Rhea Ripley will miss SummerSlam, and WWE is crowning an interim WWE Women’s Champion in her absence.
Acting SmackDown General Manager Adam Pearce made the announcement during Friday night’s episode from MVP Arena in Albany, New York, confirming that Ripley’s knee injury has ruled her out of the August 1-2 event at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. An interim titleholder will be determined in a five-woman ladder match, with a series of qualifying matches taking place between now and SummerSlam to fill the field.
Loading tweet...
Pearce was filling in on the blue brand after Gunther attacked Nick Aldis at the end of last week’s show. He had teased on social media that he had “a ton to address” heading into the broadcast.
The Injury Timeline
Ripley has not wrestled a televised match since Clash in Italy on May 31, where she retained the WWE Women’s Championship against Jade Cargill. She worked two six-woman tag matches at live events in France and Portugal on June 2 and June 3, teaming with Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton against Fatal Influence, before disappearing from television. Her last on-screen appearance came on the June 5 episode of SmackDown, where she was confronted by Cargill, Flair and Stratton while visibly limping with a heavily wrapped knee.
Speaking to Nina Drama at Power Slap 21 earlier this month, Ripley confirmed a slight meniscus tear and offered no return timeline, saying she tore it “in a really weird spot” and still could not bend the knee well.
Ripley won the title from Cargill at WrestleMania 42 in April. She has competed just nine times since, with only one televised defense.
What The Ladder Match Changes
Per Fightful Select, WWE had originally planned for Ripley to defend against either Jacy Jayne or Alexa Bliss at SummerSlam, with an earlier Night of Champions defense scrapped in favor of Stratton vs. Cargill for the Women’s United States Championship.
The interim route lets WWE keep the championship on Ripley while filling the SummerSlam slot, avoiding a full vacancy and stripping. Dave Meltzer had previously noted that Ripley was never stripped of the belt, which he suggested pointed away from major surgery.
The women’s picture at SummerSlam already includes Iyo Sky challenging Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Championship and Charlotte Flair vs. Jade Cargill.
