Rhea Ripley is sidelined with an injury, which has caused WWE to do a lot of reshuffling.
WWE reported that Ripley injured her knee during the company’s recent European tour. WWE did not share any details about the knee injury, other than saying she got hurt in Italy. Ripley defended her WWE Women’s Championship against Jade Cargill at WWE’s Clash in Italy. She also continued to perform during WWE’s European Tour, but fans noticed that she wore a bandage on her leg for some matches.
WWE said Ripley would be under evaluation, but did not share a timeframe for her return.
Earlier this week, WWE replaced Ripley on the poster for its Night of Champions Premium Live Event in Saudi Arabia. This raised concerns that her knee injury was more serious than originally believed. There’s still no word on Ripley’s return. However, a new report has shed more light on what WWE plans to do in her absence going forward.
According to a new report from Wrestlevotes Radio (via Fightful Select), WWE has done some “significant shuffling” to prepare for Ripley’s absence. Not only did WWE shift Ripley’s plans, but it was noted that they shuffled plans for “a number of women on the WWE SmackDown roster.”
Specific creative plans were not shared. However, WWE is planning ahead just in case Rhea Ripley is out for a significant period of time.
Despite her absence, Ripley is still the reigning Women’s World Champion, a title she has held since WrestleMania 42.
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