WWE star Rhea Ripley recently announced that she had knee surgery. Ripley is a prominent figure in WWE, currently holding the women’s championship on the SmackDown brand.

She shared the news on Instagram, stating, “Life update. 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.” Ripley expressed her determination to recover and return to the ring, saying, “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 has been absent from “Friday Night SmackDown” since June 5. Reports mentioned an injury, but details were not clear until now. Her absence coincided with missing major events like Night of Champions and SummerSlam.

In Ripley’s absence, WWE crowned an interim women’s champion. Chelsea Green secured the title by winning a ladder match against Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, Lash Legend, and Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam. Green’s victory marked her first world title reign.

Fans are eager for Ripley to recover and face Green, potentially unifying the title. This matchup is highly anticipated among wrestling enthusiasts.