— This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown closed with a chaotic main event at the Kia Center in Orlando, mixing controversy, injury, and confrontation. Tiffany Stratton retained the WWE Women’s Championship, but the match was marred by a costly error from Nia Jax.
The turning point came during a pinfall when Stratton covered Jax. The referee reached a two-count before stopping abruptly, despite Jax failing to kick out. The awkward pause sparked a brief exchange between Jax and the official.
Stratton went on to secure the win, landing the Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Jax for the three-count and keeping her championship intact. Her celebration was short-lived, however, as WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer entered the ring. The two titleholders faced off in a tense staredown, each raising their belts as the show went off the air.
The match also left Cargill worse for wear. After being hit with a Samoan Drop onto the steel steps by Jax, she was busted open and required immediate medical attention. Earlier, Cargill seemed to have victory in hand when she hit Stratton with the Jaded, only for Jax to pull the referee from the ring before the count was completed.
This gotta be one of the WORST botches of the year #SmackDown
pic.twitter.com/O8283KvjfT— EliteRockerz (@EliteClubS0B) September 27, 2025
Either this was a botch by the referee, or Nia Jax simply forgot she was supposed to kick out.
Either way, it’s a terrible look. I feel bad for Jade Cargill, who got busted open towards the end of the match. #SmackDown https://t.co/h9QXGV6tbw pic.twitter.com/yj4dPBISN2
— BroncoFanatic97 (@BroncoFanatic97) September 27, 2025
— Priscilla Kelly recently reflected on her run in WWE NXT as Gigi Dolin and shared insight into why some talent take longer than others to make the jump to the main roster. Kelly, who departed WWE in May after spending four years with NXT, spoke with the “Ringsiders Wrestling” about the differences in call-up timelines. She noted that while certain stars move up quickly, others remain in NXT for an extended period depending on a variety of factors.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On the process of getting called up: “I know there’s people backstage that definitely felt like they should have been called up to the main roster a long time ago. But sometimes it’s not even based on if you, as a wrestler, are ready for the opportunity. Sometimes it’s just a matter of timing on the main roster; who can they use at this point, what kind of characters are they looking for right this second, and sometimes people get lucky and they fit that mold of what they’re looking for right there at that moment.
“Maxxine (Dupri) was a great example. She was in NXT for maybe a year, definitely less than two years, and that’s what they were looking for right then and there, and she got called up immediately. So sometimes it’s just a timing issue. It’s not even based on if people are ready, it’s just timing. That’s one of the things Hunter told me himself.”
On her own experience: “When I went up to do Main Event one of the last times, I said, ‘Hey, what can I do to get up here? I wanna come to the main roster. What do I need to do? What do I need to improve on? What do I need to do to get here?’ And he said, straight from his mouth, ‘It’s just timing,’ and it really is. Everything is just timing.”
— Natalya had high praise for Stephanie Vaquer and IYO SKY’s showdown at WWE Wrestlepalooza, calling herself a big fan of the bout. Vaquer captured the vacant Women’s World Championship by defeating SKY at Saturday’s pay-per-view event, and in an interview with the Toronto Sun, Natalya credited SKY for her ability to elevate opponents in the ring.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On SKY and Vaquer’s performances: “IYO SKY makes everybody level up. I will come right out and say that IYO’s work is outstanding as far as being super consistent. The fact that Stephanie beat IYO, their energy matches. I think, personally, the girls stole the show. I’m biased, but I thought they both did amazing and I’m so happy for Stephanie.”
On the match itself: “You could feel their passion, and that’s what I love. They didn’t have a really deep story because Stephanie was going through a sickness and wasn’t feeling good. They couldn’t build this deep story on TV because she wasn’t there. They told a story that night in the ring. They did what they had to do to make it compelling. It was great. It’s not just like, ‘That was a great girls’ match.’ No, that was an outstanding match. I’m excited to see Stephanie dive into some more matches like that with maybe a deeper story. IYO SKY is unbelievable and everything IYO does, she levels up and brings people up to her level. I think Stephanie is going to be the same way with whoever she works. Her performances so far have been very consistent. Overall, it’s going to level up the Raw women’s division.”
(h/t – Fightful)
