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Nia Jax Crowned New Number One Contender For Women's Championship On WWE Smackdown

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Zack Heydorn | Last updated May 9, 2025 10:44 PM ET

Nia Jax is the new number one contender for the WWE Women's Championship.

Jax defeated Jade Cargill on this week's episode of Smackdown, but not without a significant amount of controversy. During the match, Naomi hit the ringside area and attacked the champion, Tiffany Stratton. The attack distracted Cargill, which gave Jax the opportunity to secure the victory.

WAIT A MINUTE!

Naomi just attacked @tiffstrattonwwe @TheTrinity_Fatu #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/qVC1g9ZRdJ
— WWE (@WWE) May 10, 2025

Naomi and Cargill are arch rivals and have been feuding with one another since before WrestleMania 41. Naomi was responsible for injuring Cargill with a vicious attack that saw Cargill put through the top of a car windshield. The two women squared off at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas and Cargill was victorious.

As for Stratton, she successfully defended her WWE Women's Championship at WrestleMania this year against Charlotte Flair. Flair was the women's Royal Rumble winner this year and called her shot against Stratton.

Stratton defeated Jax in January to win the world championship, her first in WWE. Stratton cashed in her Money in the Bank contract on Jax, after Jax was successful in defending the championship against Naomi.

WWE did not announce when the Stratton vs. Jax match would take place. Neither WWE Women's Championship is scheduled to be defended this weekend at WWE Backlash.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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