Rhea Ripley: ‘I Don’t Think I Can Ever Outgrow NXT’
Photo Credit: Bill Pritchard
Rhea Ripley, going into 2020, was one of the top names in NXT. After losing the NXT Women’s Championship to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36, many felt that Rhea Ripley lost a little bit of her edge. Now, she says that she knows that the spotlight can’t stay on her forever but she will get it again.
Speaking with Newsweek, Rhea Ripley said that she is happy Io Shirai is getting her chance to shine, and one day, the spotlight will be hers again.
“I feel like [the spotlight on me] diminished a little bit, but we all have to share the spotlight,” Ripley said. “I had my time to shine and it will come again, but right now Io is the NXT Women’s Champion and I’m working my way back up to be in that spotlight again. Whether that comes or not, we’ll see. I’ve got to try other things and face other people as well. I had my time and everyone is going to have their time and I’m just happy to be here and wrestling and kicking butt.”
Overall, in spite of the desires of the NXT Universe to see her make more of an impact on Monday Night Raw or Friday Night SmackDown, Rhea Ripley feels that she will never truly outgrow NXT.
“I don’t think I can ever outgrow NXT. There is always something coming up and I honestly want to be in NXT for a long long time,” Ripley said. “Whether that’s the case or not, I don’t know, I don’t have that call. I feel like I have so much more to do here. Whether that’s singles matches or whatever, I love NXT and I love being a part of it. And I hope I’m here for longer. I guess we’ll see.”
Rhea will face Dakota Kai to determine the number one contender for the NXT Women’s Championship on tonight’s episode of NXT. WrestleZone will have live coverage beginning tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern.