The field for WWE’s Interim Women’s Championship Ladder Match at SummerSlam continues to grow, although one qualifying bout on SmackDown ended in unexpected fashion.
A heated rivalry spilled into the match. It changed the outcome and sent another superstar to one of WWE’s biggest events of the year.
The July 17 edition of Friday Night SmackDown from MVP Arena in Albany, New York featured two qualifying matches as WWE continued building toward SummerSlam.
Jade Cargill secures SummerSlam ladder match spot after Charlotte Flair interference
Jade Cargill faced Nia Jax in a qualifying match for the Interim WWE Women’s Championship Ladder Match. The bout was evenly contested until Charlotte Flair inserted herself into the action, attacking Cargill inside the ring.
The referee immediately called for the bell and awarded the match to Cargill via disqualification. Under WWE rules, a disqualification victory counts as a win. This meant Cargill officially qualified for the SummerSlam Ladder Match despite never pinning or submitting Jax.
Before the interference, Jax had controlled portions of the contest with a Samoan Drop and a leg drop before climbing to the second rope. Cargill avoided the aerial attack. She fought back with a kick and followed up with a spinebuster before Flair changed the course of the match.
The drama didn’t end with the referee’s decision. After the match, Flair returned with a steel chair, while B-Fab and Michin pulled her out of the ring. Nia Jax then attacked Flair before leaving the ringside area.
Cargill had the final word, delivering her Jaded finishing move to Flair and standing tall as the segment came to a close. Later, WWE also confirmed that Nia Jax will get another chance to settle the score with Charlotte Flair. The two stars are set to meet in a singles match on next week’s episode of SmackDown in a qualifying match.
General Manager Adam Pearce had announced the qualifying matches after Rhea Ripley’s injury forced WWE to introduce an Interim Women’s Championship. Earlier in the night, Tiffany Stratton also secured her place in the Ladder Match by defeating Jacy Jayne.
With additional qualifying matches still to come, the lineup for the SummerSlam championship showdown continues to take shape ahead of the two-night premium live event on Aug. 1 and 2 in Minneapolis.
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