WWE Quietly Adjusting Plans for Stephanie Vaquer vs Raquel Rodriguez After Real Injury Revealed
WWE’s current storyline between Stephanie Vaquer and Raquel Rodriguez is drawing plenty of attention, but behind the scenes, there’s a real injury influencing how things are unfolding.
As previously reported, the Women’s World Champion suffered a legitimate ankle injury that WWE has smartly blended into her ongoing feud with Rodriguez. On television, the damage has been exaggerated for dramatic effect, with Rodriguez repeatedly targeting Vaquer’s ankle to intensify the rivalry.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Vaquer’s injury is real but not nearly as serious as WWE programming suggests. Internally, it’s being viewed as a minor issue rather than something that could sideline her long-term.
Meltzer noted that WWE had originally planned to book the Vaquer vs Rodriguez match within the next couple of weeks. However, that timeline is now uncertain as officials wait to see how quickly Vaquer is medically cleared. While there’s no confirmed return date yet, expectations backstage are that she’ll be cleared relatively soon, though not as fast as some fans might hope.
The angle continued on last Monday’s episode of RAW, where Rodriguez once again attacked Vaquer, stealing her championship and whipping it directly across her injured ankle. The segment reinforced the storyline while buying WWE more time to finalize plans.
WWE has not announced an official match date for Vaquer and Rodriguez, but all signs point to the bout happening shortly after Vaquer receives medical clearance. Vaquer, who signed with WWE in 2024, already has a historic resume, becoming the first woman in 2025 to hold both the NXT Women’s Championship and the NXT Women’s North American Championship at the same time.
More updates are expected as WWE determines when its champion is ready to return to the ring.
