Rhea Ripley in tears after Perth blockbuster as WWE gives huge Riot City Wrestling shout-out to Adelaide’s Chris and Matt Basso

The wildly popular Aussie could not contain her emotions after her long-awaited return to her home country.

Adelaide’s world-conquering professional wrestling superstar has broken down in tears backstage after her huge return to Australia, as WWE delivered a major surprise to the Adelaide brothers who sent her to the big time.

Adelaide-born and trained WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley couldn’t hold in her emotions backstage after her first performance in Australia in 12 years, as the headline act in front of 52,000 fans watching WWE Elimination Chamber event at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday.

Exclusive backstage footage released by the global professional wrestling giant showed the champ fighting to hold back tears after her match as she described the experience.

“It’s hard to put into words exactly how special it is,” Ripley said.

“I’m still so taken aback by the crowd reaction and actually seeing my family out there.

“To be completely honest at the very end when I had that extra time to myself I let it fully sink in.”

Adelaide-born WWE Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley (Demi Bennett) emotional backstage after a landmark Australian homecoming in Perth on Saturday. Picture: WWE

Ripley has also been named as a finalist in The Advertiser Sunday Mail Woman of the Year Awards.

There were emotional scenes on camera too, as the former Henley High student became just the second woman in WWE’s long history to headline a major event and leave victorious.

Images of the star celebrating with her family were beamed to tens of millions around the world live as WWE staged its first major show in Australia since 2018.

WWE also had a surprise in store for Adelaide’s own Riot City Wrestling, as well as its founders Chris and Matt Basso, who Ripley credits with teaching her the art of professional wrestling and setting her on a path to global stardom.

WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley (Demi Bennett) after her huge return to Australia on a massive stage. Picture: WWE

Rhea Ripley enters the ring at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday. Picture: WWE

Riot City Wrestling saw its Google search traffic spike after WWE lead commentator Michael Cole named dropped it and the Basso brothers during Ripley’s triumphant entrance to Optus Stadium on Saturday night.

“Rhea Ripley started training at Riot City Wrestling in Adelaide at 15 years old, her trainers Chris and Matt Basso recalling her special personality where she was hungry and charismatic, just a metal head from Adelaide,” the veteran WWE commentator announced to the live global broadcast audience on Saturday night.

The Adelaide duo had no idea it was coming, Chris Basso told The Advertiser.

“I truly appreciated the shout-out. Watching the Australian talent on the weekend at WWE Elimination Chamber was like a dream come true for us,” Chris said.

“Over the past 18 years, Matt and I have worked hard to develop a training style, mentality and culture which we have instilled across all of our coaches and trainees.

“To see this come to fruition at the highest level on the weekend in Perth, was something that I am immensely proud of.

Adelaide's Riot City Wrestling founders Chris and Matt Basso with protégé and WWE Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley in Adelaide. Picture: Supplied

“The world is watching us Aussies at the moment and at Riot City Wrestling we have and will continue to produce world class talent. Stay tuned.”

Ripley has previously paid tribute to the Basso brothers for setting her on the path to pro-wrestling greatness, telling SA Weekend last year she loved Chris and Matt like brothers.

“I love those boys. They were like my big brothers. They were there every training and they believed in me from the get go,” she said.

It was an emotional night of a different kind for Ripley’s fellow Adelaide WWE star Bronson Reed, who revealed to fans over the weekend why he missed out on performing in front of a home-country crowd with fellow Aussie exports Ripley, Grayson Waller and Indi Hartwell.

WWE professional wrestler Bronson Reed (real name Jermaine Haley) from Adelaide appears on WWE Raw. Picture: WWE

FULL DISCLOSURE:
Originally, I was set to be at #WWEChamber   
It would have been an incredible moment. Unfortunately, plans changed.
But everything happens for a reason. My wife and I have had our baby early, I was supposed to miss the PLE to make sure I'm here for my…

— BIG BRONSON REED (@BRONSONISHERE) February 24, 2024

Reed – real name Jermaine Haley – took to X to explain his absence came with a silver-lining.

“FULL DISCLOSURE: Originally I was set to be at #WWEChamber,” he tweeted.

“It would have been an incredible moment. Unfortunately, plans changed. But everything happens for a reason. My wife and I have had our baby early, I was supposed to miss the PLE to make sure I’m here for my family.”

Riot City Wrestling is staging four performances at Gluttony as part of the 2024 Adelaide Fringe. Click here for tickets and details.

You can watch replays of WWE’s Elimination Chamber Perth event on Binge and Kayo.