Rhea Ripley is proud of CM Punk’s latest achievement and hopes that she can earn the same honor in the near future. She also hopes a match with Punk’s better half, AJ Lee, is in the cards.
Ripley recently spoke with Matt Black for WrestleZone about WWE 2K26’s cover reveal, game modes, and many more details. Ripley admitted she is not a huge gamer, joking that “all I do is stress and work out” in her spare time, but the WWE 2K series is one title that really appeals to her. This year’s game features CM Punk on the cover, and Ripley expressed her pride in Punk getting such a big honor.
“I’m so happy for him, I really am. He’s such a good guy, and like, to see him come back to WWE in general was such a milestone of a moment. Like, it was just amazing. But now to see, like, all these dreams coming true for him, and, like, all these awesome things happening for him makes me really it makes my heart happy,” Ripley explained. “I’m so excited to see it, I’m so excited for it to be unveiled and for the world to see it.”
CM Punk’s story is the main focus of this year’s 2K Showcase, and Ripley said she hopes that his rivalry with John Cena gets a big spotlight.
“My childhood was him and Cena. And that’s, like, the one that I really remember the most, because it was just so monumental, and just, like, so impactful, and they were just such complete opposites. So that’s one that I would definitely want to try and relive if I get to play the game.
Rhea Ripley could make history again
Rhea Ripley has been on a WWE 2K video game cover before, as she and Bianca Belair shared the honor in 2024. However, a female WWE Superstar has never been a solo 2K cover athlete before. When asked what it would mean to her if she were asked to be the solo cover athlete on a future game, Rhea pointed out how much of a history-making moment it would be for her.
“If I got the privilege to be that person, like, that’s absolute insanity,” Ripley said. “I don’t even know how to put it into words, to be completely honest. I’d just be so excited and so overwhelmed and just proud that, like, a little girl from Adelaide, South Australia, not only managed to accomplish her dreams of being a WWE superstar, but now is able to accomplish other things, like being on the cover of 2K, whether that be 2K27, 2K28.
“It could [happen], it could also not be a thing, but even just the fact that I got to share the cover with Bianca Belair in that special edition one, it was just like mind-blowing to me. So if I got the OG cover to myself, I don’t know what kind of monster I would become.”
Rhea Ripley wants to face off with AJ Lee… in WWE 2K26 and in real life
The WWE 2K26 roster will have more than 400 playable characters, which is the biggest roster ever. That likely means fans will see several returning names, and Ripley hopes that AJ Lee, who hasn’t been featured since WWE 2K15, makes the cut.
“Obviously, one that really stands out to me,” Rhea said, “and with Punk being on the cover, obviously his wife. I’d love to see her in the game. I think that would be awesome. I think there could be some cool matchups there with AJ vs. Rhea Ripley.
“And hopefully that happens one day in real life too,” she added. “But she’s one that I would really love to see in this game. And if not in this one, then one in the near future. With there being over 400, I can’t see that not being a thing sometime down the line.”
Rhea Ripley fantasy books her favorite intergender video game matchup
WWE 2K26 will also feature intergender wrestling for the second consecutive year. Aside from a potential “reunion” with Dominik Mysterio, Rhea Ripley said it might be fun to revisit her mini-feud with Randy Orton, or tangle with Rey Mysterio.
“As fun as wrestling Dom in the game would be, I’ve already been there and done that in real life. And honestly, he’s not much of a challenge for me. So, I would probably pick someone, like, maybe his father. That’d be a nice fight,” Ripley stated. “At least I’d feel like I’ve got some competition in front of me. Even someone like Randy Orton, I think that would be interesting. Especially because when I was with Dominik, everyone did want to see me get RKO’d. So, maybe you can RKO Rhea Ripley in 2K26.
The standard edition of WWE 2K26 will be released on Friday, March 13, while the King of Kings, Attitude Era, and Monday Night War editions release on Friday, March 6. Fans can pre-order all versions of the game right now.
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