she said.

‘Everyone’s been experiencing a new Rhea Ripley, the Judgment Day Rhea Ripley when I go out there and I’m a bit of a menace, I don’t really care what people think. I pick up the dudes, I throw the guys around. I’m just asserting my dominance.’

WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights at 1am on BT Sport 1.

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