An on-screen storyline suggested travel issues were to blame, but the actual reason for Chelsea Green’s absence from the June 13 episode of WWE SmackDown was a legitimate medical scare. Green was sidelined by a severe sinus infection that caused temporary hearing loss and necessitated a visit to the emergency room. Due to the illness, she did not travel to Lexington for the event.
The sinus infection was a separate issue from the broken nose Green had been working with in the weeks prior. Despite that injury, which required her to wear a protective mask on television, Green had remained willing to compete.
The health scare proved to be short-lived. Green made a quick recovery and returned to WWE programming on the June 20 edition of SmackDown, where she competed against Charlotte Flair. Her resilience and fast turnaround reportedly left WWE producers very impressed.
Looking at her career goals, Green recently shared a unique ambition during a podcast appearance.
I always thought I could be the first woman to win the Money in the Bank and lose the cash in. I always thought that would be kind of iconic.
Green also opened up about her 2021 release from WWE, revealing that her husband, Matt Cardona, gave her a heads-up just moments before she received the official call from the company. She described receiving the news while with a fellow wrestler as an “awkward” experience, as she was unsure if her friend was also being let go.
In a separate interview, Green admitted she generally avoids watching her past performances, calling the experience “cringe.” She finds it difficult to review her work and second-guess her decisions, though she makes exceptions for a Lucha Underground match against Pentagon and her Four Corner Survival Match from AEW All In in 2018.