Heartbreak continued for Chelsea Green on WWE Smackdown as she ended up dropping the inaugural championship that she was carrying. This came shortly after she was complaining about missing Wrestlemania 41 despite being a reigning champion in the company.
In the third match of WWE Smackdown during the post-Wrestlemania 41 edition, Zelina Vega defeated Chelsea Green (c) to win the Women’s United States Championship. The title match came just a week after Vega pinned the champion, last week, during the go-home PLE episode in a non-title matchup.
After being banned from the ringside during that match on the April 18 episode of WWE Smackdown, the “Secret Her-vice Agents” Piper Niven and Alba Fyre were back around Green for her protection, but that wasn’t enough to stop Vega from having her crowning moments.
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With Green having the referee distracted, Fyre and Niven were up with the task of wearing down her challenger. One such instance allowed Green to land an enzuigiri on her and look for the Unprettier, but Vega countered with the backstabber.
Fyre and Niven were interfering on too many occasions, with the referee eventually ejecting them from ringside on WWE Smackdown. As chaos ensued following the ejection announcement, Vega caught Green with the Code Red finisher to get the pinfall win and secure the title. Following her victory, Vega celebrated with her title on the entrance ramp, while Niven and Fyre entered the ring to check on Green.
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WWE Smackdown: Zelina Vega begins first reign as a singles champion
This win on WWE Smackdown marks Vega’s first reign as a singles champion in her two runs with WWE since 2017. She previously held the Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Carmella and also won the 2021 Queen of the Ring tournament. Green’s run ended after 132 days from winning the inaugural title in a tournament finale at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 2024.
For years now, Vega has been vouching for becoming a bonafide singles competitor, and this win will provide her with the needed boost-up in her mission. Coincidentally, her women’s US title win came on the same WWE Smackdown episode that her husband, Aleister Black returned to the company, as well. Before last night, Vega possessed two back-to-back victories over Green, the inaugural women’s US Champion.