Rhea Ripley may have came up short of regaining the WWE Women’s World Title at WrestleMania 41, but what fans didn’t see was just how close she came to missing the biggest night of the year altogether.
During a candid conversation on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the former Women’s World Champion opened up about a debilitating back issue that almost sidelined her from the marquee event entirely.
“WrestleMania 41, I didn’t think I was going to be able to compete because my back was so bad leading up to it,” Ripley revealed. “The two nights beforehand, I got [my masseuse] Matthew to come to my room, and he worked on me the night before Hall of Fame and the night of Hall of Fame. I was like, I need you to make sure I can walk tomorrow.”
Ripley, who has earned a reputation for her resilience and physical toughness, credited her recovery to the last-minute work of her personal masseuse. “He worked on me those two nights, and it loosened completely just in time for the match,” she said. “Then after the match, it was okay, and then, slowly, because I’ve been wrestling more, it just slowly tightens up.”
The injury, which she believes may be related to a sciatic nerve issue—or simply the toll of a grueling WWE schedule—is something she’s learning to manage, albeit with some self-awareness.
“But that’s because I just don’t stretch on my own, so that’s my fault as well,” Ripley admitted. “It gets really bad. I don’t know if it’s a sciatic thing or whatnot, or just my body in itself, the shape of my body and how I’m put together. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s something. But it does go down, and it definitely revs up sometimes, and sometimes it’s just bearable.”
Despite the pain, Ripley pushed through and delivered another incredible performance on the grandest stage of them all—further cementing her reputation as one of WWE’s most reliable top stars.
The revelation adds a new layer of appreciation for Ripley’s efforts, especially considering the physical demand her matches regularly require, and this behind-the-scenes insight makes it clear that Rhea Ripley is still every bit “The Eradicator”—even when she’s running on grit alone.
You can check out the entire interview with WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley on Insight with Chris Van Vliet below.
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