Update On The Injury Status And Expected Return Of WWE Star Rhea Ripley

Unfortunately, Rhea Ripley had to step back from wrestling for a bit and give up the WWE Women's World Championship after a 360-day reign, due to an injury right after WrestleMania 40. According to the "Wrestling Observer Newsletter," Ripley has opted out of surgery for her shoulder, and is instead rehabbing it. This likely explains why Ripley has been frequently posting on Instagram, simply going about her time with fiancé Buddy Matthews, and others. It's noted that at this stage, her in-ring return will likely not coincide with SummerSlam, so fans should not expect to see her at the PLE. 

However, WON were told that if her recovery beats expectations, or if the storyline with Domminik Mysterio and Liv Morgan requires it, Ripley will still be able to make some kind of appearance at SummerSlam. However, if her rehab doesn't allow her shoulder to heal enough, Ripley will have to get surgery.

In Ripley's absence, Morgan has captured the WWE Women's World Championship, and has begun toying with Mysterio as well. According to the champion, all of this has been payback for Ripley attacking her months ago. Morgan recently began trolling Ripley and Mysterio on social media as well, tagging the two of them in a fanmade clip that highlighted her actions against the pair. These actions will likely lead to a roaring return for Ripley and a lot of bad blood to deal with, but based on this report, fans might unfortunately have to wait a long time to see any retribution for Ripley.