An update has come out regarding an injured WWE star. Bodyslam is reporting that Zoey Stark is aiming for an in-ring return to WWE in mid-2026.
The report stated that WWE officials are “still very high on her”. The company has reportedly been discussing bringing her back as a babyface, a significant shift from her previous heel character.
Stark was injured back in May 2025 during an episode of “Raw”. She landed awkwardly off the top rope during a Money in the Bank qualifying match.
Stark later confirmed the severity of the injury, which required major surgery. She had procedures to repair her ACL, MCL, and meniscus.
In August, Stark shared her frustration with the difficult recovery process. She described it as tough both physically and emotionally during an update on her progress.
“It’s been both mentally and physically exhausting and frustrating,” she said. “And I’m in a spot right now with my knee where is not wanting to bend and give me the full range of motion that I am looking for. And as much as that sucks, it’s okay. I will push through this. I will find a way around it. I’ll get to where I need to get. But boy is it frustrating. But there’s always a silver lining and a dark cloud, right?”
Stark was signed to a WWE contract in 2021 and began her career in “NXT”. She achieved success in the developmental brand, winning the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles on one occasion with IYO SKY.
She was called up to the main roster as part of the 2023 WWE Draft. She was assigned to the “Raw” brand, where she was immediately placed in a high-profile storyline as the protégé of Trish Stratus.
Stark served as Stratus’s enforcer during her feud with Becky Lynch. This culminated at the “Payback” event in 2023.
After that alliance ended, Stark transitioned into a new faction. Prior to her injury, she was part of the Pure Fusion Collective.
That group also included Shayna Baszler and Sonya Deville. The faction’s future is non-existent, as both Baszler and Deville have since been cut from the WWE roster.
This leaves Stark’s faction status unknown upon her eventual return. The reported babyface run would be a fresh start for her.
While Stark focuses on her 2026 return, the “Raw” women’s division she left behind is undergoing major changes. The brand is currently building toward “Survivor Series: WarGames” on November 29th, with feuds heating up, such as the new alliance between Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer and Nikki Bella against Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez.
