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00:00Will? Yes, Danielle. I am starstruck. I know. This very, very rarely happens. I'm not sure
00:09how on my game I'm going to be for this interview. So feel free to save me if I start
00:13like stuttering
00:13or if I just freeze at any moment. I don't think I've ever seen you. We've been with
00:17some incredibly famous people. I've never seen you like this. I feel like underneath
00:22my skin is bubbling. It's a very weird feeling. Let me just read you some very, very important
00:29things. She is the two-time women's world champion, a former Raw women's champion,
00:35NXT UK champion, NXT women's champion, two-time tag team champion,
00:40the winner of the 2023 Royal Rumble, a triple crown champ, a Grand Slam champ.
00:46And this weekend, she can add to those accolades when she faces the current champion Jade Cargill
00:52on night two of WrestleMania. Live from Las Vegas, our guest on Pod Meets World.
00:59And my wrestling crush is Rhea Ripley.
01:03Wow. You're so excited.
01:04I'm so excited. You have no idea. This is a big moment for me. It's also our first interview
01:09of this weekend. I'm like, could we not have eased me into it at all?
01:12No, I was going to say, I talked about you sitting here. I'm now glad there's a buffer
01:16between the two of you.
01:17You needed to be between us.
01:18I think it's better than I'm here. I think this is a better place to be, if I'm honest
01:21with you.
01:21I think you're right. Rhea, thank you so much for joining us.
01:24No problem. Thanks for having me. That was a great introduction.
01:28We always ask this of an international guest like yourself. Did you get Boy Meets World
01:33in Australia or are we just two random middle-aged podcast hosts to you?
01:38I'm guessing B.
01:41Yeah, I don't think I got it in Australia.
01:43Okay. Yeah.
01:44I also didn't really watch too much growing up either. Cause like I was too busy being
01:48a sporty kid.
01:49Right.
01:49So like I just was always doing things on the weekend and that was my only real time
01:53and I just watched wrestling. That was about it.
01:55Wow. Okay. So yeah, we just flew right by your radar.
01:58It's the same show in Australia. It just goes in the other direction.
02:04Obviously I am a huge fan. And as I started to fall in love with you, I did check out
02:08your WWE debut for the Mae Young Classic. And I want to talk a little bit about 20 year
02:16old Rhea. No tattoos, blonde hair, minimal piercings, a little cheerleader-like maybe.
02:24Almost the Mario to your Wario now.
02:27Wow.
02:28Pretty much.
02:28You know, how did this transformation happen?
02:32So I was always like this on the inside.
02:35Right.
02:35Like I've wanted tattoos since I was a little kid. Like I, it's bad. I'm glad I didn't do
02:40it. But like growing up watching WWE, I dreamed of getting like a Pepsi tattoo for CM Punk.
02:44I'm very glad I didn't.
02:48I'm glad there's age limits on tattoos.
02:51But like, I've always been this way. I just was very scared to express it, especially in
02:58WWE. It was at a time where like, there was a specific mold for females. And I was like,
03:04I don't want to hinder my chances of making it to the WWE if I have tattoos, if I look
03:10a specific way. And I was also still like growing up and I was shy. I was very like timid
03:15kid. I didn't, I wasn't very confident in myself and all that sort of stuff. So I was
03:21scared to embrace my true self. Like I would at home behind closed doors, but like in public,
03:28I was trying to fit that mold that I thought everyone wanted me to fit. And that's why I
03:34didn't have any tattoos yet because I was scared. And that's why I had the long blonde hair
03:37because long blonde hair, I look like, I don't want to say it, but like kind of like a Barbie
03:42doll, like a surfer girl from Australia, like the stereotype that I thought they wanted me
03:48to kind of be, but I still wanted to be that mosh pit kid. Like I still wanted that so
03:53badly.
