Tag: smackdown women’s championship

SmackDown Women’s title match added to WWE Night of Champions

Posted on by Bryan Rose

A match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship has been added to Night of Champions.

On Monday’s Raw, it was confirmed that champion Rhea Ripley would defend the championship against Natalya in Saudi Arabia this coming Saturday, May 28. During a promo on Monday’s show, Ripley said she would make an example out of Natalya and would make her regret ever being drafted to Raw. She ended the promo by saying she planned on ending Natalya’s legendary career.

The two have been feuding in recent weeks, ever since the brand split put Natalya on the Raw brand. Several weeks ago on Raw after Ripley continued to attack Dana Brooke, who she had defeated in a match, Natalya came out and made the save, crossing paths with Ripley.

Here is the updated card for Saturday’s Night of Champions:

WWE Night of Champions, Saturday, May 27, 1 p.m. Eastern time on Peacock & WWE Network —

  • Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn defend against Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa
  • Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair defends against Asuka
  • SmackDown Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley defends against Natalya
  • Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes
  • World Heavyweight Championship tournament finals: Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles
  • Trish Stratus vs. Becky Lynch
  • Intercontinental Championship: Gunther defends against Mustafa Ali

Rhea Ripley wins SmackDown Women’s title at WWE WrestleMania 39

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Rhea Ripley is the new WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion. 

Ripley defeated Charlotte Flair on night one of WrestleMania 39 on Saturday at SoFi Stadium to win the title and become the fifth Women’s Grand Slam Champion in WWE history. 

Ripley won the title with a Riptide off the second rope to pin Flair and win the SmackDown Women’s title for the first time and to complete her career Grand Slam. 

Earlier in the contest, Flair connected with a moonsault off the post to the floor, then used a spear for a near fall. Flair also used a figure-four leglock, but Ripley forced a rope break, which led to the closing sequence of the match where Ripley blocked a fallaway slam off the ropes and connected with the second-rope Riptide.

Previously, Ripley held the the NXT Women’s Championship, the Raw Women’s Championship, and the Women’s Tag Team Championship, each on one occasion. Ripley is also a former NXT UK Women’s Champion, but WWE does not currently recognize that title for Grand Slam purposes. 

Flair, Sasha Banks, Asuka, and Bayley are the other women who have completed the career Grand Slam in WWE.

Flair’s seventh SmackDown Women’s title reign ends at 92 days.

Ripley earned the SmackDown Women’s title match at WrestleMania by winning the 2023 Royal Rumble match on January 28 of this year. Ripley declared that she would challenge Flair for the title on the January 30 episode of Raw.

Ronda Rousey regains SmackDown Women’s title at WWE Extreme Rules

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Ronda Rousey is once again a WWE women’s champion.

At Saturday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view, Rousey regained the SmackDown Women’s Championship by defeating Liv Morgan in an extreme rules match. Morgan passed out in a submission to lose the title.

Morgan was able to put Rousey through a table by hitting a senton from the top rope during the match, but Rousey kicked out when Morgan went for a pin. When Rousey tried to go for an armbar, Morgan fought it off and prevented Rousey from locking in the hold. But Rousey was able to eventually apply a biceps crusher where she put a piece of the broken table behind Morgan’s head. The referee called for the bell when Morgan passed out in the hold.

The loss puts an end to Morgan’s three-month reign as SmackDown Women’s Champion. The reign began when she defeated Rousey for the title at Money in the Bank this July. Morgan cashed in on Rousey after winning the briefcase earlier that night.

Morgan retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Rousey at SummerSlam in a match that had a disputed finish. The referee missed Morgan tapping out to an armbar and instead counted a pin.

This is Rousey’s second time holding the SmackDown Women’s Championship. She’s also held the Raw Women’s Championship once during her WWE career.

SmackDown Women’s title match set for WWE Clash at the Castle

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Shayna Baszler is going to Cardiff.

Baszler won a gauntlet match on Friday’s SmackDown to earn a shot at the SmackDown Women’s Championship at Clash at the Castle on September 3. She will face current champion Liv Morgan.

The gauntlet match had Raquel Rodriguez pin Sonya Deville, Xia Li, Shotzi, and Natalya. However, going into the last match with Baszler, Rodriguez’s leg had been worked on by Natalya. The finish had Baszler locking in the kirifuda clutch, but Rodriguez reversed, pinning Baszler’s shoulders on the mat for a nearfall. Baszler then picked up the win with a rolling cradle.

Morgan retained the title at SummerSlam despite tapping out to Ronda Rousey’s armbar submission. The referee in that match instead counted Rousey’s shoulders to the mat, neglecting to see Morgan tap out.

