WWE fans were left speechless this past week on “WWE Raw” when former Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley made a dramatic return, interrupting the budding affair between Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio. Ripley, sidelined since April due to an injury inflicted by Morgan, had to vacate her championship, which Morgan subsequently claimed. But now, the Nightmare is back, and she’s ready for revenge!
The surprise return was not only a shock to fans but also to many within WWE. According to PWInsider Elite, WWE went to great lengths to keep Ripley’s comeback under wraps. Ripley was hidden away from the rest of the roster throughout the show and was only brought to the gorilla position moments before her music hit. To avoid detection, WWE even flew Ripley to Ottawa, Ontario, on the corporate jet, a tactic previously used to keep CM Punk’s Money in the Bank appearance a secret.
During her hiatus, Ripley also had significant personal milestones, most notably marrying her longtime fiancée, AEW star Buddy Matthews, in Australia in June. Matthews was written off AEW television to attend the wedding. Now back in WWE and with SummerSlam looming, Ripley is on a collision course with Morgan, aiming to reclaim her title and her Dom.