Demi Bennett, known by her ring name Rhea Ripley, is an Australian professional wrestler signed to WWE since July 2017. She has been inactive since April 2024 due to injury. Ripley was a member of The Judgment Day stable, and her 380-day reign with the Women's World Championship is tied with Bayley as the longest in the title's history.
1 April: Ripley Wins SmackDown Women's Championship
On 1 April, Rhea Ripley defeated Charlotte Flair to win the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 39, becoming the seventh Women's Triple Crown champion and the youngest Grand Slam champion in WWE history at 26.
1 November 2019: Rhea Ripley Invades SmackDown
On 1 November 2019, Rhea Ripley and Tegan Nox, along with other NXT wrestlers, invaded SmackDown. Ripley and Nox challenged Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville to a tag team match, which they won. Later that night, Ripley joined Triple H and the NXT roster in declaring war on Raw and SmackDown for the 2019 Survivor Series.
10 January 2022: Ripley and Nikki A. S. H. Partnership Ends
On 10 January 2022, Nikki A. S. H. attacked Rhea Ripley on Raw, ending their partnership.
11 April 2021: Rhea Ripley Wins Raw Women's Championship
On 11 April 2021 at WrestleMania 37, Rhea Ripley defeated Asuka to win the Raw Women's Championship. This victory marked a significant milestone in Ripley's career.
12 January 2019: Rhea Ripley Loses NXT UK Women's Championship
On 12 January 2019 at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool, Rhea Ripley lost her NXT UK Women's Championship to Toni Storm, ending her reign at 139 days. This was Ripley's first defeat in the NXT UK brand. The event marked a significant career milestone for Ripley.
15 June 2019: Rhea Ripley vs. Piper Niven
On 15 June 2019 (aired 3 July), Rhea Ripley faced Piper Niven in a match, where Niven emerged victorious. This match was part of their ongoing feud in the NXT UK brand.
16 February 2020: Rhea Ripley Defends Title Against Bianca Belair
On 16 February 2020 at TakeOver: Portland, Rhea Ripley successfully defended her NXT Women's Championship against Bianca Belair. After the match, Ripley was attacked by Charlotte Flair, who accepted Ripley's challenge for WrestleMania 36.
16 May 2021: Rhea Ripley Retains Raw Women's Championship
On 16 May 2021 at WrestleMania Backlash, Rhea Ripley successfully retained her Raw Women's Championship by pinning Asuka in a triple threat match that also included Charlotte Flair.
18 April: Ripley Turns Heel
On 18 April, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan lost to Sasha Banks and Naomi for the Women's Tag Team Championship on Raw. After the match, Ripley attacked Morgan, turning heel for the first time on the main roster.
18 December 2019: Rhea Ripley Wins NXT Women's Championship
On 18 December 2019, Rhea Ripley defeated Shayna Baszler to win the NXT Women's Championship, becoming the first person to hold both the NXT Women's and NXT UK Women's Championships. This was a significant milestone in Ripley's career.
18 July 2021: Rhea Ripley Loses Raw Women's Championship
On 18 July 2021 at Money in the Bank, Rhea Ripley lost the Raw Women's Championship to Charlotte Flair, ending her reign at 98 days. This event marked a challenging moment in Ripley's career.
18 November 2020: Rhea Ripley Challenges Io Shirai
On 18 November 2020, Rhea Ripley challenged Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship on NXT, but was unsuccessful in her attempt to win the title.
2 December 2020: Rhea Ripley Joins Shotzi Blackheart's Team
On 2 December 2020, Rhea Ripley was announced as a member of Shotzi Blackheart's team for the second-ever women's WarGames match. This event showcased Ripley's continued involvement in high-profile matches.
20 June 2021: Rhea Ripley Retains Title at Hell in a Cell
On 20 June 2021 at Hell in a Cell, Rhea Ripley retained her Raw Women's Championship by disqualification after Charlotte Flair defeated her. Although Ripley lost the match, she kept her title.
20 September: Ripley Wins WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
On 20 September, Rhea Ripley and Nikki A. S. H. won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship by defeating Natalya and Tamina on Raw.
2013: Independent Circuit Debut
Rhea Ripley began her wrestling career on the independent circuit under her real name in 2013. This year marks the start of her journey in professional wrestling.
2013: Riot City Wrestling Debut
Demi Bennett began her wrestling career in Riot City Wrestling in 2013. She spent several years with the promotion and became a two-time RCW Women's Champion.
