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Rhea Ripley had a great night on WWE RAW. The Australian superstar kicked off the show by joining Adam Pearce in the center of the ring. Naturally, Ripley held the coveted SmackDown Women's Championship upon entering, but she did not leave with the belt.
Instead, The Eradicator had the new Women's World Championship bestowed upon her. The belt, meant to be equal to that of Seth Rollins' World Heavyweight Championship, resembles the title in appearance except with a white strap instead of a black one.
The new Women's World Championship, which will now be held by Rhea Ripley, may have a new physical belt, but the title lineage of the SmackDown Women's Championship remains. That means the title's history dates back to 2016, when the SmackDown Women's Championship was first created.
In total, 13 talented women held the coveted belt before the re-branding. This article will look at a handful of stars who have become most synonymous with the now-retired design while Rhea and other future champions will bring prestige to the new Women's World Championship.
Below are the top four WWE stars to hold the SmackDown Women's Championship.
#4. Becky Lynch was the first champion
Becky Lynch is one of WWE's greatest superstars of all time. She's held numerous titles, has become an overwhelming fan favorite, has many great matches, and even headlined WrestleMania. She's also been closely associated with the SmackDown Women's Championship.
Lynch is a four-time SmackDown Women's Champion. She won the title in September 2016, September 2018, April 2019, and August 2021, with her last reign ending thanks to an infamous title swap between herself and her former best friend, Charlotte Flair.
Notably, The Man was the first-ever WWE SmackDown Women's Champion. The belt was introduced in 2016, and the former NXT star surprisingly won the title but became a much bigger star over the following years.
Still, being the first champion and having the honor of holding it the second most times makes Becky a shoo-in for this list.
#3. Bayley was the longest-reigning champion
Bayley is one of WWE's greatest stars. She's a former NXT Women's Champion, RAW Women's Champion, SmackDown Women's Champion, Women's Tag Team Champion, and Money in the Bank winner. Outside of the Royal Rumble Match, she's done all there is to do.
The Role Model captured the SmackDown Women's Championship twice in her WWE career. The first time came in May 2019 after winning Money in the Bank, while the second came in October 2019 during an episode of SmackDown on FOX.
While two reigns with the belt is impressive, the main reason why Bayley is one of the greatest SmackDown Women's Champions is that she'll forever have the distinction of being the longest-reigning one in history.
While Rhea Ripley could hold the Women's World Championship longer, Bayley will remain the longest-reigning SmackDown Women's Champion at 380 days.
#2. Asuka was an extremely memorable champion
Asuka is one of the most intense WWE Superstars of all time. She was undefeated on NXT, holding the NXT Women's Championship for a record-setting length. She has since become a Grand Slam Champion.
The Empress of Tomorrow doesn't have as many reigns with the title as the rest of the WWE Superstars on this list. She only held the belt once. Additionally, the reign wasn't record-setting, as she only held it for 99 days.
Still, it was a memorable and impactful win. She won the belt in a Women's TLC Triple Threat Match in 2018, defeating both Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Given how she won the belt, she deserves a spot on this list. Now, however, she'll rule SmackDown with a different title entirely.
#1. Charlotte Flair became synonymous with the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship
Charlotte Flair is the most decorated female superstar in WWE history. She's held over a dozen belts in her time with the company. This includes gold on NXT and the main roster. She has dominated the promotion for years.
The Queen first captured the SmackDown Women's Championship on November 14th, 2017. She defeated Natalya for the belt and went on to hold it until after WrestleMania the following year.
Flair has the distinction of holding the SmackDown Women's Championship more times than any other superstar. She's held the coveted belt seven times. The Queen also has the honor of saying she held the belt for at least a day every year from 2017 to 2023, except for 2020.
There's no denying her legacy and her influence on the SmackDown Women's Championship.
