Felix Upton on January 9, 2026
Stephanie Vaquer just gave fans a raw look at her ankle injury — and it’s not for the faint of heart.
On January 9, 2026, Vaquer took to her Instagram Story and shared a close-up image of her badly swollen, black-and-blue ankle, clearly showing the severity of the injury she sustained during the brutal steel chair attack by Raquel Rodriguez on the January 5 episode of WWE RAW. The caption simply read: “Recovering,” showing that she’s still healing but not sidelined entirely.
This visual update comes just as Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer reported that Vaquer’s upcoming title defense against Raquel Rodriguez is officially scheduled to take place before the Royal Rumble on January 31.
“The Vaquer vs. Rodriguez title match is scheduled for sometime in the next few weeks. I don’t know if it’s Raw or the Saturday Night’s Main Event, but it’s to take place before the Rumble at this point.”
Despite legitimate injury concerns, PWInsider had already confirmed the ankle issue was real, though not severe enough to require Vaquer to vacate her title. Sean Ross Sapp also noted appearance on RAW in a walking boot—not a cast—along with some light physicality was seen as a good sign.
“Her being in a walking boot instead of a cast, and doing some physicality, is at least optimistic,” Sapp said. “You can probably buy yourself till Chamber, considering that the Royal Rumble is coming up soon.”
Vaquer has held the Women’s World Title since defeating IYO SKY at Wrestlepalooza on September 20, 2025 — and while she’s clearly in pain, it looks like she’s determined to push through and defend her crown.
Should WWE delay the match until Stephanie fully heals, or are they right to move forward with the title defense? Drop your take in the comments — and let us know if you think she’ll make it to Royal Rumble.
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