WWE’s Rhea Ripley: The 10 songs that changed my life (2024)

Words:
Mike Rampton

The first-ever Australian to hold the title of WWE Women’s World Champion, lifelong mosher and extraordinarily strong person Rhea Ripley talks Kerrang! through her passion for metalcore, singing in the car and why she doesn’t do karaoke anymore...

The first song I remember hearing...Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody (1975)

"My mum would always play Robbie Williams in the house when she was cleaning. If it wasn’t him it would be the Galileo song, Bohemian Rhapsody. They’re probably the first songs I was aware of."

A song that reminds me of childhood...Taylor Swift – Love Story (2008)

"I was a huge Black Eyed Peas fan growing up. Anything Black Eyed Peas, or Fergie on her own. My first concert was either Black Eyed Peas or Katy Perry, I can’t remember. That and, on a trip to Queensland we would have the Top 100 playing on the TV all day. Taylor Swift’s Romeo and Juliet song was on constant repeat every single day of my holiday, so hearing that instantly takes me back there."

The first song I ever moshed to...Of Mice & Men – Second & Sebring (2010)

"I jumped straight in at the deep end. I went to Soundwave Festival, this two-day event, and just ran amok, and saw all the bands that I loved. , Sleeping With Sirens and Pierce The Veil were all there, and I was living in the moment. That was my first-ever mosh-pit – it was stinkin’ hot in Adelaide, and I was running round all day, dipping my head under the tap when I got too hot. When Of Mice & Men played Second & Sebring, the whole crowd were getting into it, but also showing this side of respect – it’s a song about Austin [Carlile]’s mother and it’s very emotional. You could see him getting emotional as well. I remember that being a very special moment in the mosh-pit."

The song I work out to...Of Virtue – Cannibals (2023)

"I’ve listened to the same bands since high school. Of Mice & Men, Sleeping with Sirens, Pierce The Veil, Suicide Silence… Lots of late-night YouTube sessions, discovering one band from another. I miss [late Suicide Silence vocalist] Mitch Lucker a lot, he was so talented. Every now and then I’ll find a new band. I just found a couple of new ones – From Ashes To New and Of Virtue. They’re great bands. They’ve got a couple of bangers."

The song I listen to before my matches...Motionless In White –Demon In Your Dreams

"When I joined The Judgment Day [the team currently dominating Monday Night Raw], I knew I needed a new song – something needed to change about me and my entrance for my character to change and be part of this group. I messaged Chris Motionless and asked if he’d be down to do it if I could get it hooked up, and he was like, 'Absolutely!' My music is such a big part of who I am. If I don’t feel my music and it doesn’t get me in the zone and make me feel a certain way, nothing good’s gonna come from it. I’m not going to be the Rhea Ripley you see every week. I told them when to add the screams at the start so I could do my stomp – it’s the Mitch Lucker stomp. I used to try to listen to music before heading out into the ring, and Motionless In White were my go-to, but because Judgment Day run Monday Night Raw, pretty much, I’m out there all night. I don’t have any time to prepare, sit down and listen to anything because I’m running around like a chook with its head cut off. But my song is enough to get me hyped – just that smallest bit of time before I step though the curtain, it gets me as hyped as I need to be."

The best wrestling theme of all time...Jim Johnston – Voices (2008)

"I’ve always been a huge fan of Randy Orton’s song. I love it. I sing it every time it plays. I’ll be walking around backstage singing along with it and have to stop myself. It’s been my favourite since I was a kid."

My favourite karaoke song...Shannon Noll – What About Me (2004)

"I used to do Singstar when I was a kid. There was a Shannon Noll song about a little kid in a corner shop I did a lot. Now I’m a lot more shy, which I don't think anyone could guess, but when it comes to singing, I just don’t like singing in front of people."

The song that makes me cry...Falling In Reverse –Brother (2015)

"There’s a lot of songs that make me cry. One that 100 per cent will make me cry every single time, to the point that I have to skip it if it comes on in the car, is Brother by Falling In Reverse. It’s just a really, really emotional song and it’s very heartfelt, and makes me think of the people I’ve lost. It makes me sad."

The song featuring my hero...CFO$ feat. Ash Costello – Brutality (2018)

"I didn’t listen to New Years Day growing up, but I remember seeing so many pictures of Ash Costello. I didn’t know who she was, and for some reason I didn’t think of looking her up, but she had the half-black, half-red hair, and inspired by her, I did my own hair half-blonde and half-red. I started listening to her a few years later and was like, 'This chick’s sick! She’s so cool!' WWE got her to do my entrance music without me even knowing – when they told me, I was ecstatic. I couldn’t believe it."

