5 WWE Women’s Champions Injured While Holding The Title

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With that in mind, here are five WWE Women’s Champions who suffered injuries while they were the champ.

#5. Kendal Grey survived a brutal injury against Lola Vice

Kendal Grey’s situation is slightly different because she did not relinquish the WWE NXT Women’s Championship, but paid a physical price for retaining it.

On August 4, Grey defended the NXT Women’s Championship against Lola Vice in an NXT Underground match. The stipulation was particularly dangerous because there were no traditional ropes, and the match could only end via knockout or submission.

The match quickly became a physical war. At one point, Vice caught Grey’s leg, sending her crashing into the steel steps. Grey suffered a nasty injury to her ear and was visibly bleeding, but continued fighting.

Grey eventually survived Vice’s attacks and retained the NXT Women’s Championship, demonstrating the toughness that the company often associates with its top champions. Further, her victory brought an intriguing conclusion to what had become a heated rivalry between Grey and Vice.

#4. Naomi was forced to relinquish the SmackDown Women’s Championship

Now, this story of Naomi’s injury goes back almost a decade. In 2017, Naomi captured the SmackDown Women’s Championship at Elimination Chamber. Unfortunately, her reign lasted only nine days before an injury forced her to relinquish the title.

WWE confirmed that Naomi was dealing with a knee injury and would be unable to defend the championship within the required 30-day period. As a result, she had no choice but to surrender the title.

The timing of the injury was especially heartbreaking; Naomi had finally reached the top of SmackDown’s women’s division, only for an injury to abruptly end her reign. This was long before Naomi’s decision to relinquish her championship last year because of her pregnancy, making the 2017 incident an important part of WWE history.

#3. Liv Morgan’s shoulder injury ended her tag team title reign

Liv Morgan’s injury in 2025 came at a particularly unfortunate time. Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez were the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions when Morgan suffered a legitimate dislocated shoulder in a match with Kairi Sane on an episode of RAW. The injury was serious enough that Morgan was expected to miss several months and require surgery.

Because the championship was a tag team title, the promotion could not simply have Rodriguez defend the title alone. Morgan’s injury therefore forced the company to make a major change. Roxanne Perez ultimately joined Big Sexy as her replacement partner.

Morgan’s injury is another example of how a physical setback to a superstar can completely reshape a championship storyline.

#2. Rhea Ripley has now been injured as champion twice

Rhea Ripley is perhaps the most notable example of how cruel injuries can be to a WWE Women’s Champion.

In April 2024, Ripley was forced to vacate the WWE Women’s World Championship after suffering a serious right arm injury following an attack by Liv Morgan. WWE confirmed that Ripley would have to surrender the WWE Women’s World Championship because of the injury. Ripley eventually returned and reclaimed the title, before moving on to other major storylines.

Fast-forward to 2026, and history repeated itself.

Ripley was once again sidelined, this time while holding the WWE Women’s Championship, because of a knee injury that required surgery. The promotion subsequently introduced an interim championship, with Chelsea Green winning the title at this year’s SummerSlam. The difference is that Mami has not been stripped of the championship this time. Instead, the promotion has allowed Green to serve as an interim champion.

#1. Interim WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green recently suffered a broken orbital bone

Chelsea Green’s championship victory at SummerSlam was supposed to be the beginning of one of the most memorable title reigns of her career. Instead, she was injured almost immediately after winning the gold.

Green became the Interim Women’s Champion by winning a five-woman ladder match at SummerSlam after Rhea Ripley was sidelined by a knee injury. The decision created an unusual situation, with Ripley remaining the recognized champion while Green carried the interim title.

However, Green’s celebration did not last long. On the August 7 episode of SmackDown, Green teamed with Tiffany Stratton against Fatal Influence. During the match, Green suffered a broken orbital bone. She later confirmed the injury and revealed that she had visited the emergency room.

The good news is that her world title reign will continue, as reports suggest that the company does not have plans to strip her of the championship. Further, she is expected to remain on TV while recovering.