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WWE to Crown Interim Women’s Champion in SummerSlam Ladder Match After Ripley Injury

The company is pausing Ripley’s title defenses to protect her recovery and to create a path for a fall unification match.

Rhea Ripley delivers a noogie to Kiana James during the WWE Road to WrestleMania show, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in United Supermarkets Arena at Lubbock.
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Overview

  • WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley is sidelined with a meniscus injury and will not defend the belt while she rehabs.
  • The company created a five-person Ladder match at SummerSlam to determine an Interim WWE Women’s Champion and is holding qualifying matches on Raw and SmackDown.
  • Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill are confirmed entrants in the ladder match and three more participants will be decided in upcoming qualifiers.
  • Several planned singles bouts, including the promoted Jade Cargill vs. Charlotte Flair match and a proposed Tiffany Stratton vs. Blake Monroe hometown defense, were folded into or removed because of Ripley’s absence.
  • The change drew fan criticism over lost booking opportunities and underused women’s titles, while WWE hopes Ripley will return by the fall to unify the interim and official championships.