03:54But I would hide behind my long hair when I got shy. It was just a easy mechanism just to
04:00have to like hide my face when I got shy. To hide who you really were. Yeah. And then
04:05like I got like really over everything in the year between the first May Young and the second
04:12May Young. And I was just like, I was on the chopping block a couple of times at work and
04:16I just, I wasn't happy. I was homesick. I hated everything. I hated myself. And I was
04:21just like, you know, I need like a drastic change. I need to do something that's like
04:24outside my comfort zone a little bit. So I always thought about cutting my hair. And
04:28then one of the guys at the PC was like, I think you'd suit short hair. And it was like
04:32that, that's all I needed. And I was like, you know what? I'm gonna get it approved and
04:36I'm gonna cut it. I remember asking Joe El Castro, who was like the one we had to go through
04:41to get everything approved. Yeah. And he's like, if cutting your hair is going to make
04:44you happy, please do it. Cause he could see how sad I was. Yeah. That's what I was,
04:49I was going to ask because as child actors, we were the same way where it was like, if
04:52we wanted a haircut, if I got a tattoo, we had to go and get permission. So we had to
04:56like ask, Hey, is it okay if I do this to my, my own body? Yeah. And I didn't know.
05:00So
05:00it's the, it was the same when you're a wrestler. It's like, I want to do this or I want
05:03to do
05:03that. Okay. Yeah. And it was exactly the same. Like you couldn't change anything. Like
05:06I remember my husband was telling me that he got his haircut once and like, he's a man, you
05:12know, like you just got a simple cut and they freaked out and then he got tattoos, but
05:16it was like hidden under his kickpad covers and they freaked out. And like, the rule was
05:20like, if we can't see it on TV, it's okay. And that, that's, that's my loophole right there.
05:25That was my loophole. I was like, all right, we'll bet I'm gonna wear pants. I'm gonna start
05:29wrestling in pants. Great. So then I started getting my legs tattooed and then like one day
05:33my gear didn't make it. And I was like, oh, I gotta wear shorts. Yep. Sorry. Too late
05:38now. Yeah. And I started like kind of tiptoeing that line of like getting away with everything.
05:44And I remember I rocked up to my cage match with Mercedes Martinez and I had, um, this forearm
05:50tattoo and it was my first tattoo on my arms. And, um, I was so scared. I was like, oh,
05:55I'm going to get in so much trouble because I didn't get approved. I was like at that point
05:58where I was like, oh, screw it. I don't care. Yeah. And I remember Hunter comes up to me
06:02and he goes, is that new? And I was like, yeah. Yeah. He's like, oh, that looks cool.
06:08I was like, okay, well now I know I can get away with whatever I want. Right. Well, yeah.
06:12I mean, there must have come a point where they embraced it. Right. And they were like,
06:14you know, great look, do what you got to do. Well, if it makes the character and it fits
06:18the character, it's okay. Right. And like, I feel like they were just letting me kind of embrace
06:24myself and grow like in and outside of wrestling at the same time. And like just seeing where
06:29it goes and they're like, well, she knows herself better than anyone. So like what she's doing is
06:33getting over. Cause they had no choice, but to kind of push me as well. Cause the crowd got behind
06:36me
06:37cause I know myself and I started getting confident and they could see that. That's great. So they were
06:41just letting me kind of run with the ball a little bit. I love that. And I love that it
06:46all started
06:46with a haircut, that that was the thing that just like kicked it over the edge.
