Rhea Ripley Injury Update
WWE Women's Champion Rhea Ripley Evaluated For Knee Injury Suffered During Clash in Italy
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Key Points
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WWE Clash in Italy was the promotion’s first-ever Premium Live Event in Italy, and Ripley’s title defense included interference from Charlotte Flair—Flair took out B-Fab and Michin so Ripley could beat Jade Cargill inside the ring.
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Before WWE’s official update, Ripley had already drawn attention on the European leg: she appeared on last week’s SmackDown wearing a knee brace and told fans she was “a little banged up” after Clash in Italy.
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Ripley continued to work the European tour after Clash in Italy—fans noticed she was taped/banding her leg, and on tour she teamed with Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair to defeat Fatal Influence.
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Ahead of the injury announcement, a knee-related absence was visible on SmackDown: Ripley participated in a segment with Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill but did not compete, and later Jade Cargill teamed with Michin to defeat Charlotte and Stratton.
WWE Women's Champion Rhea Ripley is undergoing a formal medical evaluation after suffering a knee injury at Clash in Italy on May 30, the promotion confirmed on the June 12 edition of SmackDown Fightful. WWE has not set a return timeline, saying it depends on how she responds to treatment. Ripley retains the title for now, but her status is described as indefinite.
The injury has raised urgent questions about the SmackDown Women's Division heading into the summer. Charlotte Flair and Jade Cargill are both positioned as top contenders, and SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis warned the division "will not be held hostage by an injury" Cage Side Seats.
A Knee Injury That Kept Getting Worse
The injury appears to have happened during a high-impact sequence in Ripley's title defense against Jade Cargill at Clash in Italy WWE. Ripley retained the belt with help from Charlotte Flair, who took out B-Fab and Michin outside the ring. The sell-out crowd of 11,500 at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan saw nothing unusual — but backstage, concerns were already forming.
Over the next two weeks, the signs became harder to ignore. Fan footage from the European tour showed Ripley wearing heavy tape and a compression sleeve on her right knee ITR Wrestling. She competed alongside Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton in six-woman tag matches against Fatal Influence, but observers noted she appeared to avoid heavy physical contact. By June 8, she was pulled from the final two tour dates for imaging, according to reports.
Ripley Admits She's 'Banged Up' But Won't Back Down
Ripley addressed the situation publicly on June 5 SmackDown, appearing on screen wearing a visible medical-grade knee brace. She told cameras she was "a little banged up" after Italy but insisted the title was not going anywhere. She did not compete in any physical segments that night TWSN.
Even as WWE made the official announcement on June 12, Ripley kept her defiant tone. Charlotte Flair, meanwhile, sent a pointed message of her own in a digital exclusive: "I didn't help Rhea keep that title just so she could hand it over to a doctor. She better heal fast, or I'll be the one taking it from her." Jade Cargill was equally blunt, posting on X: "A champion who can't walk can't lead."
This Has Happened to Ripley Before
The situation echoes a painful chapter from 2024. Shortly after WrestleMania XL, Ripley was forced to relinquish the Women's World Championship due to a shoulder injury. She missed months of action before returning to reclaim top-card status. That history makes the current evaluation carry extra weight — both for fans and for WWE's creative team ITR Wrestling.
Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer noted that WWE's booking in recent weeks appeared designed to protect Ripley. Charlotte Flair handled more of the physical workload in matches while Ripley was positioned to minimize contact. That strategy may have bought time, but the June 12 broadcast confirmed it was no longer enough to mask the problem Fightful.
What WWE Could Do If Ripley Can't Compete
WWE has not stripped Ripley of the title, but contingency plans are reportedly in play. If she misses more than 90 days, the company could hold a SmackDown tournament or battle royal to crown a new champion. Charlotte Flair and Jade Cargill are the obvious candidates. NXT call-ups like Giulia and Roxanne Perez have also been floated as potential additions to the title picture Fightful.
The June 12 SmackDown drew 2.1 million viewers — up 5% from the prior week — driven largely by interest in the injury update, according to Nielsen data Cage Side Seats. That number shows how much Ripley still matters to the show's ratings, even sidelined. WWE will be eager to resolve the situation before SummerSlam in August, when the women's division is expected to be a major focus.
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