IYO SKY has shared her thoughts on Rhea Ripley’s absence from WWE television, offering a sympathetic assessment of the demanding schedule Ripley had been carrying before suffering a knee injury in June.

Ripley was the reigning WWE Women’s Champion when she was sidelined. There remains no announced timetable for her return, leaving the division without one of its most prominent competitors while she focuses on recovery. Before Ripley regained the title, she and SKY had regularly teamed together under the “RHIYO” name, giving SKY a close view of the workload Ripley was managing.

Speaking on Ringer Wrestling with David Shoemaker & Kazeem Famuyide, SKY said she has not been in frequent contact with Ripley during her time away. Still, she made clear that she understands why Ripley needs to step back and recover rather than rush herself back into action.

“I have not texted or had a phone call, we haven’t talked too much, but I totally understand what she’s doing and why she needed to take time because she was being too busy,” SKY said. “Way busier than me. She was all over the world. She had main events, championship matches, media interviews.”

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SKY’s comments highlight the level of responsibility that can accompany being positioned near the top of WWE’s women’s division. Main events, title matches, media obligations, and travel can all combine into an intense schedule, particularly for a champion who is regularly featured across WWE programming and promotional commitments.

For SKY, the signs of that workload were apparent when she and Ripley were working together. While she did not identify a specific moment or event that caused the injury, SKY said she had watched Ripley’s pace closely and had wondered if her partner was taking on too much.

“I was thinking about when we were RHIYO and she was crazy busy,” SKY said. “I was always watching her and sometimes I thought she was overworking.”

The remarks are not an attempt to establish a direct cause for Ripley’s knee injury. Rather, SKY framed them as the perspective of someone who saw how many demands Ripley was balancing at the time. She expressed sadness over the injury but also emphasized that recovery must take priority over a quick return.

“Now, she is injured and that makes me sad, but she needs to take the time she needs,” SKY said. “I know her personality; she will come back when she is much stronger than before.”

That final point may be especially notable given Ripley’s reputation as a highly driven performer. A lengthy absence can be frustrating for any wrestler, particularly someone who held the WWE Women’s Championship at the time she was forced out of action. But SKY’s view is that Ripley’s determination will be best served by allowing the recovery process to run its course.

RHIYO partnership gave SKY a close perspective

SKY and Ripley’s time as RHIYO created an opportunity for the two wrestlers to work alongside each other during a busy period. In wrestling, partnerships often reveal a different side of performers who are otherwise competing for individual accolades. Tagging together requires communication, shared preparation, and a familiarity with each other’s routines both in and around the ring.

SKY’s recollection that Ripley was “crazy busy” during that stretch gives context to why she is not surprised that Ripley has elected to take her recovery seriously. Her comments were supportive rather than speculative. She did not offer medical details, a projected return date, or any indication that Ripley is close to returning.

Instead, SKY’s message was simple: Ripley had been working at a relentless pace, the injury is unfortunate, and the appropriate response is to give her the space needed to heal. In an environment where major stars are often expected to remain visible and active, that is a meaningful endorsement of taking time away when it is necessary.

Ripley’s status remains a major point of interest for WWE because she was champion when the injury occurred. Her eventual return will naturally draw attention, but there is presently no official timetable attached to it. Until WWE provides further clarity, the focus remains on Ripley’s rehabilitation rather than any immediate plans for her return to the ring.

SKY also addresses recognition as one of wrestling’s best

Elsewhere in the conversation, SKY reacted to being described as the wrestler in the world. The recognition reflects the standing she has built through her work in WWE, where she continues to be viewed as one of the division’s most accomplished in-ring performers.

That portion of the discussion also provides useful context for SKY’s comments about Ripley. SKY is not speaking as a distant observer of the pressure attached to major WWE opportunities. She knows the demands of high-level matches, championship pursuits, travel, and sustained television exposure. Her reaction to Ripley’s situation comes from a performer who is familiar with the expectations placed on those operating at the highest level.

Both SKY and Ripley have been central figures within WWE’s women’s landscape, and their previous connection as RHIYO means SKY’s words carry an added degree of personal understanding. She acknowledged that the two have not spoken often during Ripley’s absence, but that has not changed her belief that Ripley is making the right decision by taking her time.

No return timeline announced for Ripley

For now, the most important fact remains unchanged: Ripley has been sidelined since June with a knee injury, and WWE has not set a public date for her return. SKY did not suggest otherwise. Her comments instead reinforce the idea that Ripley should be allowed to recover fully before attempting to resume the pace that made her one of WWE’s most heavily featured champions.

There is always anticipation surrounding the return of a champion-level talent, especially when that performer was forced away while holding a major title. Yet SKY’s remarks offer a reminder that a return is not just about appearing again. It is about coming back healthy enough to sustain the physical standards and demanding schedule associated with WWE competition.

SKY believes Ripley will do exactly that. She described her former partner as someone whose personality will drive her to return “much stronger than before,” while also stressing that strength should be built through patience during the recovery process.

Until further information emerges, Ripley’s absence continues to be felt across WWE. But from SKY’s perspective, the priority is clear: the former WWE Women’s Champion had been extremely busy, the injury is disappointing, and the time away is necessary for her to return on her own terms and at full strength.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.