Rhea Ripley‘s absence from WWE television has left a noticeable void in the women’s division. Now, a new report suggests it also forced the company to rewrite plans for one of its biggest premium live events.
With “The Eradicator” sidelined, a pair of potential championship matches reportedly never got off the ground.
The latest update sheds light on what WWE had reportedly planned before Ripley’s knee injury changed the direction of Night of Champions.
Report reveals Rhea Ripley’s original Night of Champions plans
According to Fightful Select, WWE had discussed booking either Jacy Jayne or Alexa Bliss as Rhea Ripley’s challenger for the WWE Women’s Championship at Night of Champions. However, those plans did not come to fruition after Ripley suffered a knee injury.
The report stated, “Either Jacy Jayne or Alexa Bliss facing Rhea Ripley could have been at Night of Champions, if not for Rhea’s injury.”
Ripley has been out of action since WWE announced on the June 12 episode of SmackDown that she sustained a knee injury while in Italy. The reigning WWE Women’s Champion has not competed since then. This has forced WWE to adjust its plans for both the championship picture and the SmackDown women’s division.
Before being sidelined, Ripley had built strong momentum as champion. She captured the WWE Women’s Championship by defeating Jade Cargill at WrestleMania 42. She put a stamp on that heated rivalry by successfully retaining the title in their rematch at Clash in Italy. Those victories positioned her for another marquee title defense before the injury put her run on pause.
Whether the planned opponent would have been Bliss or Jayne remains unclear. Fightful Select reported that both names were under consideration before circumstances changed. Like any good wrestling storyline, the creative plans took an unexpected turn when injury entered the picture.
For now, Ripley’s return timeline remains uncertain. WWE’s original Night of Champions plans will stay firmly in the “what could have been” category until “The Eradicator” is cleared to step back inside the ring.
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