We have a serious problem with the women’s midcard titles in WWE

Okay, I think it’s time we had a serious conversation — one that Paul Levesque and the people at WWE aren’t gonna want to hear.

Yes, I realize that I’m just a fan. By no means am I an industry insider. Just because I have a podcast and a platform, that doesn’t give me anything more than a voice and an opinion. I’m not going to go on record and call the following a fact — it is just my opinion. It is, however, rooted in facts that can be looked up and verified.

We have a serious problem with the women’s midcard titles.

Now I know what you’re thinking: they’re not even two years old, how can there be a problem? Well, let me lay it out for you.

The Women’s United States Championship was announced by SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis on November 8th, 2024. A tournament was held which began on November 15th and culminated at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14th, where Chelsea Green defeated Michin to become the inaugural champion.

Other women in the tournament included: Candice LeRae, B-Fab, Bayley, Bianca Belair, Blair Davenport, Lash Legend, Piper Niven, Naomi, Elektra Lopez, and Tiffany Stratton.

In the 528 days since the championship’s inception, we’ve had six champions. Two of those are repeat champions: Chelsea Green and Giulia, whose four combined reigns total 431 days. Which means that in less than 100 days out of 528 have we had a different champion.

In comparison — and I need to stress for the record that I’m only going by when the United States Championship was resurrected in 2003 and became a SmackDown brand exclusive — it took 814 days until we had two repeat champions, and 434 days before we had our first repeat champion, which was John Cena. The second was Booker T.

Now, its counterpart, the Women’s Intercontinental Championship, was announced by RAW General Manager Adam Pearce on November 25th, 2024. A tournament was held which began on December 2nd and culminated on RAW on January 13th, 2025, where Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai to become the inaugural champion.

Other women in the tournament included: Katana Chance, Shayna Baszler, Raquel Rodriguez, Kayden Carter, Zoey Stark, Zelina Vega, Ivy Nile, Alba Fyre, Natalya, and Iyo Sky.

In the 498 days since the championship’s inception, we’ve also had six champions. However, one of those women is a three-time champion, while the rest are one-time champions. That woman is Becky Lynch.

Becky Lynch has currently been champion for 254 days of the title’s history, meaning that for more than half of the time the Women’s Intercontinental Championship has existed, it’s been around Becky’s waist.

So where exactly is the problem?

Well, for starters, let’s look at the women in the tournaments. Blair Davenport, Elektra Lopez, Katana Chance, Shayna Baszler, Kayden Carter, Zoey Stark, Zelina Vega, Alba Fyre, and Dakota Kai are no longer with the company. That’s almost half the field right there.

Tiffany Stratton is the current United States Champion. Piper Niven is injured and may never wrestle again. Bianca Belair is pregnant. Naomi was pregnant, had her baby, and has yet to return. Congratulations to the new mama and the soon-to-be mama.

That leaves: Candice LeRae, B-Fab, Bayley, Ivy Nile, Raquel Rodriguez, Lash Legend, Michin, Natalya, and Iyo Sky.

Now, in my opinion, Bayley and Iyo Sky don’t need to be near the midcard titles right now. Nor do Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, Liv Morgan, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, or Rhea Ripley.

Other names that do deserve to be in the picture, though, include: AJ Lee, Blake Monroe, Chelsea Green (although she doesn’t need another reign for a while), Fallon Henley, Giulia (she doesn’t need another reign for a while either), Jacy Jayne, Jade Cargill, Jordynne Grace, Kiana James, Maxxine Dupri, Nia Jax, Paige, Roxanne Perez, and Sol Ruca.

That’s a 21-woman midcard scene, with a few who could easily cross over into the main event scene.

Now, I can already hear some of you: “You don’t want the Bellas, or Becky, or Bayley near the midcard titles, but you’ll let former champions like Nia, Paige, Jade, and AJ Lee near it? What kind of bullshit is this?”

I do have some sound logic, if you’ll let me elaborate.

Becky Lynch, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss have dominated the scene for over 10 years. If we’re being honest, it’s about time for them to move on from the company completely and make room for the new girls coming up.

“Well, you could say the same thing about AJ, Nia, and Paige.”

Paige and AJ Lee took almost 10 years away from WWE. That’s part of why I’m putting them into the midcard scene and not throwing them right into the main event scene.

In the case of Nia Jax and Jade Cargill, both women can be dominant heel champions. However, neither woman is someone fans want as their world champion, so a midcard title, I feel, benefits everyone.

Which brings me back to Becky Lynch, who is my inspiration for this piece — my muse, as it were.

I didn’t think Becky should have won the title off Lyra Valkyria the first time, but people were telling me, “Becky will bring prestige to the title. Someone of her stature holding it will just elevate it.”

Great, it was elevated. Next.

Becky lost the title to Maxxine Dupri. The logical next step? Maxxine loses it to Natalya.

“But, but…”

Natalya had turned heel on Maxxine on TV following her championship win, bringing to TV the “Low Key Legend” version of her character that we had previously only seen at GCW Bloodsport, AAA, and the National Wrestling Alliance. Natalya had been Maxxine’s support and even had her training in the Dungeon. This would have made sense.

Instead, it went back to Becky.

Then AJ Lee returns and interjects herself into things. AJ begins mentoring Maxxine Dupri after Natalya’s betrayal. AJ gets the belt from Becky. Natalya comes after AJ for picking up the corpse of Maxxine that she had dropped, right?

Wrong.

Okay, no problem. We have Roxanne Perez, who grew up idolizing AJ, just as AJ had idolized Lita previously. Surely we go this route, right? It was right there — the prodigy defeating her idol.

Wrong.

We go back to Becky.

Why?

Who is left that’s worthy of the championship that Becky Lynch hasn’t beaten?

I know Sol Ruca gets another shot at Clash in Italy on Sunday, and perhaps this will all be a moot point. However, if Becky retains the championship — or gets it back from Sol — then what?

What about all the midcard talent that I named that will probably never sniff the world title scene? When do they get their due?

Am I off my rocker? Or do I make a point?

Let me know.