Making waves in the industry, Rhea Ripley speaks out | Credit: WWE
WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley has shared a positive update on her recovery as she continues working her way back from a knee health concern.
Speaking at Power Slap on Friday night, Ripley confirmed that she suffered a slight meniscus tear during WWE’s tour of Italy earlier this spring. “I hurt my knee. It’s getting there, it’s getting stronger.” Equally important, i got a slight tear in my meniscus, so it’s just healing.
She admitted, be that as it may, that her range of motion remains limited. “I just can’t bend it incredibly well, so I kind of need it to bend, guys.”
When asked about a potential reappearance timeline ahead of SummerSlam 2026, Ripley explained that it’s difficult to predict due to the location of the injury. “I don’t know. I tore it in a really weird spot, so it’s kind of a little bit up in the air as far as how fast my body recovers.”
“I’ve been out for just over a month now. It's worth noting that i think it’s been a month and one week.”
Ripley admitted she still isn’t back to full strength, although she’s making progress. “It feels better. It still starts to hurt and throb, and it gets tired.”
“I can’t really get up or bend down. I can kind of move side to side while crouching, on the flip side it just gets stuck. So we’ll see how it goes.”
Ripley’s status for SummerSlam 2026 remains uncertain as she continues her rehabilitation.