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Rhea Ripley’s return to WWE could still be several months away. “The Eradicator” is currently recovering from knee surgery, and a new report has revealed when WWE hopes to see her back in the ring.
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According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE’s current hope is for Ripley to be medically cleared in time for the Royal Rumble. The 2027 event is scheduled to take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Mami underwent surgery to repair a severe meniscus tear in her right knee. She initially attempted to rehabilitate the injury without surgery in the hope of returning in time for SummerSlam, but ultimately needed the procedure.
The injury occurred on May 31 at Clash in Italy during Ripley’s WWE Women’s Championship defense against Jade Cargill. Despite suffering the tear during the match, “The Nightmare” continued and defeated “The Storm” to retain her title.
Ripley even wrestled through the injury during two six-woman tag team house shows on WWE’s European tour in early June. However, the severity of the injury eventually forced her to step away from the ring.
With a standard recovery period for the procedure expected to keep her sidelined for the remainder of 2026, the Royal Rumble could become an important target for Ripley’s comeback.
Rhea Ripley’s Absence Changed the Women’s Title Picture
“The Eradicator’s” injury left WWE with a problem heading into one of its biggest events of the summer. With the champion unable to defend her title at SummerSlam, the company needed a way to keep the SmackDown women’s division moving without leaving the championship picture on hold.
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WWE opted to introduce an interim Women’s World Championship. The title was decided through a five-woman ladder match at SummerSlam featuring Chelsea Green, Charlotte Flair, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, and Lash Legend.
The match gave several of the division’s top stars an opportunity to step into the spotlight, while also creating a temporary solution for the championship situation during Ripley’s recovery.
Green ultimately took advantage of the chaos. After the other competitors were taken out of position, she climbed the ladder and pulled down the championship to become the interim Women’s World Champion.
CHELSEA GREEN IS THE CHAMP @ImChelseaGreen is the NEW Interim WWE Women’s Champion! #SummerSlampic.twitter.com/gLucgGMmY0
— WWE (@WWE) August 2, 2026
With Ripley out of action for the rest of the year, it will be interesting to see what is next for “The Hot Mess” in the Stamford-based promotion.
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This story was originally published August 11, 2026 at 10:41 AM.