Rhea Ripley revealed details about her significant injury and the reasons she is postponing surgery despite ongoing discomfort. The WWE superstar suffered a third-grade AC joint sprain following a brutal backstage attack on the April 8, 2024, episode of WWE RAW, highlighting the challenges she has faced this year.
Details of the Injury and the Backstage Incident with Liv Morgan
The injury came as a result of a vicious backstage ambush by Liv Morgan during a long-standing rivalry that spanned nearly three years, from 2022 through 2025. During the April 8 incident, Morgan shoved Ripley into a wall, aggravating an already compromised shoulder.
Ripley described the painful encounter on Netflix’s WWE: Unreal, emphasizing the intensity and how it broke her character in the moment.
“I full on broke character as well in that scene. My collarbone and my shoulder blade got ripped apart. She had to kick me into the second wall, but my shoulder was already stuffed up. So, I’m, like, holding my arm. Liv gets on me and starts punching me in the shoulder, in the bad shoulder, and I was like, ‘Somebody please get her off me.'” —Rhea Ripley
After this incident, Ripley confirmed she has not undergone surgery for the AC joint sprain. Faced with the decision between surgery—which would have left her with a visible scar—or living with a lump on her shoulder, she opted for the latter to avoid the scar.
This injury forced her to relinquish the Women’s World Championship on the April 15 episode of RAW, bringing an end to her impressive 380-day title reign.
The Physical and Emotional Toll Throughout 2024
Ripley’s absence lasted about three months before she returned to WWE television on July 8, 2024, confronting Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio. Despite making it back to the ring, her return fell short of the triumphant comeback she had envisioned.
Her injuries took a severe toll not only on her body but also on her mental health, as she explained during an interview with Wild World of Sports.
“When you get injured, you learn a lot about yourself and 2024 was not very kind to me, I did a grade three AC sprain and then finally came back from that, which was so tough, not being able to do things that I love like going to the gym or holding my dogs. It definitely was a mental struggle and also a physical struggle – training legs every single day was terrible, but I finally came back and I got to go for my world championship again and try and grab that back – but then I broke my orbital bone (eye socket). It was just injuries flying left and right, but I learned a lot about myself in that I can pretty much overcome whatever is in my way and that’s such a strong thing to realise.” —Rhea Ripley
During this difficult period, Ripley faced repeated setbacks, including breaking her orbital bone shortly after returning. She expressed how 2024 has been filled with relentless physical challenges and mental obstacles, yet reinforced her resilience and determination to overcome them.
Upcoming Appearance and the Road Ahead
Despite these setbacks, Ripley is scheduled to compete in a high-stakes three-way match at WWE SummerSlam, aiming to reclaim the Women’s World Championship. She will face the current champion Naomi and Iyo Sky, making this championship bout one of the event’s most anticipated matches.
The match at SummerSlam will be a critical moment for Ripley to demonstrate her recovery and competitiveness after battling serious injuries and emotional trials throughout the year. Fans and analysts alike are watching closely to see how she performs amid these circumstances.
