Posted By James Walsh on 05/28/26


During an interview on Stephanie McMahon’s “What’s Your Story?” podcast, WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley spoke honestly about a very difficult time in her life. Rhea described hitting a major low point during WWE’s 2025 tour in Australia.
She performed on SmackDown, Crown Jewel, and RAW back-to-back. By the end of the tour, the pressure became too much.“I took responsibility for everything,” Rhea said. She felt she had to be the face of Australia in WWE and make sure everyone (fans, fellow wrestlers, and the whole event) was happy. This heavy burden, combined with her people-pleasing nature, left her exhausted.
She admitted she hadn’t eaten properly or drunk enough water during the intense schedule. By the time RAW ended, Rhea collapsed in catering. “I had like a full panic attack,” she shared. “I hadn’t eaten, I hadn’t drank water, my body was shutting down. I was probably the skinniest I had ever been.”
Rhea said the stress was made worse by personal issues happening at the same time. After returning from Australia, she reached a breaking point and decided to end a long toxic friendship. She sent the person a long message explaining that she could no longer give them any more of herself. Rhea told them clearly: “We’re done here. Don’t ever message me again, don’t think that we have a friendship. Get the f--- out of my life.”
Rhea explained that she had been a massive people pleaser who wears her heart on her sleeve. She would give too much of herself to help others, but some people only took and never gave back. “That’s been like my biggest thing lately,” she said, learning to accept that not everyone stays in your life forever and that it’s okay to let people go when they drain you.
Since then, Rhea has been actively working on protecting her mental health. She is learning to set boundaries, say “no” more often, and put herself first. “It’s really difficult, especially when friendships are long friendships,” she admitted. But she now understands that protecting her peace is necessary, especially in the demanding world of WWE.
Rhea also shared that she is trying to focus on things that bring her joy, like her new hobby of leather crafting and making custom planner covers. She wants to balance her high-energy performances with proper rest and self-care.