Here is the current card for Clash at the Castle:

  • Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
  • Liv Morgan vs. Shayna Baszler for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship

Liv Morgan cashes in, defeats Ronda Rousey at WWE Money in the Bank

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Liv Morgan is the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion. 

After winning the Money in the Bank briefcase in the show opener, Morgan cashed in later in the evening to defeat Ronda Rousey and win the title at WWE Money in the Bank in Las Vegas. 

Rousey had successfully retained the title, defeating Natalya by submission with an armbar. Rousey sold the impact of a Natalya sharpshooter on her legs after the bout, then Morgan sprinted to the ring to cash in her briefcase. 

Morgan escaped an ankle lock from Rousey, then cradled her for a pin to win the title.

The title win is the first for Morgan in her WWE career. Morgan signed with the company in 2014, and worked on the NXT brand from 2014 to 2017. She debuted on the SmackDown roster in November 2017 with Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan as the Riott Squad. Riott, now Ruby Soho in AEW, responded to the Morgan title win on social media:

Rousey had held the SmackDown Women’s title since WrestleMania Backlash on May 8, where she defeated Charlotte Flair to win the belt in an I Quit match. Her first reign with the SmackDown title ends at 55 days.

Natalya becomes number one contender to WWE SmackDown Women’s title

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Natalya is the new number one contender to the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship. 

Natalya won a six-pack challenge on this week’s SmackDown to become the number one contender to Ronda Rousey’s SmackDown Women’s title. No date has been set for Rousey’s next title defense. 

The six-pack challenge also involved Shotzi, Aliyah, Shayna Baszler, Xia Li, and Raquel Rodriguez, with Natalya pinning Shotzi to become the number one contender.

Rousey has held the SmackDown Women’s title since defeating Charlotte Flair in an I Quit match at WrestleMania Backlash on May 8. Her only defense since winning the Championship came on the May 13 SmackDown, where she defeated Rodriguez to retain after issuing an open challenge.

Natalya has held the SmackDown Women’s title on one occasion in her career, holding the Championship for 86 days in 2017. She won the title from Naomi at SummerSlam in August of that year, then dropped it to Charlotte Flair on SmackDown in November 2017.

Ronda Rousey wins SmackDown Women’s title at WWE WrestleMania Backlash

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Ronda Rousey defeated Charlotte Flair to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WWE WrestleMania Backlash. 

Rousey used an armbar with Flair’s arm trapped in a steel chair to get the submission win in an “I Quit” match at Sunday’s WrestleMania Backlash event. 

In a storyline update later in the show, it was announced that Flair had suffered “a fractured radius” and that viewers should stay tuned to WWE.com for more updates on Flair’s condition. 

Rousey and Flair brawled throughout the arena and used kendo sticks and chairs as weapons throughout their contest, a rematch from WrestleMania 38, where Flair pinned Rousey with a big boot. 

Rousey returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble in January following a nearly three-year hiatus, winning the women’s Rumble match. 

The title win marks Rousey’s first reign as SmackDown Women’s Champion, and ends Flair’s sixth SmackDown title reign. Flair has also held the Raw Women’s title six times, and is also a two-time NXT Women’s Champion.

In her first WWE run, Rousey held the Raw Women’s Championship from SummerSlam in August 2018 until the main event of WrestleMania 35 in April 2019, where she dropped the title to Becky Lynch in a triple threat match that also involved Flair. 

Becky Lynch returns at WWE SummerSlam, wins Women’s title

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Becky Lynch returned to WWE at SummerSlam, defeating Bianca Belair to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship in an impromptu match. 

Belair had been advertised for a title defense against Sasha Banks. After Belair’s ring introduction, announcer Greg Hamilton stated that Banks was unable to compete. He then said that Belair’s opponent would be Carmella. 

After Carmella entered, Belair said that she knows one day soon she and Banks will face off again, but she would take care of Carmella in the interim. 

Lynch’s music then hit. 

Lynch made her way to the ring and challenged Belair to the unadvertised bout. After Belair accepted, Lynch hit a Manhandle Slam and pinned Belair in 25 seconds to win the SmackDown Women’s title. 

The match was Lynch’s first since night one of WrestleMania 36, taped in March 2020. Lynch vacated the Raw Women’s Championship and announced that she was taking maternity leave on the May 11, 2020 edition of Raw. 

Lynch and her partner Seth Rollins announced the birth of their daughter Roux in a social media post on December 7, 2020. 

Lynch began teasing her WWE comeback with a social media post on April 9. 

No reason was given for Banks being unable to perform. Banks and Belair both missed two house shows last weekend due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Bianca Belair wins Women’s title at WWE WrestleMania 37

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Bianca Belair defeated Sasha Banks in the main event of night one of WWE WrestleMania 37 to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship. 

