An update has been provided on the status of WWE Women’s World Champion Naomi. During the Friday, August 15, broadcast of WWE SmackDown, it was announced that Naomi will appear on the upcoming episode of Monday Night Raw. This announcement comes after she was unexpectedly pulled from a scheduled title defense this past week, which has led to speculation about the severity of her situation.
Update Announced on SmackDown
During the second hour of the SmackDown broadcast, commentator Joe Tessitore informed the television audience of the news. There were no other details provided but presumably, she won’t be wrestling on the show and it sounds like we may get clarification on her absence from the ring last week and how long she might be out of action.
Pulled From Title Defense
The champion’s status was thrown into question on the August 11 episode of Monday Night Raw. Naomi was scheduled to defend the Women’s World Championship against IYO SKY, but the match did not take place. The commentary team announced during the show that Naomi was not medically cleared to compete, but no official reason for her removal was given by the company. Naomi retained the championship just weeks at SummerSlam.
Speculation on a Lengthy Absence
The lack of a specific diagnosis from WWE has led to considerable rumor and speculation regarding how long the champion might be out of action. Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live recently addressed the situation, stating that he has heard talk from within WWE about why Naomi has not been cleared to wrestle. Alvarez noted that if what he’s hearing is true then she might be out for a significant amount of time.