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10:50start owning. That's redfin.com. Are you at all comfortable with your sex symbol status? Is it
11:05like a thing you've embraced now or is it like still, am I making it awkward or? No. I feel
11:13a little awkward,
11:14if I'm honest. Didn't know that was coming, but all right. It's so funny. Cause like it started off
11:20as an accident. Like it was just straight up. You were an accidental sex symbol? How was that
11:24possible? I don't know. I don't know. I think the lesbian community found out who I was and they
11:31kind of just like adopted me as like their idol, I guess. And, um, yeah, I started doing things that
11:39I
11:39don't even realize I do in the ring. Like I don't realize I do like the teeth lick. I don't
11:44realize
11:44I do apparently sexy eyes. I did like the sexy pin, which was always something that I did. I did
11:50that in Australia. Right. Like I, I've been doing that forever and I just thought it was funny
11:54cause my coach literally called it the sexy pin and I was like, ha ha, sexy pin. But I didn't
11:59mean
11:59for it to be actually sexy. Right, right, right. Like I just was popping myself. Um, but yeah,
12:06it's wild to see like how comfortable Ria has gotten just like embracing all of that. Cause
12:14I don't know what I'm doing most of the time when I go out in the ring. Like Ria just
12:18takes
12:18over and like things happen. Yeah. Yeah. Things just happen. Well, that leads me to my next
12:25question. When you're in gorilla, what do you do right before you go out to get yourself
12:30into character? It depends how much time I have. Okay. Up all the time. I don't have
12:35time. Okay. Right. And you're just running out. Yeah. So like I'll try and like at least
12:41kick my leg up and like emulate the stomp just cause I'm like, I'm not warm. And if I do
12:46this stomp and tear my groin, I'm screwed. Yep. Yep. So like I'll try and emulate that maybe
12:51a couple of times I'll jump up and down. I'll start pacing back and forth and just
12:55like kind of getting in my own head every now and then, like, especially when I was
12:58a part of the judgment day, um, there was literally no time to get revved up before
13:04doing anything. Cause we were getting pulled left, right and center. So like I would get
13:08Dom to, he didn't like to do it, but I would make him do it. I would get him to
13:12like chop
13:12me in the back as hard as he can. So like a lot of times I'd go out there, take
13:16my jacket
13:16off and have like handprints. Yeah. So I'd do that. I'd slap myself in the face. That's
13:22like another thing. I just get myself as revved up as possible. But my music is a big one
13:27for me. Like as soon as I hear this is my brutality, like Rhea just kind of takes control
13:32and I'm like, I'm ready to go. I could be freaking out beforehand. And I'm like, as soon
13:37as I hear it, I'm good. You're in the zone. I'm curious when you're out there, are you
13:41thinking more about the physical moves? Are you thinking more about the character you in
13:47or is it just kind of all wrapped up into one thing? I guess it's kind of all wrapped
13:51up into one thing. I haven't really thought about it too much. Um, I feel like a lot of
13:57the time I'm stressing out before. And then as soon as I go out, I'm honestly just like
14:03fuck it. Yeah. Right. Like my brain is not really working. I'm like, I may forget, but my body
14:08will remember. So like, I'm kind of hoping on that most of the time. Yeah. Yeah. That's
14:13amazing. You're facing Jade Cargill for the title this weekend. It is, it for sure has
14:19that big fight feel. What makes a WrestleMania title match so special?
14:26Oh man. I mean, apart from it being a WrestleMania title match, it's just, it doesn't get much
14:32bigger. What makes the Superbowl so special?
14:35Yeah. It's definitely like a massive opportunity for everyone involved. But I guess like just
14:45being like such a dominant force going into WrestleMania and then having another dominant
14:51force, like with me and Jade, she's been pretty much unstoppable for a while now. And like this
14:57is her third WrestleMania, I believe. And I'm just like, you're walking in as champion.
15:02Yeah. But I've now, this is my seventh WrestleMania. I've walked in as champion. I've walked out
15:07as champion. I've walked in no championship. I've walked out no championship. Like I've,
15:11I've experienced all of it, but she, she hasn't experienced much of it. So, um, I think with
15:18this one in particular, cause every single match kind of has a different fight feeling
15:22going into WrestleMania. Cause obviously stories are different. Of course. Uh, feuds are different.
15:27Um, this one is more like name value. Like people have wanted to see me and Jade step
15:32in the ring and there's no better place than WrestleMania. The biggest stage of them all
15:36are Superbowl of wrestling. So I think that's what makes our match and our championship match
15:42so like exciting. People were just, they've been wanting to see this for a long time. Just
15:48two big beefy girls going at it, you know?
