“I’m feeling the effects now” – WWE star Rhea Ripley shares heartfelt update after tough injury
Rhea Ripley has left WWE fans feeling upset after announcing she’ll be out of wrestling for a while because of a serious injury.
Ripley hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since June 5, right after she won the women’s championship for the second time during WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. She beat Jade Cargill to win the title and later defended it successfully at Clash in Italy on May 31.
Fans started to worry when Ripley stayed away from WWE shows. At a Power Slap event last month, she shared that she had a “slight tear” in her meniscus during a chat with Nina Drama. She also said she “can’t bend it very well,” and her right knee hurts and throbs.
Everyone hoped the injury would get better quickly without surgery. Sadly, that wasn’t possible, and Ripley had to have surgery for the first time in her wrestling career. She updated her fans on Instagram with a photo of her knee wrapped in a brace while she rested on the couch.
Ripley wrote, “Life update. After almost 14 years in wrestling and sports, it’s finally caught up to me. Surgery wasn’t my first choice, but it had to be done. First one done… Hopefully no more. I’ve survived, now it’s time to thrive again and get back to doing what I love! See you all down the road.”
Lots of WWE stars sent her good wishes, including WWE champ CM Punk. Ripley had wrestled before with a mask after breaking her nose last October. There’s no set date for her to come back, and with her popularity, she’ll definitely be missed.
WWE has already made plans for the women’s division on Smackdown. Since Ripley couldn’t compete at SummerSlam in Minnesota, WWE held a five-way ladder match for the Interim WWE women’s championship. Ripley wasn’t stripped of her title—usually the case—but they said whoever won would face her later to unify the titles.
Chelsea Green won the surprise match at SummerSlam, beating Charlotte Flair, Jade Cargill, Lash Legend, and Tiffany Stratton to claim her first world title. With Ripley’s injury update, Chelsea might be upgraded to the full women’s champ. She’s set to appear on Smackdown this Friday in Philadelphia, and fans can expect a title celebration.
So far, only one match is confirmed for the show: Charlotte Flair versus Jade Cargill, as their rivalry continues.