Summary

Rhea Ripley says WWE still feels different without Bianca Belair on the roster, as Belair continues recovering from the finger injury she suffered at WrestleMania 41.

Belair has been out for nearly a year after the injury happened in the triple threat match with Ripley and IYO SKY. Speaking in a new interview, Ripley said Belair's absence has been felt across the company and made clear she is hoping to see her back when the recovery is complete.

Ripley has remained part of the conversation around the women's division in recent months, including when she denied a viral claim linking her weight loss to back pain.

Quote from Rhea Ripley

Ripley said Belair's value to WWE becomes obvious when she is not around.

"Yeah, she is [a great contribution to the roster]. It's not the same. It's honestly not the same without Bianca there. I miss her, I hope that she comes back soon but at the same time, I also hope she's living her best life not having to go to work for a little bit. She's busted her ass for so long, they've literally made her do so much and work so much, she deserves the time off. I wish it was under better circumstances, because that finger be looking nasty. Like, it's shocked me that's she's been out for nearly a year from a finger injury, something that seems so small but something that is so big. I've seen the photos, she sent me the photos. They're pretty gnarly looking. I really hope that she comes back soon. I really do, but that finger is so fat. It's so swollen. She's doing rehab every single day and I'm looking forward to the day that she does come back, but I don't know how long that's going to be."

What Bianca Belair's absence means for WWE

Ripley's comments underline how much Belair still matters to WWE's women's division even while she is sidelined. Belair has been presented as one of the division's foundational stars for years, so a full year away naturally changes the depth and balance at the top of the card.

The other piece here is the unfinished business from WrestleMania 41. Because Belair's injury happened in a match involving Ripley and IYO SKY, her eventual return would immediately give WWE a ready-made thread to revisit if the company wants to plug her back into a major singles or multi-woman program.

Sources

Rhea Ripley while speaking with Shakiel Mahjouri