Just days after capturing the Interim WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam 2026, Chelsea Green is dealing with an injury that could impact her immediate future.
According to reports from Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer, Green was injured during Friday night’s episode of WWE SmackDown in Philadelphia. The new champion later confirmed the news herself in a video posted to Instagram, revealing that she suffered a fractured orbital bone.
Chelsea Green Confirms Injury
In the video, Green addressed her condition and explained that she was taken to the emergency room following the incident.
“I did get injured last Friday night,” Green said. “Stuff happens. It’s live television. It’s wrestling. It’s an occupational hazard. I ended up in the emergency room and I have a broken orbital bone.”
Despite the severity of the injury, Green noted that the visible damage could have been much worse.
“It looks amazing, all things considered; it feels awful, but looks pretty amazing.”
The Interim Women’s Champion admitted she is unsure what the injury means for her short-term future in WWE.
“I have no idea what that means for me. Usually, you guys have seen me play into every single injury, but this feels different. It feels frustrating. I’m upset. I feel like if I didn’t have bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.”
Green added that she plans to focus on healing before making any decisions about her return.
“We’re just going to take it day by day.”
Injury Comes Days After SummerSlam Championship Victory
The injury comes at a difficult time for Green, who recently won the Interim WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.
Green emerged victorious in a chaotic Ladder Match that also featured Charlotte Flair, Jade Cargill, Lash Legend, and Tiffany Stratton. The victory gave her the interim championship while reigning WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley remains sidelined.
Green appeared on SmackDown intending to celebrate her championship win but instead found herself back in action. She teamed with Tiffany Stratton in a Women’s Tag Team Championship match against Fatal Influence, with Green ultimately taking the loss for her team.
At this time, WWE has not confirmed exactly when Green suffered the injury during the match.
Women’s Division Dealing With Multiple Injuries
Green’s injury is the latest setback to affect WWE’s women’s division.
Last week, Rhea Ripley revealed that she underwent knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus after initially attempting to avoid surgery. Ripley is expected to miss several months of action, which led to WWE creating the Interim Women’s Championship.
Reports indicate WWE officials are hopeful that Ripley could return in time for the Royal Rumble 2027 event in Arizona.
Meanwhile, Green’s status remains uncertain as she awaits further evaluation and recovery from the fractured orbital bone. WWE has not announced whether the injury will affect her reign as Interim Women’s Champion.
WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley has shared a significant update on her injury status, revealing that she recently underwent knee surgery after attempting to avoid the procedure.
Ripley, who has been sidelined with a knee injury in recent weeks, previously disclosed that she suffered a slight meniscus tear. Now, the reigning champion has confirmed that surgery ultimately became necessary as she begins the road to recovery.
Rhea Ripley Shares Surgery Update
Taking to Instagram, Ripley opened up about the decision to undergo surgery and reflected on the physical toll that years of wrestling and athletics have taken on her body.
“Life update. After just under 14 years in wrestling and doing sports my entire life… It’s caught up to me. Surgery was never a first option for me, but it got to the point that it was needed… First one down… Hopefully no more…”
Despite the setback, Ripley remained optimistic about her recovery and eventual return to the ring.
“I’ve survived, now it’s time to start thriving again so I can get back to what I love to do! See you all down the road.”
Interim Champion Crowned At SummerSlam
With Ripley unable to compete, WWE moved to address the Women’s Championship picture at SummerSlam 2026.
A five-woman Ladder Match was held to determine an Interim WWE Women’s Champion, with Charlotte Flair, Chelsea Green, Jade Cargill, Lash Legend, and Tiffany Stratton competing for the opportunity.
Chelsea Green ultimately emerged victorious, climbing the ladder and retrieving the championship to become the new Interim WWE Women’s Champion.
No Return Timeline Announced
At this time, WWE has not announced how long Ripley is expected to be out of action following the surgery.
The injury temporarily halts another strong run for Ripley, who has remained one of WWE’s top stars and a centerpiece of the women’s division.
For now, Ripley’s focus shifts to rehabilitation as she works toward returning to the ring and reclaiming her place atop the Women’s Championship picture.
A major championship opportunity is set to be decided through a unique crossover tournament involving talent from WWE and AAA.
During the August 3 episode of WWE Raw, Rey Mysterio was seen speaking with WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns backstage. While the conversation was not explained on television, Mysterio has now revealed what the two were discussing — and it could have major implications for the World Heavyweight Championship picture.
Roman Reigns To Defend Title In Mexico City
In a video shared through WWE’s official social media channels, Mysterio announced that Reigns will defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the September 14 episode of Raw, which will air live from Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City.
According to Mysterio, he promised Reigns that he would find a worthy challenger for the championship match. The WWE Hall of Famer also noted that Reigns understands the significance of lucha libre within Mexican culture and was willing to embrace the opportunity.
WWE And AAA Stars To Compete In Tournament
To determine Reigns’ challenger, WWE will hold a tournament featuring luchadors from Raw, SmackDown, and AAA.
Mysterio stated that the tournament will begin on the August 10 edition of Raw, though additional details regarding the format have not yet been revealed.
At this time, WWE has not announced:
How many competitors will participate
Which WWE and AAA stars will be involved
When the tournament finals will take place
More information is expected to be released in the coming weeks.
Busy September Ahead For AAA
The announcement comes as AAA prepares for one of the biggest months on its calendar.
The promotion’s annual TripleMania event is scheduled to take place across two nights on September 11 and September 13. The first event was recently moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas after reportedly generating stronger-than-expected ticket demand.
