When will Rhea Ripley return to WWE? Injury timeline explained

It’s a rough time for fan-favorite WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley at the moment, stripped of her Women’s World title and forced to sit on the sidelines. We’ve got the details on how long Rhea Ripley’s injury will keep her out of action and when she might return to the WWE.

Rhea Ripley goes by many names; Mami, The Eradicator, and until recently, the WWE Women’s World Champion. Shortly after a captivating title defense at WrestleMania 40, she had to relinquish it on the April 15 episode of Raw due to injury.

Going from the top of the WWE’s women’s division after a 380-day reign to the injured reserves list hasn’t sat well with Ripley on screen. The fans are still with her however and the announcement was followed by a public outpouring of support for The Eradicator, with ‘Thank you Mami’ trending on X.

The title has a new holder in Becky Lynch following a Battle Royal on the most recent episode of Raw. So, how long will Rhea Ripley’s injury keep her away from the WWE and when will she return to claim that title back?

How was Rhea Ripley injured?

Rhea Ripley suffered an injury to the AC joint in her shoulder during a backstage brawl with Liv Morgan on the April 8 episode of Raw. The injury occurred when she was thrown into a wall and wasn’t able to protect her shoulder properly.

Insider reporting from Wrestling Observer Live called the injury a “total fluke”, and not something intended by the WWE at all. Despite this, there has been some talk that it’s not actually her shoulder that is injured.

In the weeks following the Elimination Chamber PLE, Ripley had been seen wearing a wrist brace in podcast interviews. This has led fans to speculate that a pre-existing wrist injury, which she performed with during WrestleMania 40, is the true source of her vacation.

Initial theories that the shoulder injury was for storyline purposes were due to Liv Morgan having previously injured her own shoulder in a scuffle with Mami. While it’s possible that this is being used to build what WWE is calling the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour while Rhea is off for the wrist, all official reports say that Ripley’s shoulder injury is legitimate.

Recovery time for Rhea Ripley’s injury

Reports from Wrestling Observer estimate that it will be 4-6 weeks until Ripley regains mobility and three months before she’s cleared to perform. Of course, there’s no official word from the WWE, who will likely offer a more concrete timeline in the future.

With the information available so far, this means Rhea Ripley could return as early as Money in the Bank in July. Though given that PLE occurs so early in the month, the better bet is Summerslam in August.

How will WWE handle Rhea Ripley’s return?

The current feeling among the online community of wrestling fans is that the WWE will want to strap that belt back on Rhea Ripley as soon as possible. They’ve put a lot of work into building her up as a dominant force on the women’s roster with victories against icons like Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, as well as powerhouses like Nia Jax.

The easiest way to do that would be to have her win the Money in the Bank ladder match but it’s uncertain that she’ll be clear in time. It does seem risky to put her in such a dangerous match while fresh off an injury too. Three months is also a long time in professional wrestling and whoever’s holding the belt when she gets back may be too over to immediately drop it.

The long play appears to be a feud with Liv Morgan based on their back-and-forth on social media and an on-screen faceoff as Rhea left. Liv promised to “take everything” from The Eradicator and a staredown between her and Dirty Dominik Mysterio has fans theorizing that part of that ‘everything’ is Mami’s man.

The best idea we’ve heard so far is a second ‘Custody of Dominik’ ladder match. There may be some logistic issues around suspending custodial legal documents over the ring given that he’s a grown-up now. Perhaps they can dangle Dom himself in the air while Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley duke it out underneath.