Naomi secures first WWE title defense since 2017

Naomi achieved her first successful WWE championship defense in 2,685 days, retaining the Women’s Tag Team Championships with Bianca Belair against Nia Jax and Candice LeRae on SmackDown.

The title match materialized after LeRae leveraged her connection with Women’s Champion Nia Jax to secure the opportunity. Naomi stepped in as Belair’s partner following Jade Cargill’s injury, reminiscent of Piper Niven’s temporary championship role when she replaced Sonya Deville.

This marks Naomi’s first successful WWE title defense since her SmackDown Women’s Championship reign in 2017. During her recent tenure as Trinity in Impact Wrestling, she held the Knockouts World Championship for five months, defending against competitors including Deonna Purrazzo, Alisha Edwards, and Mickie James before losing to Jordynne Grace.

Questions remain about Cargill’s attacker, with speculation surrounding Naomi’s potential involvement in the incident.

Current championship landscape raises concerns for top talent

The evolving television landscape and emergence of new stars have created challenging circumstances for several established performers. Bianca Belair’s current position in the women’s division exemplifies this situation.

Despite her accomplished background, Belair’s focus has shifted from singles competition to tag team storylines. The deliberate pacing of her program with tag partner Jade Cargill has drawn attention, with observers noting the contrast to her previous prominence in championship scenarios.

WWE’s approach mirrors past instances of repositioning popular talents, potentially affecting their momentum. This strategy has prompted discussion about the optimal timing for resolving the tag team situation and returning Belair to singles championship contention.