The second night of TripleMania will be held at Arena Ciudad de Mexico, the same venue that will host Raw and Roman Reigns’ title defense the following evening.
Later in the month, WWE and AAA are also scheduled to present Worlds Collide on September 26 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago.
With a World Heavyweight Championship match now set for Mexico City and talent from both WWE and AAA competing for the opportunity, the upcoming tournament could become one of the most closely watched storylines heading into September.
Lola Vice’s time in WWE NXT may have officially come to an end.
During Tuesday night’s episode of NXT, Vice saw her undefeated streak in Underground Matches come to a halt when she was unsuccessful in her challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship against Kendal Grey. However, it was what happened after the show went off the air that has many believing Vice is headed to WWE’s main roster.
Lola Vice Addresses NXT Crowd
Following the conclusion of the broadcast, Vice spoke to fans in attendance and appeared to bid farewell to the NXT brand.
The former NXT Women’s Champion was joined by her real-life boyfriend, Damian Priest, as she reflected on her four-year journey in WWE’s developmental system.
“I came here four years ago. I took a leap of faith, sometimes, I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t sure if this was for me. I struggled a lot, but if there’s one thing I did is I always believed in myself. And all of you, every single Tuesday inspired me to keep going and represent Los Latinos … so, I just want to say thank you everybody and forever we are NXT.”
The emotional speech was met with a strong response from the crowd, further fueling speculation that Vice’s run in NXT has come to an end.
SmackDown Move Expected
According to a report from F4WOnline, Vice is expected to join Priest on WWE SmackDown following her departure from NXT.
The report also noted that she is likely to remain involved with AAA, where she has made appearances throughout the year while balancing commitments between the Mexican promotion and WWE.
Successful Run In NXT
Vice spent four years as part of WWE’s developmental brand and gradually established herself as one of the division’s featured stars.
While championship success proved elusive for much of her NXT tenure, she captured the NXT Women’s Championship earlier this year at Stand & Deliver, defeating Kendal Grey and Jacy Jayne in a triple threat match.
Outside of WWE, Vice also found championship success in AAA, where she held the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship alongside Mr. Iguana. Their reign came to an end last month when they lost the titles to La Hiedra and Laredo Kid.
Although WWE has not officially announced a main roster call-up, Vice’s farewell comments and recent reports strongly suggest that the next chapter of her WWE career could be taking place on Friday nights.
The professional wrestling world is mourning the loss of one of its most respected legends.
According to the Ocala Gazette, WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk Jr. passed away on Tuesday at the age of 85. The report cited Funk’s wife, Marti Funk, who stated that her husband died while under hospice care.
News of Funk’s passing quickly led to tributes from across the wrestling industry, with fellow wrestlers, organizations, and fans honoring his remarkable career and lasting influence on the business.
Wrestling World Pays Tribute
The Cauliflower Alley Club was among the first organizations to publicly honor Funk, sharing a memorial graphic on social media and remembering him as:
“A champion, a teacher, a gentleman, and an ambassador for our great sport.”
The CAC mourns the passing of one of professional wrestling’s true legends, Dory Funk Jr.
A champion, a teacher, a gentleman, and an ambassador for our great sport, Dory Funk Jr. leaves behind a legacy that will forever be remembered by wrestlers and fans around the world. pic.twitter.com/8ryT4Wn70b
WWE Hall of Famer Brian Blair also paid tribute on social media, sharing memories of his longtime friend and reflecting on Funk’s impact on professional wrestling.
It’s hard to find the right words to say goodbye to a man who became a mentor, a leader, and a dear friend, Dory Funk Jr. My love for him started all the way back as a kid at the Bayfront Center, booing him as the ultimate heel while he took on my hero Jack Brisco. He was an… pic.twitter.com/2kClxA4Yxb
Dory Funk Jr. began his wrestling career in 1963, working for his father Dory Funk Sr.’s Western States Sports promotion.
Over the following decades, Funk built a reputation as one of the sport’s premier technical wrestlers, competing throughout the United States and internationally. His success in Japan helped establish him as one of the most respected performers of his era.
One of the defining accomplishments of his career came in February 1969 when he captured the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Funk held the title for more than four years, making him the second-longest reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion behind only Lou Thesz.
Success Around The World
Throughout his career, Funk competed for numerous major promotions, including:
All Japan Pro Wrestling
ECW
WCW
WWF/WWE
WWC
His relationship with All Japan Pro Wrestling was particularly notable, with multiple runs for the promotion spanning from the 1970s through the 2010s.
Although he officially retired in 2017, Funk continued making occasional appearances. His final match took place in August 2024 when he teamed with Osamu Nishimura in a victory.
Teacher And Mentor To Generations
Beyond his accomplishments inside the ring, Funk was widely respected for his work training future wrestlers.
In later years, he operated the Funking Conservatory in Ocala, Florida, where he helped develop aspiring talent and passed along decades of wrestling knowledge to the next generation.
Funk’s death comes less than three years after the passing of his younger brother, wrestling icon Terry Funk, who died on August 23, 2023.
Memorial Service Planned
According to the Ocala Gazette, a private service will be held for family members in the coming days.
A public memorial service honoring Dory Funk Jr.’s life and legacy is planned for Thanksgiving Day, with additional details expected to be announced at a later date.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Dory Funk Jr. leaves behind a legacy that spans generations and helped shape professional wrestling around the world.
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