WWE Makes Major Announcement Regarding The WWE Women’s Champion

image © WWE

SmackDown’s acting GM Adam Pearce has just updated the status of WWE Womemn’s Champion Rhea Ripley and made a major announcement. Ripley will NOT be medically cleared to compete by SummerSlam.

Ripley’s injury and status have been kept under tight wraps for some time, with the hopes that whatever injury she suffered she’ll be rehabbed and ready for SummerSlam. We now know she suffered a right torn meniscus at the Clash in Italy PLE that was aggravated at a house show in Europe a few days later.

Just an hour before the start of SmackDown on July 17th, Adam Pearce made the announcement on WWE’s socials that, due to the sensitive nature of her injury, Ripley won’t be cleared by SummerSlam. Then, he announced the status of Ripley’s WWE Women’s Championship.

At the 2026 SummerSlam PLE, a new Interim WWE Women’s Champion will be crowned.

Starting tonight and until SummerSlam, five qualifying matches will take place to determine who will be in a Ladder Match at SummerSlam, with the winner being the new Interim WWE Women’s Champion. That champion will defend the championship until Ripley is able to compete again. Then, we will have an “Undisputed” WWE Women’s Championship Match between Rhea Ripley and the Interim WWE Women’s Champion at the time.

Here’s what Pearce had to say on WWE’s official “X” account:

“As many of you know, WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley has been spending the last several weeks recovering from a torn meniscus. Throughout her recovery she’s working tirelessly with WWE medical, and she’s close to returning. But, due to the tricky nature of the injury, it is my unfortunate duty to report that Rhea Ripley WILL NOT be able to compete at SummerSlam.”

“With her timetable uncertain, we have made the decision to crown an Interim WWE Women’s Champion. Beginning tonight and over the next two weeks, five women will have the opportunity to win their way into a Ladder Match at SummerSlam. The winner of the Ladder Match becomes the Interim WWE Women’s Champion. And when Rhea does return to competition, we find out who the one and only WWE Women’s Champion truly is.”

“And that… is official.”

video © WWE

We wish Rhea Ripley the best in her recovery and can’t wait for her official return to action.