The song that fills me with love...Thirsty Merc – In The Summertime (2004)

"They’re an Australian pop-rock band. Me and my partner will put that on in the car and just absolutely jam. We’ll turn that up all the way, sing it with each other and just have the best time. That always puts a smile on my face when it comes on."

Catch Rhea at WWE Money In The Bank at The O2 in London on July 1 – get your tickets now

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WWE’s Rhea Ripley: The 10 songs that changed my life (2024)

FAQs

Who is Rhea Ripley's favorite band? ›

Rhea Ripley's #Wrestlemania entrance is BADASS, with her favorite band Motionless in White performing her theme song.

Who is Rhea Ripley in a relationship with? ›

The wrestling world was recently sent into a frenzy when Rhea Ripley announced her engagement to Buddy Matthews, a former WWE star now in AEW. This revelation added an unexpected layer to the already complex dynamic involving Rhea, Dominik Mysterio, and Buddy.

How much money does Rhea Ripley make? ›

Rhea Ripley's primary source of income is her WWE contract, which includes a reported base salary of $250,000 annually. Her earnings extend beyond her base salary, encompassing revenue from merchandise sales, pay-per-view appearances, sponsorships, deals with WWE Shop, and appearances in WWE 2K games.

Does Rhea Ripley like Motionless in White? ›

I'm so glad and so happy and so privileged and so ecstatic that I got to share that with Motionless in White. The motions, they know how much I love Motionless in White, how much I love Chris Motionless and how we have been compared to each other for a very long time. We look like twins and I absolutely love it."

What are Rhea Ripley's tattoos? ›

The first one is a dagger on her arm, which represents trust issues. The other one is on her calf, which portrays a rose, a wolf, and a lady. However, Ripley didn't share any information about the significance of the tattoo. The most striking tattoo is on her leg, the face of a demon.

How did Rhea Ripley get her ring name? ›

However, her title reign was considered a flop and she lost the title to Charlotte Flair. Ripley's ring name was created by combining the name of a Greek goddess called Rhea and the character Ellen Ripley from the Alien movie. She is known as one of the most badass female wrestlers in WWE.

Is Rhea Ripley friends with Chris Motionless? ›

If you were looking for some familial connection between Ripley and Chris Motionless, then you might not be satisfied knowing that they don't share any relationship other than a professional bond. The band includes Chris Motionless as the lead singer, who is also usually on the rhythm guitar.

Who is Rey's wife? ›

Are Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio friends? ›

While the duo are just good friends in real life, WWE has presented Ripley and Mysterio's relationship in a more interesting way, with numerous hints suggesting that the Judgment Day members are romantic partners.

What is real and fake in WWE? ›

WWE is fake due to the fact that the competition-based aspect is certainly fixed. The matches are choreographed and the winners are predetermined. Hell, the WWE even brands itself repeatedly in seemingly every episode as “sports entertainment”, a term Vince McMahon coined following legal proceedings in the late-1980s.

Who is the highest paid WWE wrestler? ›

According to sources, the highest WWE salary for a WWE main roster superstar is 12 Million and belongs to the Current WWE Universal Champion, Brock Lesnar. The lowest salary, on the other hand, is $250,000. Following Lesnar, 16-time World Champion John Cena earns an enormous paycheck, even though he's part-time in WWE.

How much does WWE pay Rey Mysterio? ›

His annual salary from WWE is reported to be $174,000, supplemented by commissions from product sales and other business ventures.

Where did Ronda Rousey train? ›

Training. When Rousey started learning judo, her mother took her to judo clubs run by her old teammates. Rousey went to North Hollywood, Los Angeles Hayastan MMA Academy, which was run by Gokor Chivichyan, where she trained with fellow future MMA fighters Manny Gamburyan and Karo Parisyan.

Who sings total divas theme song? ›

Top of the World (Total Divas Theme) - song and lyrics by WWE, CFO$ | Spotify.

Who is the lead singer for Motionless in White? ›

Motionless in White is an American metalcore band from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2004, the band consists of lead vocalist Chris "Motionless" Cerulli, guitarists Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky "Horror" Olson, drummer Vinny Mauro and bassist Justin Morrow.

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