A new WWE Women’s World Champion is scheduled to be crowned when IYO SKY faces Stephanie Vaquer at Wrestlepalooza. However, a recent report suggests the winner’s reign may be short-lived, with plans already in place for a former champion to reclaim the gold.
According to Billi Bhatti of the Dirty Sheets Wrestling Informer podcast, the current plan is for Rhea Ripley to win the vacant Women’s World Championship in her home country at Crown Jewel. The event is set to take place on October 11th at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The report also specified that on her path to the title, Ripley is expected to end her standing losing streak against IYO SKY.
The championship was vacated last month following a major announcement from then-champion Naomi. On the August 18 episode of RAW, Naomi confirmed she was pregnant and would be out of action for an extended period. During an in-ring segment with her husband, Jimmy Uso, she relinquished the title by leaving it in the center of the ring, vowing to “pick up right where she left off” upon her return.
Naomi’s hiatus began after a dominant run as a heel, which started after WrestleMania 41 and saw her win the Money in the Bank briefcase before successfully cashing it in to become champion. Her sudden departure, initially explained as not being “medically cleared to compete,” led to the cancellation of a planned title defense and necessitated a new champion to be determined.
While Ripley is currently involved in a program with Asuka, the reported plans indicate a significant push is on the horizon. If the report holds true, it suggests IYO SKY will first win the title at Wrestlepalooza before eventually losing it to Ripley at the October premium live event.