15:50I love it. It does feel like over the past year, most of wrestling's biggest feuds have
15:58at times felt very real, blurring the lines of reality more and more, which us fans love.
16:06And this match with Jade has had those moments in spades. Does it ever feel like too much?
16:13Cause I think I would cry. Um, sometimes it's like, you just want to make sure that other
16:22person has a little bit of a heads up. Okay. At least, um, in some circumstances, there's no heads
16:29up. Okay. Um, and it definitely does make it a little bit more difficult to go out there and
16:36make magic, but we're all professional. So it's like, even if it does hit home, you kind of just
16:42have to get over it. Yeah. Even though it's like a really weird thing to do. It's like,
16:48just, you just got to kind of get over it. Just leave your personal stuff out of it. I mean,
16:52that's gotta be hard though. It's that's what we're saying is not really leaving. I know that's
16:57why it's gotta be so difficult where if there is something, then it's, it's like, well, I can't
17:00really think about that, but it's, you're then fighting. Well, similarly, when we started the
17:05podcast before we started, we had a lunch where we said, is there anything? Cause we all know,
17:11we know each other very well. Are there things that are off limits for each of us? Is there
17:18something? Yeah. Are there things I should not just casually mention about your history
17:22that I know? And, and so there were a couple of things for each of us that were like, you
17:28know, this one thing I would like to protect. Is there a line for you where you are like,
17:32this is too far? Yeah. Um, yeah. I mean, definitely things that are like breaking the
17:39fourth wall and like defaming my true character. I don't like that stuff. Cause like I'm a pretty
17:46like open book and I wear my heart on my sleeve and I try to help everyone within the women's
17:52division. I always vouch for everyone. So anything that's like breaking that fourth wall and like
17:56making me seem like I'm a bad human being. Right. Right. When I try my best to like literally
18:04make everyone happy, but myself, that's stuff that I don't like. Cause I'm just like, first
18:10of all, you obviously don't know me. Right. Like you have no reason to be even commenting
18:14on stuff like that. Yeah. Um, so I don't like that stuff, but anything else, like as long
18:19as there's a conversation, I don't care. I'll give you ideas. I'll be like, Hey, talk
18:25about this. I'm struggling with this right now because I know it's going to bring out
18:28an emotion in me. That's going to want to kill you. Yeah. And like people are going to
18:31understand and they're going to, um, feel something towards that. If they're going through something
18:36like that, that I'm going through and you mention it and you drag it, then they're going
18:40to back me. I'm going to be a bigger baby face and they're going to be invested into the
18:43match. So I don't really mind. It's just that, that real side of like, Demi's a good
18:49person. Yeah. Yeah. I don't, I don't like people ragging on Demi. Right. Cause I'm just
18:56an innocent little girl. You're still hiding behind your hair. Well, and something else
19:07that came up in the news recently that I did want to talk to you about because it really
19:11struck a chord with me. I am, you know, almost 45 years old. I just came off the Dancing
19:16with the Stars Live tour. I'm still adapting to a medication I started taking after I had
19:21cancer. And over the last year I have been way more active, way more conscious of my body
19:27than I've ever been before maybe. And I think one of the weirder parts of this career that
19:33we've chosen for ourselves is the amount of people who think it is okay to comment and
19:40criticize and dissect our bodies online. And I say this because you have faced the same
19:49insane scrutiny. And this week you responded very honestly and very courageously admitting
19:57to dealing with an eating disorder. Yeah. And that is something I have also dealt with over
20:03the course of my life. And I know I'm not the only person who saw that comment you made and
20:08appreciated it and had it resonate with them. And so I want to one commend you for that to
20:14see that kind of honesty is just like, Oh yeah. Why are, why are we not just being honest
20:22more about these things that lots of people struggle with? So I want to know, how do you
20:29balance? You are in a very tricky position where your body is your tool. It's, it is, how do you
20:38balance the commentary online and your own mental health and taking care of your instrument and the
20:47things that we battle as performers and humans? Literally just a human. Yeah. Yes. I don't know.
