Chelsea Green was introduced as WWE Women’s Champion on this past Friday Night SmackDown, but the title’s status has not officially changed behind the scenes.
Green captured the Interim WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam on August 2, winning a Ladder Match over Charlotte Flair, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, and Lash Legend. WWE created the interim title after Rhea Ripley was sidelined with a knee injury.
On the August 7 SmackDown, announcer Joe Tessitore referred to Green simply as Women’s Champion, dropping the “Interim” designation entirely. Green herself appeared wearing a T-shirt reading “Permanent Champion.”
Despite the on-air presentation, PWInsider’s Dave Scherer reported that nothing has changed internally.
“She [Chelsea Green] is still listed internally as interim champion, even though they have a T-Shirt with her likeness that says otherwise.”
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(PWInsider Q&A)
7:30 PM · Aug 9, 2026The situation grows even murkier given that Ripley recently underwent surgery on her right knee. The reigning champion has been out since June and still has no timetable for a return.
To make matters worse, Green suffered a fractured orbital bone during that same Friday SmackDown in her first match since winning the title. She and Tiffany Stratton fell to Fatal Influence’s Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid, and Green had to be taken to the hospital after the show. There is no word yet on how long she will be out.