WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley has been pulled from advertised tour dates and faces an uncertain return after a knee injury, throwing the championship picture into doubt. The reigning champion’s status is “up in the air” while WWE officials monitor how she responds to treatment, with no timetable currently set.
The news was disclosed during the June 12 edition of WWE SmackDown, where commentators Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore revealed that Ripley is being evaluated for a knee injury suffered while competing in Italy.
According to the broadcast, WWE officials are continuing to monitor her condition and will have a clearer picture of her return once they see how she responds to treatment. No timetable has been given.
Injury Followed Clash In Italy Title Defense
The knee issue comes after a busy stretch of physical matches for the marquee star. Ripley’s most recent TV match came at WWE Clash in Italy PPV on May 31. She successfully retained the WWE Women’s Championship against Jade Cargill in a WrestleMania rematch.
The former Judgment Day Star then competed on a couple more live events on the European tour before the knee issue was disclosed on Friday’s broadcast. She was pulled from an advertised six-woman tag bout at the end of the tour.
With Ripley sidelined, attention turns to potential challengers, including recent rival Jade Cargill, should the champion’s absence stretch on, and the company is forced to make a decision regarding the title.