Is Rhea Ripley injured? Latest update on WWE Women's Champion after appearance on SmackDown (June 5, 2026)
(Courtesy : WWE)
Rhea Ripley retained the title at Clash in Italy.
WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley defeated Jade Cargill to retain the title at Clash in Italy last weekend in Turin. After the title defense, Ripey made an appearance on the fallout show of Friday Night SmackDown in Bologna, Italy.
However, Ripley appeared wearing a knee brace as Michael Cole on the commentary provided a disturbing update regarding the WWE Women’s Champion. The fallout edition of the Blue brand aired live from the Unipol Arena in Bologna, Italy.
Rhea Ripley is dealing with a knee injury
During Ripley’s walkout, Cole revealed that Rhea Ripley is dealing with a right knee injury sustained during the Clash in Italy match against Jade Cargill. Ripley herself mentioned the injury, as she was spotted wearing a knee brace during the segment.
The segment, which also featured Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin, ended up in a tag team match, excluding Rhea as she was not medically cleared to compete and B-Fab because of numbers. Cargill pined Stratton to pick up the win.
Murmurs of Rhea’s injury first surfaced during the recent WWE live event in Madrid, Spain, where Ripley didn’t lace her boots for a match, but instead appeared with protection on her right knee and was having difficulty getting down from the ring.
There is no clarity on the severity of the injury; that said, Wade Barrett on the commentary noted that it will take a few weeks for Rhea to recover from the injury. We will provide an update on Ripley’s injury once more information becomes available.
Is Rhea Ripley injured?
Yes, Ripley suffered a knee injury during her title defense against Jade Cargill during the Clash in Italy PLE.
Is there a return timeline for Rhea Ripley?
No, however, Wade Barrett on the commentary noted that it will take a few weeks for Rhea to recover from the injury.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.