Rhea Ripley Brings 33-Year-Old NXT Star to Tears in Real Life by Breaking Her ‘Heel’ Character: “An Absolute Blessing This Is”

Rhea Ripley has risen to prominence as one of the most lethal and powerful WWE superstars in the women’s division. The Australian star is known to strike fear in the hearts of many and dominate opponents in the ring. Moreover, her stint as a member of The Judgment Day faction and ongoing chemistry with her “Dom-Dom” has taken her career to heights she never imagined.

While we know Ripley for her villainous antics, would it take time to accept the fact that she is an exceptional individual in real life? Regardless of the answer, her recent actions spoke louder than words. Ripley did her part in helping the next generation of stars move ahead.

Which upcoming talent did Rhea Ripley help out with?

Rhea Ripley is currently in the prime of her entire WWE career so far. Dominik Mysterio’s “Mami” has proven her worth inside the squared circle, on the microphone, and even with her entire dark demeanor. She has turned a supposed weakness into strength after it emerged as a concern for getting signed by WWE initially. But her hard work led her to dreamland eventually, and she won the SmackDown Women’s championship at WrestleMania 39. In the process, she defeated, arguably one of the all-time greats, the 14-time Women’s champion Charlotte Flair.

READ MORE: Fans Call for a Change as Rhea Ripley Is Spotted in a Rare Look on a Live Show

However, it is no secret that Ripley herself came from humble beginnings. Much like an aspirant, she fought her way through the grind with her skill and talent. Moreover, the WWE champion also gained expertise from various mentors and coaches during her time at the WWE Performance Center. This led to Ripley deciding to pay it forward by nurturing an upcoming talent from NXT, Duke Hudson.

Hudson recently posted a photo on Instagram, of herself and Rhea Ripley inside the ring, presumably after their long training session. The young lad described his emotions while feeling honored to have Ripley helping him out.

“Such an honour that a superstar the likes of @RheaRipley_WWE would come down to the WWE Performance Centre and help a next generation talent like me hone my craft. An absolute blessing this is. Doesn’t make me miserable at all. Not one bit,” he said.

Duke might have been on the receiving end of a hard session, but would definitely benefit from Mami’s expertise in the future. But how exactly did this connection forge?

Who is Duke Hudson and does he have any connection with Rhea Ripley?

Duke Hudson is one of the brightest young talents in WWE developmental territory, NXT. He signed with WWE back in 2019 and had a brief stint on the main roster in 2020. In July 2021, the WWE announced Hudson as one of the competitors for the NXT Breakout Tournament. He made it to the semi-finals, where he tasted defeat against Carmelo Hayes.

 While Hudson and Rhea Ripley did train together, many fans missed a point of commonality between them. Both hail from the native land of Down Under, Australia. The country connection might have scored Duke, perhaps the best training session of his life so far.

But why would Mami do it? Was it just out of the goodness of her real-life self? Or was Rhea Ripley potentially on the lookout for new members for The Judgment Day faction?

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