Ripley faces Nia Jax for the RAW Women's Championship at Elimination Chamber
WWE is days away from returning to Australia for its Elimination Chamber premium live event, and the main draw will be Australia’s own Rhea Ripley returning to her home country to perform for the first time since she joined the company.
Ripley will defend the RAW Women’s Championship against Nia Jax, who has become a thorn in her side in recent weeks. Ripley has been able to defend her title against the majority of the WWE roster since she won it at WrestleMania 39 last year.
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Rhea Ripley, WWE Women's World Champion, greets the fans and the press during the WWE WrestleMania XL Kickoff on Feb. 8, 2024, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Louis Grasse/PXimages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
While Ripley truly lives up to her "Eradicator" moniker, she admitted to Fox News Digital in Las Vegas that she has some butterflies in her stomach with the event drawing near.
"I think it’s going to completely set in day of – maybe even a few hours before I step through the curtain. Right now, I’m just excited," she said. "I’m pumped because I feel like it’s going to be my WrestleMania moment before WrestleMania moment.
"To go back to Australia after not being able to compete there for seven years – last time being for the independent scene in Riot City Wrestling – go back there and show everyone my growth and pretty much show the rest of the world what Australia has and what could come from Australia."
Rhea Ripley holds the RAW Women's Championship at a press during the WWE WrestleMania XL Kickoff on Feb. 8, 2024, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Louis Grasse/PXimages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Ripley is one of a handful of Australian personnel on the WWE roster currently. Bronson Reed, Grayson Waller and Indi Hartwell are some of the others.
"It makes me extremely proud," Ripley said of representing her country. "It’s very hard to get people to notice us because we are so far away from all the places that get noticed more like USA. So, to be able to make it and come back home and show everyone how much I’ve grown … I’m not a little kid anymore, I’m a women’s world champion. I’m very, very excited."
Rhea Ripley talks to Fox News Digital in Las Vegas. (Fox News Digital)
Elimination Chamber will start at 5 a.m. ET on Feb. 24.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
