Rhea Ripley has opened up ahead of her highly anticipated triple-threat match at WWE WrestleMania 41, where she will defend the Women’s Championship against Iyo Sky and Bianca Belair. With WrestleMania just days away, Ripley reflected on her mindset heading into one of WWE’s grandest stages once again.

The Eradicator, who has previously triumphed over Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair in back-to-back WrestleMania bouts, is determined to extend her winning streak in Las Vegas. Despite her dominant run, Ripley admitted that she still experiences intense nervousness before major matches—especially at WrestleMania.

In a candid interview with The Toronto Sun, Ripley explained how nerves continue to play a significant role in her preparation, regardless of her experience.

“No, I still get so extremely nervous. Like… I feel like if you don’t get nervous, especially before WrestleMania, I feel like you just don’t care, and once you don’t care, I think it’s time to quit the business. I think everyone should be getting nervous, especially before WrestleMania. I think everyone should be getting nervous before every moment on TV or different PLE, because it means that you care about the product and what you’re putting out there for everyone else to see as well."

Ripley extended empathy toward fellow WWE star Tiffany Stratton, who is preparing for her first WrestleMania appearance. Drawing from her own debut experience against Charlotte Flair, Ripley acknowledged the emotional rollercoaster that comes with competing on WWE’s biggest night.

“So I completely understand that. Tiffany being nervous and scared and having all these emotions while still being excited because, one, she’s going out there with Charlotte Flair. I know what that feels like, first Mania. Two, it’s her first WrestleMania, and it’s just like it’s a big deal. Everyone works so hard to get to the point where they can compete at WrestleMania, and she’s finally been able to accomplish that. She’s walking in as champion as well, to say the least, which is absolutely insane.”

Reflecting on her own WrestleMania 40 experience, Ripley recalled suffering a panic attack just before stepping into the ring against Becky Lynch. Despite the pressure, she pushed through, highlighting just how overwhelming the day can be—even for a champion.

“For me, I get nervous, dude. I get so nervous. I remember WrestleMania last year, WrestleMania 40 against Becky Lynch. I legit had a panic attack for, like, two hours. I was freaking out. I remember it was 30 minutes before the show started. We were match number one, and I was still in hair and makeup. I didn’t have my gear on yet. I was panicking because I was like, I don’t know what’s going on. Like, Gorilla is at least a 10-minute walk away.

It’s just like so many things go into that one moment before you step through the curtain and they’re all so nerve-wracking because you’re legit getting pulled in so many different directions throughout the day. Then you have the biggest match of your career as well on top of that. So it’s a very terrifying show to be a part of, but an amazing show to be a part of.”