A new WWE Women’s United States Champion has been crowned.
Zelina Vega is the new Women’s United States title holder as she defeated Chelsea Green on SmackDown Friday to end the inaugural reign of the championship. The LWO member had scored non-title victories against Green in recent weeks and was given a shot to compete for the title, and she made the most of the moment in the biggest win of her wrestling career.
After Green’s Secret Hervice was kicked out from ringside, Green was readying for a move when Vega hit the Code Red. She got the pin to win her first WWE singles championship and was emotional as she held up the title.
Green, who was the first winner of the title as she won it at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December, has her reign end at 142 days.
Ahead of the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony during WrestleMania 41 weekend, Vega told USA TODAY Sports she hoped the Women’s United States Championship was in her future after spending the majority of her career falling just short of gold. She has been with the company for nearly eight years after she was briefly let go by WWE in November 2020.
A former Women’s Tag Team Champion, Vega said she loved that WWE decided to introduce the mid-card championship as it benefited the stacked women’s division.
‘It’s a nice feeling when you have something else to chase, it’s a nice recognition for the other women, giving them other stories that they get to mix it up with in a way that they haven’t before.’ Vega said. ‘I think it’s amazing.’