Turn’s out Sol Ruca’s been riding waves in and out of the ring. Photos: Sol Ruca // Instagram
What do professional wrestling and surfing have in common? Turns out maybe more than you’d think. WWE wrestler Sol Ruca recently revealed on a podcast that, outside of the ring, she’s taking to the waves – and it’s helping her wrestling in a way you wouldn’t necessarily expect.
Ruca is a recent addition to the WWE roster. The former gymnast (real name Calyx Harmony Hampton) just signed on to the organization in May of 2026. Ahead of a highly anticipated match against Becky Lynch at ‘Saturday Night’s Main Event,’ the hosts of The Masked Man Show had her on to discuss the development her signature move, what it’s like being the newest addition to the WWE, and some key advice she received from John Cena. Surprisingly, though, the conversation also turned to surfing.
The first question, unsurprisingly, was how the hell she manages to fit dawn patrols in to a packed wrestling schedule. Like many of us, she doesn’t get out nearly as much as she’d like. “Honestly, I’ve been slacking,” she replied. “It has been really hard. I’ve been very, very busy these past couple months, honestly. I just try and go as much as I can. Florida’s not the best for surfing. So it’s not great, but I mean I try and get out there. It’s my way to decompress and step out of the wrestling world for a bit.”
When asked how surfing helps with professional wrestling, Ruca had an interesting take. It turns out that, for her, it’s much more of a mental, rather than physical crossover. “It definitely helps your balance and core,” she continued. “Also, waves are unpredictable, so it’s a great way to be ready for anything. And I feel like wrestling is just like that. You never know what’s going to happen. Things don’t go as planned. Things aren’t always perfect in the ring. Same with surfing. Waves are different every single time you go out, so I think that helps me be adaptable and ready for anything.”
As a side note: it turns out Ruca isn’t the only wrestler who surfs, either, with her roster-mate Shinsuke Nakamura also counting himself amongst those who ride waves. Step aside, Joel Tudor.
