WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley recently faced an uncomfortable moment when fans overwhelmed her while she was trying to get to her cab, leading her to express frustration on social media about the encounter. Veteran wrestling figure Vince Russo has since commented that the reaction to the Rhea Ripley fan incident reaction has been exaggerated compared to challenges faced by others in the industry.
Vince Russo Compares Ripley’s Situation to Industry Challenges
The incident occurred when Ripley was surrounded by a group of admirers in public. Despite Ripley’s criticism of her fans’ behavior, Vince Russo downplayed the severity, reminding audiences of the even more intense scrutiny that iconic wrestlers like Hulk Hogan have endured over decades. On his podcast Writing with Russo, he reflected on the contrast, saying:
“I am reading this comment, and you know who I am thinking of? Hulk Hogan. Could you imagine what Hulk had to go through for 40 freaking years? Could you imagine what this dude went through? We are talking about seven marks that wanted to take a selfie with Rhea Ripley.”
—Vince Russo, WWE Veteran
The Reality of Public Attention in Pro Wrestling
Russo further explained that being recognized in public is an inherent aspect of the wrestling profession, making privacy difficult for performers. He emphasized this while continuing his discussion on his show, stating:
“I don’t understand, first of all, what kind of business did you think you were getting into? This is part of the job. Okay, that’s number one. You are never gonna have your privacy, you’re never gonna go unnoticed in public. People still notice me to this day, and guess what, I don’t have a problem with it because that’s kind of what I signed up for.”
—Vince Russo, WWE Veteran
As Ripley’s popularity grows, the likelihood of similar incidents arising in public is expected to increase, posing ongoing challenges for her to balance fan enthusiasm and personal boundaries. How she chooses to handle such encounters in the future will be closely watched by both fans and industry insiders.
