The WWE announced today that Australia’s Rhea Ripley is the second official entrant in the Mae Young Classic II. Formerly known as Demi Bennett on the Australian indie scene, she was a veteran of Riot City Wrestling (RCW), Melbourne Championship Wrestling (MCW), and others before signing with the WWE last year before the inaugural Mae Young Classic. She’s since worked mostly NXT Live Events, but this year’s MYC could be the springboard she needs to become a regular on NXT television.
https://twitter.com/WWEAustralia/status/1017254102307205120
From WWE’s Press Release:
NXT’s Rhea Ripley will make her second appearance in the Mae Young Classic, competing alongside 31 other women on WWE Network later this summer.
Coming on the heels of the announcement that former WWE Divas Champion Kaitlyn will compete in the Classic, Ripley’s hometown newspaper, The Advertiser in Adelaide, South Australia, reported that the 21-year-old WWE Performance Center recruit will also take part in the international tournament.
Signed to the WWE PC last summer, Ripley entered the first Mae Young Classic as the youngest competitor in the field. The 5-foot-7 powerhouse defeated American Miranda Salinas with a full-nelson slam in the First Round before falling to New Zealand’s Dakota Kai in a closely fought match in the Second Round.
The hard-hitting Ripley, who began wrestling as a teenager and competed in Japan before joining NXT, is considered one of the strongest women in the WWE PC weight room. In addition to a wide arsenal of power moves, Ripley boasts wicked striking ability, which can be traced back her extensive background in soccer.
