A current WWE champion on “Friday Night SmackDown” will no longer be performing in a previously advertised match. WWE will be returning to Japan for the first time since July 2024 for a two-night set of live events.
WWE Women’s United States Champion Giulia was initially planned to face Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley in a triple threat match on Oct. 18 in Tokyo. While Giulia will still be making an appearance, she has been replaced in the match by WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer.
At this time, there’s no word on why Giulia has been replaced in the match. The midcard titleholder on “Friday Night SmackDown” is one of WWE’s biggest Japanese stars.
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Giulia’s Current WWE SmackDown Run
Giulia captured the WWE Women’s United States Championship during the June 27 episode of “SmackDown.” She ended the 63-day reign of Zelina Vega via pinfall. Giulia is roughly a month shy of surpassing inaugural champion Chelsea Green as the longest-reigning titleholder in the belt’s short lineage.
On the July 25 episode of the blue brand, Giulia aligned herself with Kiana James, who serves as her manager. In the penultimate edition of “SmackDown” ahead of WWE’s “Crown Jewel” event, Giulia and James ambushed WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton. The two then tried convincing Vaquer to join them before Stratton retaliated.
On Friday, Giulia and James will take on Stratton and Vaquer in a tag team match.
The booking of the match seemingly rules out an injury as the reason for Giulia being pulled from her original plans in Tokyo. With Giulia still set to appear on both nights of WWE’s return to Japan, there isn’t any confirmation of James’ status for the shows.
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