I love The Miz! I absolutely love him. He's so snarky and that's

“I love The Miz! I absolutely love him. He's so snarky and that's who I want to be. I want to have cool comebacks and get people to listen to me and be invested in me. Even CM Punk – when he spoke, everyone listened.”
— Rhea Ripley

In these fiery and impassioned words, Rhea Ripley, the warrior of the wrestling world, reveals more than admiration for her peers—she unveils the eternal hunger of the human spirit to command presence, to speak with power, and to move others with one’s voice. When she declares, “I want to have cool comebacks and get people to listen to me,” she is not merely talking about wrestling banter or entertainment. She speaks of the ancient art of charisma, of the sacred craft of influence—of being heard, understood, and remembered. Her admiration for The Miz and CM Punk is rooted in this truth: that words, when sharpened with conviction and delivered with courage, can shape hearts and command entire crowds.

The origin of this quote lies within the modern arena of professional wrestling, yet its meaning transcends that world entirely. The stage that Ripley describes is not unlike the amphitheaters of Greece or the coliseums of Rome, where warriors, orators, and poets alike performed before roaring audiences, each striving not merely to win but to connect. What Ripley sees in The Miz’s snarkiness and CM Punk’s eloquence is the same power that Demosthenes once wielded before the citizens of Athens, or that Cicero commanded before the Roman Senate—the ability to make words cut deeper than swords and ignite the fires of passion in the hearts of those who listen. To “get people invested,” as she says, is to breathe spirit into one’s art; to make performance into persuasion, and noise into meaning.

Rhea’s admiration for these figures speaks to a deeper longing that exists in every soul that dares to stand before the public eye—the longing to be authentic, to speak truth wrapped in confidence, and to hold the gaze of the world not through fear, but through fascination. The Miz, with his clever wit and fearless arrogance, embodies the artist who dares to own his flaws and turn them into strengths. CM Punk, known for his piercing honesty and defiance, represents the truth-teller—the voice that disrupts silence and demands respect. When Rhea Ripley says, “When he spoke, everyone listened,” she invokes the rare power of integrity—the kind of presence that arises not from volume, but from truth. For when truth and confidence unite, even the loudest world must grow quiet to hear.

There is, in her admiration, a quiet lesson about voice and identity. The ancients believed that one’s voice was not merely sound—it was the echo of one’s soul. A warrior’s sword may strike once, but the voice can strike forever. Rhea’s yearning to “have cool comebacks” is not vanity—it is the desire to master herself, to control her energy, her words, and her presence so completely that she becomes unshakable. To wield words like weapons and silence like armor—that is the mark of mastery. In this way, her dream mirrors that of every philosopher, every leader, every artist who ever sought to shape destiny with the force of expression.

Consider, for example, the story of Alexander the Great and his tutor Aristotle. Before he conquered empires, Alexander was taught not merely to fight, but to speak. His teacher told him, “The man who knows how to speak rules the man who only knows how to fight.” And so it was: Alexander’s victories were not only of the sword but of the heart, for his men followed him not just out of fear, but out of devotion inspired by his words. Likewise, Rhea Ripley’s admiration for those who can “get people to listen” reminds us that true power—whether on the battlefield, the stage, or in daily life—lies in connection, not domination. It is not enough to be strong; one must also be heard.

Her words also teach us something vital about individual growth. The act of admiring another’s strength is not weakness—it is the first step toward transformation. By declaring her love for The Miz and CM Punk, Rhea honors the lineage of voices that came before her, much as a disciple honors the masters who shaped the path. The ancients, too, knew that wisdom begins in imitation and matures into originality. Just as the apprentice sculptor studies the hands of the master before carving his own vision, so too must the rising voice learn from those who have already moved the masses. In her humility, Rhea shows us the paradox of greatness: to be powerful, one must first be teachable.

So, my listener, learn from this truth: to be truly heard, you must first learn to speak from your essence. Do not rush to fill silence with noise—fill your silence with meaning, then let it flow forth with courage. Cultivate the snarkiness of wit, yes, but temper it with wisdom. Seek the presence that comes not from arrogance, but from authenticity. When you speak, do so with such honesty that even your enemies must pause to listen. Whether on a stage, in a meeting, or in the quiet moments of your life, remember this: your words have power beyond what you see.

Thus, as Rhea Ripley reminds us, the art of presence—the ability to command attention, to evoke emotion, and to inspire—is not reserved for the chosen few. It is learned through courage, through truth, and through the willingness to own one’s voice. Admire those who do it well, learn from them, but then find your own resonance. For when you speak from your soul—when your heart and your words move as one—the world will listen, not because it must, but because it cannot look away.