May 2014: New Horizon Pro Wrestling Debut
On May 24, 2014, Demi Bennett made her debut in New Horizon Pro Wrestling during the NHPW Global Conflict event. She participated in the Global Conflict Tournament but was eliminated in the first round by Mercedes Martinez.
June 2014: Melbourne City Wrestling Debut
On June 14, 2014, Demi Bennett made her debut in Melbourne City Wrestling at MCW New Horizons. She defended the RCW Women's title in a Three Way match against Savannah Summers and Toni Storm.
April 2017: Final RCW Match
On April 22, 2017, Demi Bennett wrestled her last match in Riot City Wrestling at RCW Strength, successfully defending the Women's title against Kellyanne.
July 2017: Signed to WWE
Demi Bennett, known as Rhea Ripley in WWE, signed with WWE in July 2017, marking the beginning of her career with the company. Her journey in professional wrestling took a significant turn on this date as she started performing under her new ring name.
October 2017: NXT Television Debut
Rhea Ripley made her NXT television debut on October 25, 2017, participating in a battle royal to determine one of the contenders for the vacant NXT Women's Championship.
2017: Mae Young Classic Participation
In 2017, Rhea Ripley participated in the inaugural Mae Young Classic, a significant event that showcased her talent on a larger stage.
August 2018: Inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion
In August 2018, Rhea Ripley became the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion, further solidifying her rising career in WWE.
2018: Mae Young Classic Semi-Finals
In 2018, Rhea Ripley competed in the Mae Young Classic, showcasing a new aggressive and disrespectful attitude. She reached the semi-finals, where she lost to Io Shirai.
2018: NXT UK Champion and Evolution
Shortly after the 2018 Mae Young Classic, Rhea Ripley became part of the NXT UK brand. In August 2018, during television tapings, she won an eight-woman tournament to become the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion. She also competed in a dark match at the first-ever all-women's pay-per-view, Evolution, successfully retaining her title against Dakota Kai.
2019: NXT Brand Run
Rhea Ripley had a notable run on the NXT brand from 2019 to 2021, during which she won the NXT Women's Championship and defended it at WWE's flagship event, WrestleMania.
2021: Promotion to Main Roster
In 2021, Rhea Ripley was promoted to WWE's main roster on Raw, marking a significant step in her professional wrestling career.
2022: Ripley in Relationship with Buddy Matthews
As of 2022, Rhea Ripley has been in a relationship with fellow Australian wrestler Buddy Matthews.
2022: Joining The Judgment Day
Rhea Ripley joined The Judgment Day stable in 2022, aligning herself with a new faction on WWE's main roster.
April 2023: Royal Rumble Winner and Championship Victory
In April 2023, Rhea Ripley won the SmackDown Women's Championship, which was later renamed the Women's World Championship. This victory made her the seventh WWE Women's Triple Crown Champion and the fifth WWE Women's Grand Slam Champion. Additionally, she became the 2023 Women's Royal Rumble winner, making her the fourth wrestler and the first woman to win a Royal Rumble match as the number one entrant.
August 2023: Ripley and Buddy Matthews Get Engaged
In August 2023, Rhea Ripley and fellow Australian wrestler Buddy Matthews got engaged.
April 2024: Injury and Inactivity
As of April 2024, Rhea Ripley has been inactive due to an injury. This date marks a challenging period in her career where she had to step away from the ring.
2024: Ripley Vacates Championship
In 2024, Rhea Ripley was forced to vacate her championship due to injury, ending her reign at 380 days. She tied Bayley's record as the longest-reigning Women's World Champion. After the 2024 WWE Draft, she was left undrafted due to the injury, making her a free agent.
21 August 2021: Rhea Ripley Competes at SummerSlam
On 21 August 2021 at SummerSlam, Rhea Ripley failed to regain the Raw Women's Championship in a triple threat match against the champion Nikki A. S. H. and Charlotte Flair. This match continued Ripley's pursuit of the title.
22 February 2021: Rhea Ripley's Arrival Promoted on Raw
On 22 February 2021, a video package aired on Raw hyping up Rhea Ripley's arrival to the brand. This event marked the beginning of Ripley's transition to the main roster.
22 March 2021: Rhea Ripley Debuts on Raw
On 22 March 2021, Rhea Ripley made her main roster debut on Raw, challenging Asuka to a match for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 37. Asuka accepted, setting up a highly anticipated match.
22 November: Ripley Loses WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
On 22 November, Rhea Ripley and Nikki A. S. H. lost the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship to Carmella and Queen Zelina on Raw, ending their 63-day reign.
