On the recent WWE SmackDown episode, Rhea Ripley emerged victorious but sustained a significant black eye during her match against Giulia. The event took place on Friday night, and Ripley shared a close-up of the injury on her Instagram Stories the following day, highlighting the visible bruise.
Originally, WWE had scheduled the WWE Women’s United States Champion to face IYO SKY in a non-title match. However, Ripley stepped in as a last-minute replacement for her tag team partner to compete against Giulia, which led to the injury.
Match Details and Rising Tensions in the Women’s Division
Despite the evident damage to Ripley’s face, she secured a win via disqualification after Lash Legend interfered, attacking Ripley and escalating tensions between the wrestlers. Ripley and IYO SKY currently hold the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships and are preparing to defend their titles against Lash Legend and Nia Jax, who have branded themselves The Irresistible Forces.
The highly anticipated tag team championship defense is scheduled for the upcoming Friday’s edition of SmackDown, set to take place at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. SmackDown airs live on the USA Network across the United States and is available for international streaming on Netflix.
Significance of the Upcoming WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match
This contested match represents the ongoing struggle for dominance within WWE’s women’s division, with Ripley and SKY aiming to retain their championship against the aggressive challengers, Lash Legend and Nia Jax. The recent altercation and resulting injury emphasize the stakes and physical intensity these competitors face.
The developing rivalry adds intrigue to WWE programming and sets the stage for viewers eager to witness how Ripley will perform while recovering from the injury sustained during the match against Giulia.
Rhea Ripley shows off a black eye from her match against Giulia on WWE SmackDown. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/30UD395p2K
— Jay (@thejayxcruz) February 22, 2026
Rhea Ripley shows off a black eye from her match against Giulia on WWE SmackDown. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/30UD395p2K
— Jay (@thejayxcruz) February 22, 2026
