On the heels of a blockbuster WrestleMania 40, WWE now finds itself without two of its biggest stars: Rhea Ripley and Roman Reigns.

However, the wrestling rumor mill is turning and producing updates on the statuses of both former champions.

Joining those two Superstars on the docket are Cody Rhodes and his brand affiliation in WWE, as well as an update on Adam Cole of All Elite Wrestling.

Dive deeper into each of those topics with this look at the insider reports making headlines.

How Long Will Roman Reigns Be Away?

Roman Reigns has not been seen on WWE television since his WrestleMania loss to Cody Rhodes, and WrestleVotes reported that it could be awhile before The Tribal Chief makes his presence felt again.

Unsurprisingly, the former undisputed WWE universal champion will remain creatively invested in the Bloodline story. Alongside Paul Heyman, he has been one of the masterminds behind the epic narrative since 2020.

For him to suddenly be hands-off, when he is expected to figure into it upon his return, would be uncharacteristic and nonsensical.

Reigns' influence will be felt as he prepares for a comeback that, hopefully, will be every bit as unforgettable as his historic 1,316-day run as champion.

The question is whether he comes back as a babyface or heel. Based on the events that unfolded on Friday's SmackDown, with Solo Sikoa seemingly taking over the group and bringing Tama Tonga on board, the answer may be Option 1.

Rhea Ripley Injury Update

Rhea Ripley vacated the Women's World Championship on Monday's WWE Raw, and we now know just how long she will be sidelined.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that The Eradicator's injury to her AC joint occurred during the backstage brawl with Liv Morgan on the April 8 episode of the red brand and she will miss upward of three months.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com was less committed to the recovery timeframe, though.

He wrote: "It will be dependent on whether she requires surgery as well as physical therapy." He also noted that the injury occurred when Morgan threw her into the wall during their fight.

Regardless of the time frame, Ripley's absence leaves a big hole in the WWE women's division.

Triple H and Co. have spent the last year developing her into a legitimate star on the level of her male counterparts. She beat every challenger decisively, and was as dominant a force with The Judgment Day as anyone else on WWE TV.

To suddenly lose that star power and central figure is a big blow, but it opens up chances for other women in her absence. Could we see a Morgan heel turn that catapults her into the stratosphere? Might Shayna Baszler be heated up, or will Zoey Stark finally get a sustained push? Could this be an opportunity for Candice LeRae or Indi Hartwell to break out?

The talent is there. Now, it is up to WWE Creative to utilize them in a way that bridges the gap until Ripley is able to return.

Cody Rhodes: SmackDown Superstar?

Cody Rhodes stated Monday night that he is now a SmackDown Superstar, and Meltzer has confirmed that is the case.

More importantly, his promo on Raw—in which he had a brief exchange with Jey Uso—was meant to be a passing-of-the-torch moment to solidify the popular star as the new top guy on the red brand.

Uso was prominently featured from there, battling Finn Bálor in singles competition ahead of his upcoming World Heavyweight Championship match against Damian Priest at Backlash. He then took a long walk out the front of the Bell Centre in Montreal to join Sami Zayn for the start of the intercontinental champion's iconic entrance.

There is no denying how popular Uso is right now. He has fans out of their seats, throwing their hands up and down, chanting "Yeet!" every time he enters an arena. There are few who can claim to have a stronger connection with the audience.

It's a testament to Triple H's booking that Uso and Zayn can both be as the top babyface on the show at this point. He has done an expert job of creating depth for popular stars across the card, and the former Bloodline member is a shining example.

Latest on Adam Cole

Do not expect to see Adam Cole regularly on AEW TV for the foreseeable future.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported: "Adam Cole has been sidelined since having ankle surgery last year, and based on what we've heard from sources close to him, he's not very close to coming back to the ring."

He added: "Fightful Select is told that Cole has been off of the road of lately, as it was slowing the progression he was making towards recovering from the injury."

There is no timetable for Cole's return.

This is a major blow for AEW, Cole and his Undisputed Kingdom teammates Wardlow, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett and Roderick Strong.

The group debuted in the wake of the revelation of Cole as The Devil in the storyline with MJF. The injury to his ankle, suffered during Grand Slam last September, halted creative and has forced an audible to be called with the aforementioned group.

The faction has seen its stock fall across the board, and while Strong is embroiled in a storyline with Kyle O'Reilly, that is significantly different than being at the top of the card and squaring off with top babyfaces alongside Cole.

That there is not even a hint of a timetable of the heel's return suggests the injury is either worse than expected or could hamper him as an in-ring competitor in the long term.

If that is the case, it would be a significant blow to AEW, even with the new free agents Tony Khan has signed in recent months.