20:55I find it, it's, it goes through waves where it's like really difficult and then sometimes really
21:00easy. And, um, this past year it's been really difficult because I find if my, my circle at home
21:10isn't at peace, then that's when I really struggle. And, um, that's why I try to like surround myself
21:17with people that I know are there for me and care for me because it's like, that's, that's my strong
21:22point. Like my husband is my strong point. My dogs are my strong point. My friend Tommy, who's
21:26always at our house every day, he's my strong point. Like we work out together. It's a positive
21:30environment. Um, it's, it's really hard, like going onto Twitter. I just need, I need to delete
21:38that. Yeah. It's really hard going on and like trying to make it a work environment. But then
21:44because it is a work environment, I get all these things coming up on my for you page. As soon
21:49as I
21:50click on the app, it's just like negativity towards me. And I'm like, I can't even escape
21:54it. I can't even like doom scroll, like a normal human being without seeing things about me,
22:01about my body, about my booking, about me as a human, even though they don't know who
22:07the hell I am. Um, it does get really tiring. Um, but that's also why I like to share what
22:16I'm going through. Like I tried to keep the whole eating disorder quiet for a while just
22:21because I'm still like figuring it out. But like, I try to be as vocal with my struggles
22:29as possible because if it's going to help someone, then why not talk about it? Like I needed that
22:36when I was going through stuff as a kid. And if I knew that my idols were going through
22:40these struggles and they're still powering through and being amazing. And I look up to them
22:45then like, and I think they're stronger and larger than life. Like then I think that I
22:49can get through it too. So like, that's why I'm very vocal about what I'm going through.
22:53But yeah, with this whole eating situation, it definitely stems from like stress and like
23:01not being in control. That was, that's my biggest thing. Like I'm a very like in control person.
23:06I like being in control of a lot of things. Um, but when I can't control work and my schedule
23:12and then at the time my, my home life with one of my now ex friends, just terrorizing
23:19my life. Um, and then like obviously going to Australia and like not being able to control
23:25how the crowd respond to my, my peers and how they're pressuring them 24 seven. And then
23:31like getting thrown into all this media stuff for that. It was just a lot all at once.
23:36And it kind of just like broke me for a little bit. Um, but it wasn't seen by everyone yet.
23:44Now it's been seen by everyone. And I'm like, Oh man, I saw so many things out there. Like,
23:50Oh, she had to lose weight cause of back pain, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. She's off the roids.
23:55We get tested. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not on anything. It's just not, it's not real. Social media is
24:00not real. I deleted everything five or six years ago. Yeah. And it's the best thing in
24:05the world. And I know for certain people for work, obviously you need it. So, so I talked
24:10to a friend of mine who said, I, what I'll do is I do 24 to 72 hour mental health
24:14days where
24:15I just, I don't look at anything for days. Just, I would, I would literally just take days
24:19where I'm just in the real world. I'm not taking pictures of anything. I'm not, I'm living
24:24for the moment. I'm living with my foundation, the people that are around me that I love.
24:27I'm not looking at anything. And then I put on the mask and I go back and I do what
24:30I
24:31got to do. Yeah. So, I mean, I know for him that was super helpful, but if you can't just
24:34delete it, then yeah, just taking some time. Cause it's so it's the thing that's so interesting
24:38about social media. It seems to almost parrot something like wrestling where it's like, it's
24:43you're a human being, but you're not because you're a character too. And so we're allowed
24:47to say whatever we want about you. And it's like, no, that's really not how it works because
24:52people aren't saying things about Topanga. They're saying things about Danielle. So they're
24:58saying things about you, even though they're saying stuff about your character. And after
25:01a while you just have to go, this is fucking ridiculous. None of this is real. Literally.
25:05And so you just, it's the worst when the fans like, Oh, I'm just, I'm, I didn't mean it.
