Rhea Ripley injury recovery note, timeline for hopeful WWE return
WWE reportedly chose the route of caution with Rhea Ripley’s meniscus injury, choosing to hold her out of action for longer than she might have hoped.
WrestleVotes on Fightful Select reported on Thursday that there was a “strong internal push” for the popular star to make a full recovery from the injury as opposed to making it worse in trying to make it to next weekend’s SummerSlam.
While she remains the champion, an interim WWE Women’s Champion will be crowned in Minnesota via a ladder match. Reigning Women’s United States Champion and Minnesota native Tiffany Stratton was originally going to defend her title on the PLE, but is now in the ladder match instead — one of several plans that needed to be changed due to the injury.
According to the outlet, the hope is for the 29-year-old to return to action in the fall. Dave Meltzer noted in the July 6, 2026, edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Ripley had been planned to face either Alexa Bliss or Jacy Jayne at SummerSlam.
Ripley last wrestled on June 3 in a house show trios match during WWE’s European tour.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.