The Big Picture

With Rhea Ripley sidelined by a knee injury, WWE confirmed the final qualifier for the interim WWE Women’s Championship ladder match at SummerSlam, setting up another high-stakes chapter for the division. SummerSlam has long served as the ultimate battleground for women's wrestling, delivering career-defining title shifts and chaotic cash-ins. As the locker room prepares for ladder match carnage, we rank the ten greatest Women's Title moments in SummerSlam history.

The Pioneer Era and Modern Revolutions

10. Alundra Blayze Defeats Bull Nakano (1994)

Before the modern revolution, Alundra Blayze was single-handedly keeping women's wrestling alive in WWE. At SummerSlam 1994, Blayze countered Bull Nakano's raw power with relentless speed, eventually retaining her crown via a bridging German suplex. Nakano dropped a crushing leg drop from the top rope earlier in the match, making Blayze's recovery feel like an absolute miracle. It established the championship as a prize worth bleeding for, long before the division got equal billing.

9. Paige Captures Gold on Her Birthday (2014)

Paige’s feud with AJ Lee reached its absolute peak at SummerSlam 2014. After weeks of mind games and passive-aggressive hugs, Paige reversed a Black Widow attempt into the Ram-Paige DDT to claim the Divas Championship on her 22nd birthday. The match was brief, clocking in at under eight minutes, but the pacing was surgical. The post-match kiss on Lee's cheek added just enough psycho-thriller flavor to make it unforgettably ruthless.

8. Ronda Rousey Destroys Alexa Bliss (2018)

Ronda Rousey’s arrival in WWE reached its first title culmination in Brooklyn when she dismantled Alexa Bliss. Bliss spent weeks running away, but Rousey took less than four minutes to rip through the champion's defenses and snap on the armbar. While the match lacked back-and-forth drama, it delivered maximum catharsis. Rousey looked like an unbeatable final boss, giving the raw women's title immediate mainstream credibility.

Cash-Ins and Triple Threats

7. Iyo Sky Cash-In Chaos (2023)

SummerSlam 2023 saw Bianca Belair regain the WWE Women's Championship in a grueling triple threat against Asuka and Charlotte Flair. Belair fought through a legitimate knee injury to lock up the pin, but her reign lasted less than two minutes. Iyo Sky's Money in the Bank theme hit, and the Genius of the Sky hit a Over-the-Moonsault to steal the title. The brilliant sequence capped off a chaotic 20-minute stretch with absolute perfection.

6. Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair Open the Floodgates (2016)

Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks took absurd risks in 2016, and their SummerSlam clash set the tone for their legendary rivalry. Charlotte dropped Banks directly onto her neck from the top turnbuckle in a scary spot that almost ended the match early. Banks fought back with a Bank Statement lock, but Charlotte reversed a hurricanrana into a victory roll pin. It was messy, dangerous, and utterly captivating sports entertainment.

5. Liv Morgan Outplays Ronda Rousey (2022)

Liv Morgan entered Nashville as a massive underdog against Ronda Rousey, and the finish delivered pure controversy. Rousey locked in the armbar, but Morgan tapped out right as the referee counted Rousey's shoulders to the mat for the three-count. The ref missed the tap, handing Morgan the victory. The crowd erupted into mixed reactions, creating a rare grey-area finish that launched Morgan's reign with instant heat.

The Main Event Legends

4. Charlotte Flair's Shocking Triple Threat Steal (2018)

Becky Lynch was primed to win the SmackDown Women's Championship, but Charlotte Flair swooped in with a Natural Selection on Lynch while she had Carmella locked in the Dis-Arm-Her. Charlotte stole the pin and the belt, triggering Lynch's immediate turn and the birth of 'The Man'. The match ranks high because it accidentally sparked the biggest character transformation of the decade.

3. Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch's 26-Second Shock (2021)

Sasha Banks was pulled from the card at the last minute, leading to Becky Lynch's surprise return after her maternity leave. Lynch popped the crowd, offered a handshake to champion Bianca Belair, and immediately dropped her with a Manhandle Slam to win the title in 26 seconds. Fans were furious at Belair's treatment, but the shock value was off the charts and set up a year-long revenge arc.

2. Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair Redefine the Division (2022)

One year after the 26-second squash, Belair got her revenge in a classic opener. The duo put on a masterclass in counter-wrestling, featuring a KOD on the floor and an incredible Spanish Fly off the top rope. Belair retained, but the real story was the post-match standing ovation and Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky making their debut alongside Bayley right after the bell.

1. Chyna Breaks Barriers against Trish Stratus (2001)

Chyna's final matches in WWE were dominant, but her Women's Title defense against Trish Stratus at SummerSlam remains iconic for its historic presence. Chyna swatted away every attack from Stratus, retaining the belt with a powerbomb that shook the ring. It stands atop the list as the ultimate showcase of sheer physical dominance before Chyna departed the company, leaving an untouchable legacy behind.