Add as a preferred source on Google Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill secured the first two spots in a Ladder Match that will determine the Interim WWE Women’s Champion at SummerSlam.
Adam Pearce announced the match shortly before this week’s SmackDown. Rhea Ripley remains far from a return to the ring after suffering a torn meniscus and won’t be able to compete at the premium live event.
With that, five wrestlers will compete for spots through qualifying matches, two of which already took place on Friday’s show.
In the first qualifying match, Stratton faced Jacy Jayne. Before the bout even started, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid joined Jayne in attacking the Women’s United States Champion.
Brie Bella and Paige came out to stop the attack, taking Henley and Reid to the back. Stratton managed to recover and defeated Jayne with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, followed by the pinfall.
Later, Jade Cargill faced Nia Jax in the second qualifier. That match, however, ended quickly by disqualification after Charlotte Flair attacked Michin and B-Fab and hit Cargill with a Big Boot. Despite being attacked, Jade was declared the winner and earned a spot in the Ladder Match.
Because of the interference, Adam Pearce informed Nia Jax backstage that she will get a new opportunity on next week’s SmackDown, against Charlotte Flair herself.
SummerSlam will take place over two nights, on August 1 and August 2, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.