Latest injury update on WWE Women's Champion Rhea Ripley amid ongoing absence since June 2026
(Courtesy : WWE.com)
The reigning WWE Women’s Champion has been absent from programming.
WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley has been off air from WWE TV since early June due to a knee injury. Ripley’s last in-ring appearance came during Clash in Italy, where she successfully defended the title against Jade Cargill.
The Eradicator then made an appearance on the fallout show of SmackDown and has been absent from programming ever since. In her absence at SummerSlam, WWE hosted a ladder match to crown the Interim Champion. Chelsea Green captured the Interim title in the ladder match.
Post-SummerSlam, Rhea has now provided an update on her knee injury, informing fans that she has undergone surgery.
Rhea Ripley is on the road to recovery
Rhea Ripley took to her X (Twitter) handle to reveal that she has undergone surgery for the knee injury that forced her to miss SummerSlam this past weekend.
The WWE Women’s Champion also shared a photo with the announcement showing a large brace on her right leg, revealing that she had undergone surgery.
“After just under 14 year in wrestling and doing sports my entire life… It’s caught up to me. Surgery was never a first option for me, but it got to the point that it was needed…First one down…Hopefully no more…I’ve survived, now it’s time to start thriving again so I can get back to what I love to do!
See you all down the road.” Ripley wrote.
Will Rhea relinquish the World title?
Ripley did not provide any update on her return timeline. On the other hand, fans are now also wondering if Rhea will be out of action for a prolonged time and if she will have to relinquish the Women’s title.
On that note, Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez reports that there are growing indications that Ripley will relinquish the WWE Women’s title after undergoing knee surgery, with the belief that she’ll be out of action for a long period of time.
Khel Now wishes Rhea Ripley a safe and speedy recovery following her knee surgery.
What is the latest update on Rhea Ripley’s injury?
Ripley, via her X handle, confirmed that she underwent surgery and is on the road to recovery. The update came post-SummerSlam weekend, where Chelsea Green captured the WWE Women’s title.
Will Rhea Ripley relinquish the WWE Women’s title?
As of now, there is no clarity on whether Rhea will relinquish the Women’s title. However, she will likely remain out of action after the surgery.
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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.