Demi Bennett was 21 years old when she stepped into the ring at the Mae Young Classic in 2017.
Long blonde hair, a dazzling outfit, subtle makeup. She was an Australian wrestler with a youthful look, the kind who feels approachable even from the front row.
The woman the world now knows as Rhea Ripley is a different story: she cut her hair, went for dark, gothic makeup that can be seen from the back row, and devoted herself to weightlifting until she completely transformed her physique.
The result made its way from screens to social media, where the comparison between that debuting wrestler and today’s star went viral. That’s also where her nickname, “Mami”, came from, along with a presence that fills the ring before the first blow lands.