22 November 2019: Rhea Ripley Wins Triple Threat Match
On 22 November 2019, Rhea Ripley defeated Charlotte Flair from Raw and Sasha Banks from SmackDown in a triple threat match on SmackDown. This victory was part of the ongoing storyline leading to the 2019 Survivor Series.
25 January 2020: Rhea Ripley Defends NXT Women's Championship
On 25 January 2020 at Worlds Collide, Rhea Ripley successfully defended her NXT Women's Championship against Toni Storm. This event showcased Ripley's dominance as a champion.
27 January 2019: Rhea Ripley Makes Main Roster Debut at Royal Rumble
On 27 January 2019, Rhea Ripley made her first appearance on a main roster pay-per-view event by entering the women's Royal Rumble match at #24. She eliminated Kacy Catanzaro, Dana Brooke, and Zelina Vega before being eliminated by Bayley. This event marked Ripley's debut on a larger WWE stage.
28 August 2019: Rhea Ripley Returns to NXT
On 28 August 2019, Rhea Ripley made a surprise return to NXT by interrupting NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler, stating that Baszler had not beaten her. This marked the beginning of Ripley's feud with Baszler and her turn as a face.
28 January 2023: Ripley Wins Women's Royal Rumble
On 28 January 2023, Rhea Ripley won the women's Royal Rumble from the #1 spot, becoming the first woman to win from that position. She spent the longest time in a women's Royal Rumble match at 1:01:08.
3 April: Ripley and Morgan Fail to Win Titles
On 3 April, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan failed to win the Women's Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 38.
3 February 2020: Rhea Ripley Confronts Charlotte Flair on Raw
On 3 February 2020, Rhea Ripley appeared on Raw to confront Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair, suggesting that Flair should challenge her for the NXT Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36. This confrontation set the stage for their future match.
3 May 2021: Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka Rematch Announced
On 3 May 2021, a rematch between Rhea Ripley and Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship was scheduled for WrestleMania Backlash. WWE official Sonya Deville added Charlotte Flair to the match, making it a triple threat.
31 August 2019: Rhea Ripley Defeats Piper Niven in Rematch
On 31 August 2019 (aired 4 September), Rhea Ripley defeated Piper Niven in a rematch, continuing their intense rivalry in the NXT UK brand.
31 January 2021: Rhea Ripley Competes in Royal Rumble
On 31 January 2021, Rhea Ripley entered the Royal Rumble match at #14, scoring 7 eliminations and becoming one of the final two competitors before being eliminated by eventual winner Bianca Belair. This performance highlighted Ripley's prowess in the ring.
4 October 2019: Rhea Ripley and Piper Niven Team Up
On 4 October 2019, Rhea Ripley and Piper Niven teamed up to defeat Jazzy Gabert and Jinny in a tag team match. This event marked a turning point in their rivalry, as they joined forces against common adversaries.
5 April 2020: Rhea Ripley Loses NXT Women's Championship
On 5 April 2020, Rhea Ripley lost the NXT Women's Championship to Charlotte Flair on the second night of WrestleMania 36. This loss ended Ripley's reign as champion.
5 October 2019: Rhea Ripley's Last NXT UK Match
On 5 October 2019, Rhea Ripley wrestled her last match in the NXT UK brand, defeating Nina Samuels. This event marked the end of Ripley's tenure in NXT UK.
6 January 2021: Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel González at New Year's Evil
On 6 January 2021, Rhea Ripley faced Raquel González in a Last Woman Standing match at New Year's Evil, where she was defeated. This was Ripley's final match in NXT.
6 May 2020: Rhea Ripley Returns to NXT
On 6 May 2020, Rhea Ripley returned to NXT after a brief hiatus due to visa issues. She interrupted a championship match between Charlotte Flair and Io Shirai, leading to a brawl with Shirai backstage.
7 June 2020: Rhea Ripley Competes in Triple Threat Match
On 7 June 2020 at TakeOver: In Your House, Rhea Ripley competed in a triple threat match for the NXT Women's Championship against Charlotte Flair and Io Shirai. Shirai won the match, with Ripley and Flair both losing.
7 March: Ripley Teams with Liv Morgan
On 7 March, Rhea Ripley teamed with Liv Morgan to defeat Zelina and Carmella on Raw, adding them to the Women's Tag Team Championship triple threat match at WrestleMania 38.
April 8: Ripley Injured by Liv Morgan
On April 8, Rhea Ripley was attacked by Liv Morgan in a backstage segment on Raw, resulting in a legitimate injury to her right arm.