25:09I'm just talking as a heel. I'm being a heel. And I'm like, Oh, okay.
25:14You do not get paid to be a heel.
25:17Twitter is free.
25:18Yeah. You're literally just being a dick right now.
25:21If you're a heel in your real life, you're just an asshole.
25:24Exactly.
25:24Yeah.
25:25Exactly. You're not in this wrestling bubble.
25:27Exactly.
25:28You're looking into the wrestling bubble. You can't say that you're just being a heel.
25:31No, it is. And it's just for cowards where you don't have to put your name. You don't
25:34have to put anything. You don't have to say anything in anybody's face. Another friend
25:38of mine always said, just imagine anything you're going to put on social media. You have
25:42to turn and say to a person standing next to you in an elevator.
25:44Oh, they could not.
25:45No, never.
25:46They couldn't.
25:47So it's just, yeah.
25:48They're asking for an autograph.
25:49Yes, exactly. And be saying, oh my gosh, I can't believe you're here.
25:52You're like me.
25:53You're real.
25:53Yeah.
25:54Literally.
25:54It's crazy.
25:55Oh man.
25:56Well, I, I do just, just to put a button on that. I do want to say thank you for
25:59talking
26:00about difficult things that you as a human are going through even before you have them all
26:06figured out. We're so used to people waiting to share a struggle. I myself can, can be accused
26:13of that waiting until I'm like, wait, as a controlling person, let me figure out exactly
26:17what this is. Let me get to the bottom of it. Let me fix it. Then I'll tell you about
26:20it now
26:21once it's in my rear view mirror, but sharing it while you're in the messy middle of it is so
26:27helpful and real. And it's just one of the things that makes you the incredible role model
26:33and person that you are. And so thank you. I, I just, I really want to thank you for that.
26:38I appreciate it.
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29:55I want to talk about something that Will is going to be very excited about, because I just told him
29:59this right before you came in. I love the name Rhea Ripley, and I know it is inspired by Sigourney
30:05Weaver's character in Alien. One of the greatest characters in all the film. Very badass. So good.
30:10Huge fan. Huge fan. I want to know some of the names that you didn't pick. Give me some of
30:16the
30:16throwaways. Do you remember any of that? Man. So, I had five names. Okay. They were like first and last
30:22names put together. And I literally, I gave them the five names and they just pick one. They came
30:26up to me one day and they're like, Rhea Ripley. And I was like, I guess so. I guess that's
30:31my name.
30:31Perfect. Yeah. I know that one of them was, because I tried to find like strong female names or names
30:39of
30:40bands or band members that I like. Great. So I was kind of like putting them all together. I know
30:45one of
30:45them, this is going to be controversial now because he doesn't ever shut the hell up. But like one of
30:50them was Isla Radke. I like the name Isla. I just, I don't know why I really liked it. And
30:56then
30:56Radke is Ronnie Radke from Falling in Reverse. There was, I can't remember. It was something
31:02Ashby and Ashby is the last name of the guitarist in Of Mice and Men. There was a couple. I
31:09can't
31:09remember what the, I know Isla Radke was one of them because that was my favorite one. Okay. I just,
31:13I love that name. And that last name is just so different. I've never heard of it apart from Ronnie.
