Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley's relationship timeline: Love, wrestling, and their dream marriage

Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley's relationship timeline: Love, wrestling, and their dream marriage

Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley's relationship ranks them among the power couples in wrestling. What reportedly started with workout dates blossomed into marriage. While speaking on the Impaulsive podcast, she shared the secret behind their thriving romance, saying:

He is comfortable with what he does and who I am. We help each other grow, which is what a relationship should be: a team!
Rhea Ripley's relationship
Rhea Ripley and her husband, Buddy Matthews. Photo: @snm_buddy (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Rhea Ripley and Buddy Matthews are both Australians.
  • The couple has an eight-year age difference.
  • Matthews and Rhea are signed to AEW and WWE, respectively.

Insights into Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley's relationship

Although most fans know Ripley for her wrestling prowess and on-screen romance with Dominik Mysterio, in real life, she is married to former AEW World Trios Champion Matthew Adams. On 26 September, Rhea gushed over him during his special day via an Instagram post that read:

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Happy birthday to the love of my life, Buddy! Words cannot describe how happy you effortlessly make me. I am so glad to call you my husband. I love you till death.
Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley's facts
Buddy Matthews and his wife, Rhea Ripley. Photo: @snm_buddy (modified by author)
Source: Original

The couple met while wresting in WWE

Buddy signed with WWE in 2013, while Ripley joined the wrestling organisation four years later. They overlapped on the main roster for a few months after her March 2021 debut and before his June 2021 exit.

Rhea and Matthews first hinted they were dating in April 2022 after they posted a video of themselves working out together on Instagram. She reportedly confirmed the relationship on X (Twitter) when a fan asked her, "What does he have that I do not?" and she replied, "Me".

A beach engagement and a black-themed wedding

Matthews popped the big question on 10 August 2023. Ripley took to Instagram to announce his promotion from boyfriend to fiancé via a post that she captioned:

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1000x yes! Pure happiness.

On 27 June 2024, the newlyweds revealed they had exchanged nuptials in a joint Instagram post that detailed their wedding date.

Till death. 23/6/2024.
Australian wrestling couple Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley
Australian wrestling couple Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley. Photo: @snm_buddy (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

What happened to Alexa Bliss and Buddy Matthews?

Buddy was previously engaged to WWE wrestler Alexa Bliss. They broke off their engagement in 2018 but remain friends. Bliss married musician Ryan Cabrera in April 2022.

Rhea Ripley's husband, Matthew Adams, is her greatest cheerleader

Both Rhea and Buddy have achieved notable success in their careers. She has ascended to the pinnacle of professional wrestling in a short period, and no one is prouder than her husband.

Ripley is a one-time Raw Women's Champion and a two-time Women's World Champion. During her March 2024 interview on Logan Paul's podcast, she opened up about how supportive Matthews is, saying:

He does not get threatened by my success in wrestling because he knows how far I can go in WWE. On the contrary, he loves it because if I am winning, he also is.

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CBS Sport named them Breakthrough Wrestler of the Year in consecutive years

Although Matthews and Ripley made their wrestling debut in different years, they received the above honour in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Rhea Ripley and Buddy Matthews
Rhea Ripley and Buddy Matthews. Photo: @snm_buddy (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

In 2018, she won the NXT UK Women's Championship, while he became the WWE Cruiserweight champion. Buddy was the first Australian to bag any WWE Championship belt, while his wife was the second.

They regularly work out together

The wrestling couple regularly post their workout pictures and videos on Instagram. On 9 February 2023, Rhea Ripley's partner shared a photo of them flaunting their biceps alongside the caption:

Couples that workout together, stay together! Those that take over the world do it together!

Beyond wrestling, Buddy and Ripley bond over their shared love for football

Rhea and Matthews are both supporters of the Adelaide Football Club from their native Australia. On 16 September 2023, the team posted a picture of them attending one of their games on Instagram. The caption read:

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Aussie AEW and WWE wrestlers Ripley and Buddy are all aboard the Baggers bandwagon.
Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley
Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley. Photo: @snm_buddy (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

FAQs

Rhea and her husband have enjoyed marital bliss for almost a year. Here are some frequently asked questions about them:

How old is Rhea Ripley in real life?

The South Australia native (28 as of March 2025) was born on 11 October 1996. On the other hand, her spouse, Matthews, is 36 years old. He was born on 26 September 1988.

Are Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio really a couple?

Although the pair's on-screen romance is intense, it is purely for story-telling purposes. Their interactions are strictly professional.  

What happened between Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley?

In WWE, Mysterio betrayed Rhea during SummerSlam 2024. Their relationship ended, and he began a new one with Liv Morgan.

Who is Dominik Mysterio married to?

The American professional wrestler married his longtime girlfriend, Marie Juliette, on 6 March 2024. He is a member of The Judgement Day stable.

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Wrestlers Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley
Wrestlers Buddy Matthews and Rhea Ripley. Photo: @snm_buddy (modified by author)
Source: Instagram

Who was Rhea Ripley dating before?

Ripley dated fellow wrestler Demetri Jackson for approximately three years. They reportedly met at a local gym.

Rhea Ripley's relationship with Buddy Matthews made news in 2022. The couple appears to be going strong as they frequently post each other on social media.

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Dove Cameron is quite open about her relationships. Since the beginning of her blossoming career, she has dated A-list celebrities in the music and movie industry.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Ruth Gitonga avatar

Ruth Gitonga (Lifestyle writer) Ruth Gitonga has a background experience in Mass Communication for over six years. She graduated from the University of Nairobi with a degree in Mass Communication in December 2014. In 2023, Ruth finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She has worked for Briefly.co.za for five years now. She specializes in topics like lifestyle, entertainment, travel, technology, and sports. Email: gitongaruth14@gmail.com.