Rhea Ripley Reveals Lower Back Was 'Never The Same' After This Brutal WWE NXT Spot

WWE stars Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez are good friends outside the ring and enemies on TV, with a rivalry that stretches back to their days on "WWE NXT." According to Ripley's recent appearance on "Insight with Chris Van Vliet," one of their early matches resulted in an injury that gives Ripley trouble to this day.

"I think it actually started from the match I had with Raquel in NXT, where she gave me the back body drop onto the announcement table, but we undershot it," Ripley said. "I hit the very edge of the table, right on my lower back. After that, my lower back was just never the same."

Like many other wrestlers, Ripley has a process she goes through to help her body heal, or at least to alleviate some of the pain. She has a personal masseuse, who Ripley credited for helping her pull it together for a match at WWE WrestleMania 41 this past April.

Ripley has experienced a few other scary incidents wrestling, including nearly breaking her shin during an independent show in Australia. She also recalled suffering her very first black eye after landing face-first onto concrete outside the ring during her earlier days as a wrestler. Because of the dangers associated with the profession, Ripley also revealed that her parents initially felt some hesitation after learning that she intended to become a wrestler.

Ripley recently defeated Rodriguez in their latest singles match, a Street Fight at WWE Night of Champions last month. Next up for Ripley is IYO SKY. The two are set for a clash at WWE Evolution  over the Women's World Championship currently held by SKY. Meanwhile, Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez will defend the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship in a Fatal Four-Way at the show.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Insight" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.