31:19Um, man. Yeah. I can't remember the other ones. Growing up, what was more important to you,
31:26wrestling or music? Um, Oh, I feel like they came hand in hand. Okay. Like wrestling kept
31:33me very occupied, but music got me through life. Right. Yeah. Like wrestling also helped a little
31:38bit, but like I was very sporty. So I had to like go quickly through it all. Like I would
31:43record it on
31:44the Fox Hill and like fast forward and just like watch the really important bits and be like,
31:48okay, this person won. Okay. This happened. This, this promo happened. Right. Well, like
31:51with music, music really got me through my schooling years. And like, I would go to,
31:58at the time, uh, Soundwave Festival, which is what we had in Australia. Okay. Bands came over. We had a
32:03couple of walk tours as well. But, um, yeah, music really got me through a lot of really hard
32:09situations. And that's why like, I try to incorporate, incorporate, uh, music into my
32:15wrestling stuff. Like I'll go out there and I'll do the stomp. And that came from Mitch
32:19Lucka from Suicide Silence who sadly passed away in 2012. But like Suicide Silence got me through
32:24high school. Like it just music that speaks to me, like motionless and why I, I wanted Chris to sing
32:31my song. Cause I was like motionless and why is my number one band. And it's like, that got me
32:37through so much. Like you don't understand how meaningful their lyrics are until you really
32:42like dissect it and listen to it. And you go, wow, like they're singing about like some really
32:46hard stuff. Yeah. Like, yeah, it sounds like screamy, screamy music to some people. But like
32:51once you understand and you listen to it enough and you love it and you look at the lyrics, it's
32:55like, wow, like that's my life in a song right there. Okay. Okay. So top three desert
33:01island bands. What are your top three bands of all time? Oh, motionless and why is definitely
33:06one of them. Okay. Um, people are going to eat me alive cause I'm going to say falling
33:11in reverse. I'm sorry. I don't condone things that Ronnie says. I just really liked the music.
33:17Yep. Yep. Um, and then probably of mice and men, they, they were my number one band growing
33:25up. I loved Austin Carlisle, the singer. He was my favorite. And like second and severing
33:29was my number, uh, my first ever wrestling theme as well in Australia. And it's about his mom and
33:35how she passed away. I was really sad and like just a lovely song. So I love them guys. Okay,
33:41good. Uh, I think one of my favorite friendships to see grow on social media has been you
33:46and CM Punk since his return. I know firsthand how much he thinks you are just the greatest
33:53after the lore that's been spread over the years. I want to know what your thoughts are like
33:59on what he is like in the locker room. He's the best. Like CM Punk is someone that you
34:05hear a lot of shit about and you're like, man, is he going to be a dick or is he
34:09going
34:09to be cool? But he's probably one of the coolest people that I've met in this wrestling industry.
34:13Like he's just so wonderful all the time. He's so caring. And like, he's such a girl's
34:20girl. CM Punk, a girl's girl. I love it. And I love that about him. Like I, he's always
34:27in like makeup with us and he's always like stuffing around with me and my makeup artist
34:31jet. Is this a good likeness? Yes. It is? Okay. Will, Will thinks that this looks like
34:37a, a, the representation of CM Punk as a black man, not as... He's very tan. Yeah. He's very,
34:42very tan there. CM Punk post Hawaii vacation. Yes. Okay. I think, uh, Bron needs a little bit
34:46more tan. Hit him with some spray tan real quick. He needs to be more orange. But yeah,
34:53he's one of the best people. Like I have nothing negative to say about CM Punk. He's just so
34:58wonderful. And like he, he sees when like you're stressing out too, and he'll take that
35:03time to like give you a little pep talk and help you out. Even though he could be running
35:06around doing a million other things. Like before I went out for my SummerSlam match against
35:12Liv when I came back from shoulder injury, he's one of the people that found me as I was
35:18stressing out. Cause like I had so much going through my head. I was like scared that my
35:21shoulder wasn't going to hang. I was scared that I wasn't going to be able to hang. I
35:25was scared that the judgment day was about to implode. And I was like, that's been my life
35:30for the last like two years. I'm like, what am I going to do? Like, I don't, I can't lose
35:33Dom. Like this is going to be so wild for me. Like this is a new chapter in my wrestling
35:37career. Yeah. So like I had so many things going through my mind and he like, he saw
35:42that and he stopped and he like gave me a pep talk and I was just like, I really needed
35:45that. And it came from someone who like I idolized growing up, which is wild. So he's, he's one
35:51of the best. I love that. Okay. I want to get some quick predictions from you for this
35:56weekend. All right. Obafemi versus Brock. I think I got Oba. Yeah. Yeah. He's, he's a big
36:02boy. New school versus old school, huh? Yeah. Okay. Oba's so good. And like, also he's
36:08so Oba. His little walk that he does. Oh yeah. Every time his music hits, EO. Yep.
