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Backstage Update On WWE’s Decision To Not Strip Rhea Ripley Of Her Title

By Gaurav Singh • Published Jul 18, 2026 06:49 EDT
Rhea Ripley wwe
Rhea Ripley on SmackDown - Image Source: WWE.com

A latest report provided an update on why WWE didn’t strip Rhea Ripley of the Women’s title.

Rhea Ripley was leading the SmackDown women’s division as the WWE Women’s Champion since WrestleMania 42. However, Ripley has been out of action for weeks due to a knee injury, and there were reportedly talks of stripping her of the title, as she is not expected to be back in time for SummerSlam 2026.

Nevertheless, Rhea Ripley remains the WWE Women’s Champion despite not making it to SummerSlam. On SmackDown this week, the acting GM, Adam Pearce announced that an interim Women’s Champion will be crowned through a ladder match at SummerSlam. Therefore, Rhea will be the original champion whenever she returns to action from injury.

Update on Rhea Ripley not being stripped of the WWE Women’s Championship despite injury

According to the latest exclusive report by Sportskeeda Wrestling, WWE didn’t strip Rhea Ripley of the Women’s title because they were hopeful that Ripley would be back in time to defend her title at SummerSlam. However, her return wasn’t possible:

They were hoping that Rhea Ripley would be back for the title match at SummerSlam, but in the end, it was not possible. Till the last possible moment, they were hoping, but there was no way that she would be back in enough time to set up a title match.”

The report further added that there were talks of Jade Cargill winning the WWE Women’s title after taking it from Rhea Ripley, but the company went with something different:

There was talk of Jade winning the title directly before SummerSlam in a small tournament and stripping Rhea of it, but that discussion ended before it began. Stripping Rhea Ripley was the plan for a long time, but they decided to go with something different. “

The report concluded that WWE was aiming for a different outcome, and the interim champion is similar to how UFC does it and was done by the company with CM Punk back in 2011:

The real reason is that they wanted to try a different outcome. The interim title solution is a lot like what the UFC does, and that’s also where they got the idea for it, similar to when CM Punk “left” with the title after Money in the Bank back in the day.” [H/T Sportskeeda Wrestling]

Fans will have to wait and see who will become the interim WWE Women’s Champion by winning the ladder match at SummerSlam.