Injury To Superstar Forces WWE To Change Plans: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Unfortunately, Zoey Stark got hurt during a Money in the Bank qualifying match on WWE Raw on the May 19, 2025, show, which seemed to cause a clear change in the match's original plans.
Read more: WWE Superstar Zoey Stark Carried Backstage After Suffering Brutal Injury
The Triple Threat qualifying match featured Stark, Rhea Ripley, and the returning Kairi Sane. All three women were fighting hard for a chance to be in the women's Money in the Bank ladder match, which is scheduled for June 7, 2025, where the winner gets a future title shot.
During the May 19th WWE Raw contest, Stark landed badly on her leg after trying a springboard dropkick. WWE officials took her out of the match because she was hurt and could not continue.
Dave Meltzer later discussed what the original plans for the match might have been before Stark's injury and how Stark's injury likely affected the match's outcome.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer said that Sane's return match was not supposed to end with her being pinned. He stated, "So Sane (was pinned in) her first match back, which obviously wasn't the plan."
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: A general stadium view during WWE Monday Night RAW at Toyota Center on March 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 11: A general stadium view during WWE Monday Night RAW at Toyota Center on March 11, 2024 in Houston, Texas.
Meltzer added, "They had no choice, they had to do what they had to do." Bryan Alvarez, also from Wrestling Observer Radio, further said that the first plan was for Zoey Stark to be the one who was pinned in the match to protect Sane in her return.
Instead, due to the injury, Ripley was the one who won the important match. She pinned Sane to get her spot in the women's Money in the Bank ladder match.
After the show, Ripley went on X to talk about Stark's injury. She shared a message with WWE fans about how dangerous professional wrestling can be for the performers.
More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation
Ripley wrote, "Professional wrestling can be very real and dangerous... Tonight continued to prove that anything can happen." She also sent her best wishes to her fellow wrestler, saying, "Wishing @ZoeyStarkWWE a speedy recovery! 🖤"
This isn't the first serious injury for Stark during her time in WWE. She previously had a major knee injury, where she tore her ACL and meniscus, at an NXT Halloween Havoc event back in 2021.
At that time, Stark herself confirmed how bad the knee injury was. She had said she had torn her ACL, MCL and PCL.
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