36:16You have EO like hypnotized with this music. She loves it. Loves it so much. Okay. Four
36:22way for the women's tag titles. Oh, this one's a hard one. And I love those tag titles. You
36:29know, I would love to see Bailey and Lyra walking out with them. I think that they're
36:36a very underrated team and I think that they deserve the gold. I love Bailey so much. Me
36:41too. Dom versus demon. You know, we just talked about Dom. He doesn't get two mentions in this
36:51interview. Yeah. I'm gonna go with the demon. Great. It's the demon. Like you can't beat
36:57that. Yep. Okay. How dirty you are. Cody versus Randy. That's a tough one. I've always
37:08been a Randy Orton girl. But this Pat McAfee situation. Yeah. I feel like Pat might run
37:14his mouth a little bit too much, which might distract Randy for a second. And I think Cody
37:18might have it. I think you're right. I feel exactly the same way. Liv versus Stephanie.
37:25Liv. I'm gonna have to go Liv. Okay. I don't like Liv. I know. But I haven't seen an anger
37:32in her eyes like that for a long time. Uh huh. So I'm gonna go Liv. Wow. Okay. And how
37:38long does Jade make it before you pin her? I'm gonna say, I would like to say two minutes.
37:45Uh huh. Personally, because it means less, less working. I'm gonna give her around. I'm
37:56gonna give it 10 minutes. 10 minutes. Wow. All right. Yeah. I'm gonna give the fans what
37:59they want. I'll give her 10 minutes. I love it. I love it. Not quite 15. No. 10. 10. That's
38:04all you get. Exercising for 10 minutes straight is just a weird idea. Just crazy for you.
38:10I couldn't imagine that. It's wild. Yeah. Sleeping, maybe driving. Other than that,
38:15I can't do anything for 10 minutes. Sometimes you're laying there and you're like, man, I'm
38:19tired. I'm exhausted right now. I gotta get up and fight. If you had to pick one superstar
38:27to go shopping with, who would you, who would you go with? Shopping? Uh huh. I just saw your
38:32sneaker shopping. Yeah. I'm not a huge sneaker person. No. I like my bands and that's about
38:39it. But man, shopping, I'm not really a shopping person. Okay. But if I were to go with anyone,
38:48hmm. Did say girl's girl. This is very true. I feel, I feel like if I were to go shopping
38:54with CM Punk, we'd both go there, walk through the door and be like, yeah, we're done. Yeah.
38:58I don't want to do this. We're done. Let's get out of here. Literally. I feel like I would
39:03probably pick someone like Maxine. Yeah. Because like, then I get my own personal stylist. So
39:07smart. Yeah. I'd be like, just pick things and I'll try them on. Great. And let's see what
39:12happens. Let's see what happens. It's like shopping with my wife. Yeah. Put this on, put this on,
39:16put this on. I'll go, I'll go, I'll go try these on, babe. Thanks. Rhea, thank you so much for
39:22being
39:23here. I can't wait to watch this weekend. I'll be cheering you on. This was really such an
39:27honor and I just adore you. And for all the right reasons, you are a wonderful person and role
39:34model for all of us. So thank you. Thank you. I've had fun. Thanks guys. Thanks for coming.
39:39Thank you. Pod Meets World is an iHeart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fischel,
39:44Wilfredo and Ryder Strong. Executive producers, Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman. Executive in charge
39:50of production, Danielle Romo. Producer and editor, Tara Sudbachsch. Producer, Maddie Moore. Engineer
39:55and Boy Meets World super fan, Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle Morton of Typhoon.
40:01Follow us on Instagram at podmeetsworldshow or email us at podmeetsworldshow at gmail.com.
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