Rhea Ripley’s status has become a topic of concern after WWE revealed that the reigning WWE Women’s Champion is currently undergoing evaluation for a knee injury.

The update was shared during Friday night’s edition of SmackDown, where Wade Barrett informed viewers that Ripley sustained a knee issue while WWE was touring Italy. At this stage, the extent of the injury remains unknown, with the company awaiting further medical assessment before providing any additional details.

Despite the setback, Ripley recently competed at Clash in Italy, successfully defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Jade Cargill. During the match, Ripley appeared to perform at a high level and ultimately retained her title, showing few obvious signs that she was dealing with an injury.

Fans had previously noticed Ripley wearing a bandage on her leg during several stops on WWE’s European tour, leading to speculation that she may have been working through a physical issue. However, it remains unclear whether the injury occurred during a match or away from the ring.

For now, there has been no indication that Ripley will be forced to relinquish the WWE Women’s Championship. While that could be viewed as an encouraging sign regarding the severity of the injury, WWE has yet to release any official diagnosis. More information is expected once the evaluation process is complete.