Adelaide’s own WWE star, Rhea Ripley, tears through competition in 2018 Mae Young Classic
SPOILERS: Adelaide’s wrestling superstar, Rhea Ripley, has torn her way through an international tournament – showing off her savage side in the process.
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ADELAIDE’S wrestling superstar, Rhea Ripley, has torn her way through an international tournament – showing off her savage side in the process.
If you don’t want spoilers, and are waiting to watch the 2018 Mae Young Classic when it airs on September 5, look away now.
WARNING: SPOILERS FROM HERE ON
Ripley, aka Demi Bennett, advanced all the way to the prestigious event’s semi-finals during two days of filming at Full Sail Arena in Orlando, Florida.
Along the way she defeated US competitors MJ Jenkins and Kacy Catanzaro, who starred in American Ninja Warrior.
But it was her confrontation with Welsh wrestler Tegan Nox that had the crowd roaring.
Ripley made good on her vow, to The Advertiser in July, to win at all costs after been knocked out in the second round of 2017’s tournament.
“I’m that little bit more seasoned, that little bit angrier … no more ‘nice Rhea’, now it’s ‘I want to win Rhea’,” she said.
“And anyone who’s standing in my way, well, they’re going to get ripped apart.”
The Glenelg native confronted Nox so aggressively that former WWE champion Beth Phoenix had to intervene.
Her nastier attitude carried her into the semi-finals – and the main event of the night – where she collided with top Japanese talent Io Shirai.
Ripley’s performance also won the respect of her hero.
WWE’s vice president and multi-time champion, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, raised her hand at the end of the match.
For Ripley, whose passion for wrestling was sparked by Levesque, there could likely be no greater moment.
The Mae Young Classic airs on the WWE Network from September 5.