Belair pinned Banks after hitting her KOD finisher, securing the first title win of her professional wrestling career.

The match’s closing sequence saw Banks avoid one KOD and tug at Belair’s hair. Belair then hit Banks with a hair whip, which appeared to lacerate Banks. Belair then successfully hit the KOD to get the pin. 

Other highlights from the match included Belair rolling through on a Banks dive, then pressing Banks over her head as she climbed the ring steps, a standing shooting star press and 450 splash from Belair, plus a frog splash by Banks.  

Both Belair and Banks appeared to be emotional as the opening bell rang for the match, with Belair seemingly fighting back tears. It was noted on the broadcast that this was the first time two Black women had wrestled for a championship at WrestleMania.

Belair, 32, signed with WWE in May 2016. She had her first match on an NXT live event in September 2016. Belair was called up to WWE’s main roster in 2020, appearing with The Street Profits on night two of WrestleMania 36, airing on April 5, 2020. Belair won the 2021 Royal Rumble to earn the title shot at WrestleMania, last eliminating Rhea Ripley. 

Banks’s title reign ends after nearly six months. She defeated Bayley at Hell in a Cell on October 25, 2020 to win the Championship. Banks’s career resume now includes a WrestleMania main event to go with her five Raw Women’s Championship reigns, SmackDown Women’s Championship reign, NXT Women’s Championship reign, and two WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship reigns. 

Sasha Banks-Carmella Women’s title match official for WWE TLC

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Sasha Banks is set to defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Carmella at WWE TLC. Banks challenged Carmella to the match on tonight’s Friday Night SmackDown. WWE later made the offcial match announcement on WWE.com.

The personal issue between Banks and Carmella began when the challenger laid out Banks with a superkick following Banks’ first successful title defense against Bayley. Carmella would again attack Banks the following week. 

Banks got a measure of revenge on last week’s SmackDown, attacking Carmella during a backstage promo. 

On this week’s SmackDown, the two participated from separate backstage locations in an interview segment conducted by Michael Cole. 

Banks is in the midst of her first reign with the SmackDown Women’s Championship after winning the title from Bayley at Hell in a Cell on October 25th. 

Carmella has had one prior run with the same title, holding it from April 10th to August 19th of 2018. 

WWE TLC airs Sunday, December 20th at 7 p.m.Eastern time. Here is the full card so far: 

  • WWE Universal Championship TLC match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens
  • WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. AJ Styles
  • SmackDown Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Carmella
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax (c) vs. Asuka & Lana
  • Randy Orton vs. “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt

Sasha Banks wins SmackDown Women’s title at WWE Hell in a Cell

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Sasha Banks defeated Bayley to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship tonight at WWE Hell in a Cell. 

Banks, competing in her third Cell match, submitted Bayley with a Bank Statement as Bayley’s head and neck were trapped in a steel chair, a callback to earlier in their feud where Bayley turned on Banks and caused a storyline neck injury in a similar manner. 

The bout also featured an homage to the pair’s NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn match from August 2015. Just as she did in Brooklyn, Banks stomped on Bayley’s hand to keep her from grabbing the bottom rope in an effort to escape the Bank Statement. 

With the win, Banks joins Asuka and Bayley as women’s division Grand Slam Champions, having held the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles as well as the NXT, Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships. 

Banks, 28, also joins Charlotte Flair, Asuka and Bayley as the only women to hold the Raw, SmackDown and NXT Women’s titles. 

This reign also marks the seventh singles title reign in WWE for Banks, tying her with Trish Stratus for second most in company history, trailing only Flair. 

With the defeat, Bayley’s second reign as SmackDown Women’s Champion came to an end at 380 days, a record for the championship.

Naomi relinquishes the SmackDown Women’s Championship

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Naomi was forced to relinquish the SmackDown Women’s Championship on Tuesday night, and the brand already has a new champion.

While equating the situation to when he had to give up the WWE Championship, Daniel Bryan claimed in SmackDown’s opening segment that Naomi wouldn’t be able to defend the title within 30 days due to an injury and asked her to vacate it.

Naomi suffered a knee injury at Elimination Chamber while doing a split-legged moonsault at the finish of her title win against Alexa Bliss, but Dave Meltzer reports that the injury is not believed to be that serious. She wouldn’t have been able to wrestle this week but it is considered a minor injury by wrestling standards.

Naomi eventually relinquished the title after mentioning that she could be losing her opportunity to wrestle at WrestleMania as well.

Bliss then came out to demand that Bryan give her the title back, which led to him announcing Bliss vs. Becky Lynch on SmackDown to determine a new champion. Bliss won that match and regained the title after using underhanded tactics.