Rhea Ripley’s pairing with Dominik Mysterio and her inclusion in The Judgment Day was a major “turning point” in her career that allowed her to “blossom” as a performer. That’s according to Ripley herself, who explained the story behind her character’s evolution in a recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
“Honestly, I think that was like another turning point in my career, being partnered with Dom and also being a part of the Judgment Day. It made me open up as a performer,” Ripley said. She also noted that Vince McMahon was initially unsure of how to present her on the main roster, debating whether she was a babyface or a heel. Being with The Judgment Day provided a clear direction.
“I feel like when I got partnered with Dom, I could actually blossom a little bit into something different. Instead of being the hard ass all the time, I was Mami,” she explained.
Ripley also revealed the origin of the now-famous “Mami” nickname, admitting it wasn’t her first choice. She was actually pushing for a different name before Damian Priest suggested the alternative.
“No, I was trying to push the Papi agenda. And they were like yeah, we can’t do that. And then Priest was like, ‘What about Mami?’ I was like, Okay, guess I’ll be Mami,” she recalled. “I was really set on the Papi thing. I was like, I can be a little sh*t stirrer, just be Papi this, Papi that. But they’re like, we just can’t go there. And I was like, Okay, I respect that. Mami’s gonna grow on me, though.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Insight With Chris Van Vliet with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
