A new WWE Women’s World Champion will be crowned at WrestlePalooza on September 20. During a video package on tonight’s episode of Raw in Paris, General Manager Adam Pearce officially announced that Stephanie Vaquer will face IYO SKY for the vacant title. Following the announcement, Michael Cole confirmed that a contract signing for the championship match will take place on next week’s episode of Raw on September 8.
The title was vacated on the August 18 episode of Raw when then-champion Naomi announced she was pregnant and had to relinquish the belt. Her reign ended at 35 days after she won the championship in a triple threat match at SummerSlam.
Stephanie Vaquer earned her spot as the number one contender by winning a battle royal at the Evolution 2 premium live event. She was originally scheduled to challenge for the title at Clash in Paris, but the match was canceled after Naomi’s announcement. Adam Pearce assured Vaquer at the time that she would remain the top contender, and tonight’s announcement confirms her new opponent.
The championship match is a major addition to the card for WrestlePalooza, which will take place at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event is a significant one for WWE, as it will be the first premium live event to stream on ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service in the United States. The show will also feature John Cena competing in his final match in Indianapolis as part of his 2025 retirement tour, along with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.