A new champion was crowned on a historic edition of WWE SmackDown, as Giulia defeated Zelina Vega to capture the Women’s United States Championship. The title change occurred during the June 27 broadcast from Riyadh, the first time the program has ever been held in Saudi Arabia.
The conclusion of the match saw Giulia first strike Vega with two consecutive Arrivederci knee strikes. She then executed her Northern Lights Bomb finishing maneuver to secure the pinfall victory and her first championship on the main roster.
This victory marks a significant milestone in Giulia’s rapid ascent in WWE. The former NXT Women’s Champion only made her main roster debut in April and has now added a second title to her WWE accomplishments. For Zelina Vega, the loss brings an end to a reign that began on April 25 when she defeated the inaugural champion, Chelsea Green.
The championship match was a key feature on a high-stakes episode of SmackDown, which served as the final show before the Night of Champions premium live event. The card also included Tiffany Stratton defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing match, and The Wyatt Sicks challenging The Street Profits for the WWE Tag Team Championship. The eventful night in Riyadh also experienced a 30-minute delay due to a power outage in the arena before the show got back on track.