Bianca Belair is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair a finger injury that has kept her away from WWE action for nearly a year. The former WWE Women’s Champion confirmed the upcoming procedure on Instagram, revealing it comes almost 12 months after the injury that occurred during WrestleMania 41.
Belair has not competed since April 2025, when an unexpected incident in her Triple Threat contest against Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY dramatically altered her career trajectory. What initially appeared to be a minor injury evolved into a serious issue requiring extended medical attention.
Details of the Career-Altering Injury
During the intense championship match, Rhea Ripley fell directly onto Belair’s hand while executing a top-rope move. The force of the landing crushed multiple bones in Belair’s finger, causing complications that were hard to diagnose at first.
Rhea landed straight on my hand and just crushed everything in my finger
Belair shared this in an interview last November, clarifying that the injury was far more severe than a typical fracture.
The damage involved three separate breaks in her knuckle joint, making the healing process significantly more difficult. What was expected to be an 8-12 week recovery extended into a nearly year-long struggle. Belair explained the severity, stating:
So I broke my knuckle — which is not my finger — I broke my knuckle joint. It’s something that I thought was gonna be very straightforward, eight to 12 weeks. It’s been almost six months at this point.
Since the injury, Belair has made only one WWE appearance, serving as a special guest referee during the Evolution event in the summer of 2025.
Current Treatment and Path Forward
The decision to move forward with surgery has sparked questions among WWE fans about what this means for Belair’s return, especially with WrestleMania 42 on the horizon. It remains uncertain whether the surgery represents the final step in her recovery or if it could cause further delays.
Following months of non-invasive treatments aimed at natural healing, WWE’s medical team and Belair have opted for a surgical approach, indicating that conservative methods were insufficient to resolve the injury completely.
Belair’s absence has left a noticeable gap in WWE’s women’s division, where she held a prominent role as a champion and key competitor. The surgery marks a significant moment in her rehabilitation, offering hope for a full recovery but with an unclear timetable for when she might compete again.
Fans and the wrestling community await updates as Belair embarks on this crucial phase of healing, eager to see one of WWE’s top female stars return to the ring.
