Rhea Ripley Out of WWE Fastlane 2023: Return Timeline Discussed

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With the much-anticipated WWE Fastlane 2023 swiftly approaching, fans have noted the conspicuous absence of Rhea Ripley during the recent event build-ups. Some speculate that this might mean Ripley's missing the event entirely.

However, a closer look at recent developments hints otherwise. In a surprise return during the September 11, 2023 episode of WWE RAW, "The Irresistible Force" Nia Jax stunned fans by intervening in the bout between Raquel Rodriguez and Rhea Ripley.

After initially targeting Rodriguez, Jax swiftly redirected her aggression towards Ripley, a pivotal member of The Judgment Day. The aftermath saw both Rodriguez and Ripley disappear from the limelight, leading to speculations about injuries.

Contrary to circulating reports of a whiplash injury, sources reveal that Ripley had previously scheduled time off and is presently unwinding in Australia, her homeland. Adding to this, she was recently spotted with her fiancé and AEW sensation, Buddy Matthews, at a local rugby match.

Insiders believe that Ripley could be gearing up for her return, possibly around the October 2nd WWE RAW episode, making it the final episode preceding WWE Fastlane.

Judgment Day Dominates RAW

While Ripley, also known as The Eradicator, is off-air, the other members of The Judgment Day remain in full force.

The upcoming RAW is slated to feature Damian Priest and Finn Balor, defending their Undisputed Tag Team titles against the duo of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Simultaneously, Dominik Mysterio will square off against Dragon Lee, putting his NXT North American Championship on the line.

The question now buzzing in the WWE Universe is, "Could a face-off between Nia Jax and Rhea Ripley be in the cards?" Jax's recent assertive comeback has left a mark, and wrestling aficionado, Dutch Mantell, believes this might be more than a fleeting moment.

Speaking about the prospective match-up, Mantell said, "There's potential gold in a Rhea-Nia feud. Given the debut dynamics, it’s worth seeing where creative direction can steer this."