Rhea Ripley reveals knee surgery after missing two months of SmackDown

WWE star Rhea Ripley announced Thursday she underwent surgery on her right knee.

Ripley is the reigning WWE women’s champion and one of the top stars on the “SmackDown” brand.

Rhea Ripley prepares to deliver a move during the “WWE Road to WrestleMania” show eb. 14, 2026, at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)

“Life update,” she wrote on Instagram. “After just under 14 (years) in wrestling and doing sports my entire life… It’s caught up to me. Surgery was never a first option for me, but it got to the point that it was needed…

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“First one down…Hopefully no more… I’ve survived, now it’s time to start thriving again so I can get back to what I love to do! See you all down the road”

Ripley hasn’t appeared on “Friday Night SmackDown” since June 5. Reports indicated she suffered an injury but it was unclear what the injury was and how long she’d be out.

Rhea Ripley faces Becky Lynch in a Women’s World Championship match during WrestleMania XL at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia April 6, 2024. (USA Today Sports via Reuters Con)

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It’s been two months, and Ripley missed out on Night of Champions and SummerSlam.

WWE crowned an interim women’s champion at SummerSlam over the weekend.

Chelsea Green outlasted Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, Lash Legend and Charlotte Flair in a ladder match to win the Interim WWE Women’s Championship. It’s her first world title reign, and she will seemingly be on top of the women’s division for the foreseeable future.

WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley stands in the ring during “Friday Night SmackDown” at Olimpic Arena in Barcelona, Spain, on May 29, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

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Ripley getting healthy and unifying the title against Green would be a matchup most pro wrestling fans would want to see.