What Happened to WWE Women's Championship?
The WWE Women's Championship, re-established in 2016, is one of WWE's two top women's titles, currently defended on the SmackDown brand. Initially known as the Raw Women's Championship, it reverted to its original name in June 2023. As of August 2026, Rhea Ripley is the lineal champion, but due to injury, Chelsea Green holds the Interim WWE Women's Championship.
Quick Answer
The WWE Women's Championship is a premier women's title in WWE, currently assigned to the SmackDown brand. It was re-established in 2016, replacing the Divas Championship, and has undergone several name and brand changes. As of August 30, 2026, Rhea Ripley is the lineal champion, having won the title at WrestleMania 42. However, due to an injury sustained in May 2026, Chelsea Green was crowned the Interim WWE Women's Champion at SummerSlam Night 2 on August 2, 2026, and has since been medically cleared to defend it while wearing a mask.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline10 events
Championship Re-established at WrestleMania 32
The WWE Women's Championship was introduced at WrestleMania 32, replacing the Divas Championship. Charlotte Flair became the inaugural champion by defeating Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks.
Becomes Raw-Exclusive Title
With the reintroduction of the brand extension, reigning champion Charlotte was drafted to the Raw brand, making the WWE Women's Championship exclusive to Raw.
Renamed Raw Women's Championship
The title was officially renamed the Raw Women's Championship after SmackDown introduced its own SmackDown Women's Championship.
Bianca Belair Begins Record-Setting Reign
Bianca Belair defeated Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 38 to begin her first reign, which would become the longest single reign for the title at 420 days.
Reverts to WWE Women's Championship, Moves to SmackDown
As part of the 2023 WWE Draft, the Raw Women's Championship reverted to its original name, WWE Women's Championship, and became exclusive to the SmackDown brand.
WWE Women's Crown Jewel Championship Introduced
Triple H introduced the WWE Women's Crown Jewel Championship as an annual prize. Liv Morgan (Women's World Champion) defeated Nia Jax (WWE Women's Champion) to become the first recipient.
Rhea Ripley Wins WWE Women's Championship
Rhea Ripley defeated Jade Cargill at WrestleMania 42 Night 2 to win the WWE Women's Championship, marking her second reign with the title.
Rhea Ripley Suffers Injury
Rhea Ripley sustained an injury in May, sidelining her from competition and necessitating the creation of an interim championship.
Chelsea Green Becomes Interim Champion
Chelsea Green won the Interim WWE Women's Championship in a five-way ladder match at SummerSlam Night 2, due to Rhea Ripley's injury.
Chelsea Green Medically Cleared to Compete
Despite suffering an orbital fracture, Chelsea Green was medically cleared to compete while wearing a face mask, refusing to surrender her Interim WWE Women's Championship.
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🔍Deep Dive Analysis
The WWE Women's Championship has a complex history, with its modern iteration being established on April 3, 2016, at WrestleMania 32. This new championship replaced the retired WWE Divas Championship, marking a significant step in WWE's 'Women's Evolution' to elevate female wrestling. Charlotte Flair, then known simply as Charlotte, became the inaugural champion after defeating Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks in a Triple Threat match.
Following the reintroduction of the WWE brand extension in July 2016, the championship became exclusive to the Raw brand when Charlotte was drafted. Consequently, on September 5, 2016, the title was renamed the Raw Women's Championship, and the SmackDown brand introduced its own counterpart, the SmackDown Women's Championship. This period saw the two main roster women's titles operate independently across their respective brands, fostering distinct rivalries and championship lineages.
A significant turning point occurred with the 2023 WWE Draft. As a result, the Raw and SmackDown women's championships effectively switched brands. The Raw Women's Championship reverted to its original name, the WWE Women's Championship, and became exclusive to the SmackDown brand. Concurrently, the SmackDown Women's Championship was renamed the Women's World Championship and moved to Raw. This change aimed to refresh the championship landscape and create new opportunities for talent across both flagship shows.
The championship has seen numerous high-profile reigns and historic moments. Bianca Belair holds the record for the longest single reign at 420 days, while Charlotte Flair boasts the most reigns with six. Becky Lynch holds the record for the longest combined reign at 535 days. The title has been a centerpiece for many WrestleMania main events and major pay-per-view matches, showcasing the increasing prominence of women's wrestling in WWE.
As of 2026, the WWE Women's Championship continues to be a focal point on SmackDown. Rhea Ripley captured the lineal championship at WrestleMania 42 Night 2 on April 19, 2026, defeating Jade Cargill. However, an injury sustained by Ripley in May 2026 necessitated the creation of an interim championship. At SummerSlam Night 2 on August 2, 2026, Chelsea Green emerged victorious in a five-way ladder match, becoming the Interim WWE Women's Champion. Despite suffering an orbital fracture shortly after her win, Green was medically cleared to compete with a face mask by late August 2026, refusing to surrender her interim title, setting the stage for future confrontations upon Ripley's return.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if WWE Women's Championship made different choices?