Rhea Ripley is one of the most adored WWE superstars by the fans and backstage. The Eradicator has made a lot of friends during her time in the company. She’s usually spotted spreading her love and joy to all of them. Her recent antics have somehow caught the attention of Vince Russo.
The former WWE writer has criticized Ripley for acting out of her character after Monday Night RAW ended. A clip from WWE’s account shows her engaging in a hilarious greeting sequence with another superstar, LA Knight. The clip showed Ripley excitedly getting into the ring and performing an intricate handshake that seemed quite complicated.
It certainly popped the fans in attendance after it was over. Russo, however, didn’t like it as much and spoke about it in Behind the Turnbuckle’s The Coach and Bro Show. He claimed this would’ve never happened under Vince McMahon’s regime and that Ripley would’ve been fired on the spot if it did for breaking her character.
“Can you imagine if Rhea Ripley wore this character on TV and then when the show went off the air, she went out there and did that [breaking kayfabe with LA Knight] with Vince [McMahon] sitting at gorilla? First of all, she wouldn’t have even thought about it. Second of all, she would’ve been fired on the spot because now you expect us to buy into this person, and now you’re going out in front of 30,000 people and however many million are going to watch on YouTube, and you’re the girl next door and clowning? I don’t understand that, coach,” Russo said.
Rhea Ripley Was Only Having Fun
Rhea Ripley has caught the hearts of the WWE Universe. The former WWE Women’s World Champion is one of the most significant stars on the RAW roster. Her audience reactions have stayed consistent, and she has garnered a huge fan base over the years.
She’s put on a show every time she’s been given the spot to perform and has proved her worth. She’s also a clear favorite of WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Triple H. We can see she’s been given the time to flesh out her character and make the most of her opportunities in various storylines.
Ripley was an entertaining heel, but lovely tidbits like the wacky handshake with LA Knight show that the babyface role fits her perfectly. It also helps that she’s quite generous with her fans as well.
The Rules Have Changed In WWE
WWE has changed its course of direction ever since Vince McMahon stepped down. The regime change has helped liven up the fans’ reactions to the current product and has also proved that the superstars can have some fun now.
While the rule about staying in character is still generally there, it’s certainly not as strict as before. WWE has seemingly recognized its product as entertainment. They have even peeled back the layers much more for the fans. You can see that happening even more with shows such as WWE: Unreal on Netflix, providing fans with a glimpse into the show.
The fans and stars are both enjoying this current era of WWE. The change seems to be quite welcome on both sides of the fence.
Published: Sep 5, 2025 05:15 pm