Update on when WWE hopes Rhea Ripley will return | Exclusive
Dave Meltzer addressed when WWE hopes Rhea Ripley will be back in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Ripley recently posted online to reveal that she has undergone surgery for a meniscus tear.
In Friday’s edition of the newsletter, Meltzer wrote that the hope is that Ripley will be ready to return in time for the Royal Rumble, which is scheduled for February 2027 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Meltzer wrote:
“Well, it looks likely now that this will end up being the women’s title and not the interim title, since Rhea Ripley just had knee surgery. The hope right now is that Ripley would be back for the Royal Rumble show.”
Ripley’s injury led to WWE scheduling a ladder match at SummerSlam to crown an interim title holder. At the time, it was reported that Ripley may not be out of action long.
With news that Ripley recently underwent surgery, our own Bryan Alvarez reports that there have been rumblings that the interim tag could be taken off Chelsea Green’s title reign.
Ripley hasn’t wrestled since WWE’s European summer tour. Her last match was on June 3 at a house show in Lisbon, Portugal, where she teamed with Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton in a win over Fatal Influence. Her last match on WWE programming was a win over Jade Cargill at Clash in Italy on May 31, 2026.
The full edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter is available here for subscribers.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has appeared in award-winning publications such as NOW Magazine and The Huffington Post. He joined the F4WOnline team in 2019 and was named managing editor in the summer of 2026. Born in Calgary, Alberta, Ian has covered professional wrestling for more than 15 years.