The new WWE Women's United States Championship tournament already has two confirmed semifinalists after the first two quarterfinal matches featured over the two most recent episodes of WWE SmackDown.
Twelve female superstars were booked to take part in an elimination tournament, with a quartet of three-way matches set to produce two semifinal matchups. The final will crown the first-ever WWE Women's United States Champion on December 14 at Saturday Night's Main Event.
WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque revealed the 12 names scheduled to compete for the title and laid out the tournament bracket that will determine the eventual champion.
The bracket is set. Who will step up, make history and become the first ever WWE Women’s United States Champion? pic.twitter.com/PyHyB0HZpg
— Triple H (@TripleH) November 16, 2024
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Shock moment on SmackDown has major implications in WWE Women's United States Championship tournament
The first two three-way bouts of the tournament have already taken place, with Bayley defeating Candice LeRae and B-Fab on the November 15 episode of SmackDown to progress to the semifinals.
She'll take on Chelsea Green, who progressed at the expense of Blair Davenport and one-half of the WWE women's tag team champions, Bianca Belair, on a wild November 22 episode of SmackDown.
.@ImChelseaGreen advances in the Women's United States Title Tournament!!! 🇺🇸#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/beTOMsnEir
— WWE (@WWE) November 23, 2024
Belair looked to be on her way to a semifinal place, but when footage of her tag team partner Jade Cargill flashed up on the big screen following a backstage ambush by an unknown assailant, Belair rushed from the ring to help her partner. It left the coast clear for Green to finish the match, pin Davenport and claim her spot in the final four.
Cargill was due to feature in the third quarterfinal match alongside Piper Nivan and Michin. But, with the tag team champ set for an extended spell on the sidelines, her place in the match remains vacant. Emerging NXT star Lash Legend has been tipped to take Cargill's place.
Determined and locked in. We are making history. @wwe #smackdown #womensuschampionship pic.twitter.com/bDnKL8ZfnV
— Michin 미친 (@MiaYim) November 22, 2024
The final quarterfinal trio will see Naomi and Elektra Lopez joined by "Miss Money In The Bank" Tiffany Stratton to decide the last tournament semifinalist.
The two remaining quarterfinal matches are set to take place in the upcoming episodes of SmackDown, with the tournament finale set for Saturday Night's Main Event on Saturday, December 14.
