NXT star Zaria has admitted that being compared to Rhea Ripley comes with a lot of pressure.
Since joining WWE in 2017, Rhea Ripley has risen to become one of the top wrestling stars out of Australia. Now, NXT Women’s North American Champion Zaria is attempting to follow in her footsteps.
During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Zaria reflected on walking the same path as Ripley from Australia to WWE.
“I came from Riot City Wrestling and so did Rhea Ripley. We both trained under the same coaches, Matt and Chris Basso.”
“She got signed a year or two before I started wrestling, so she was gone before I started wrestling, but every now and then she was able to come back and visit home and visit Riot City Wrestling.
“Actually, the first time I met her wasn’t even in Riot City Wrestling. It was a show that I was wrestling at called Melbourne City Wrestling, and she had come to visit it because Buddy (Matthews) was doing something on that show.”
The star admitted that she was extremely nervous about meeting Ripley, in part because of years of being compared to Ripley in both size and mentality. However, the second time they met, the pair was able to discuss wrestling.
“There’s a photo out there that I posted and it was our first time meeting. I was very, very nervous because from the moment I started wrestling, not only as a wrestler but as a person, everyone said, ‘You remind us of Rhea Ripley.’ Even just my personality in day-to-day life, we were very similar. So I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so much pressure.’ So when I met her, I was so, so nervous. I was just fangirling.
“Then, a couple of years later she visited Riot City Wrestling and we were able to… not train together, but just able to have a nice conversation about wrestling and all that stuff. The next time I met her it was when she came to NXT and I was here.”
Rhea Ripley Is Zaria’s Dream WrestleMania Opponent
When asked who she would want to face at WrestleMania, Zaria immediately said it was Rhea Ripley, explaining that the whole storyline is already laid out due to their similarities.
“I feel like I don’t even need to say it. I think everybody knows what I’m gonna say, and that’s Rhea Ripley. We both come from the same city, the same country and the same wrestling promotion. All the story’s just right there. WrestleMania moment, that’s it.”
Rhea Ripley is currently out of action due to a knee injury. The five-time Women’s Champion underwent surgery on a torn meniscus on August 6th. That type of procedure can have a recovery time of 6 to 12 weeks depending on the severity of the tear.
