Chelsea Green's first WWE SmackDown appearance as Interim Women's Champion did not go as planned. The champion was pinned during a tag team match before being attacked after the bout, taking some of the momentum out of her SummerSlam victory.
"The Hot Mess" teamed with WWE Women's United States Champion Tiffany Stratton on the August 7 episode of SmackDown against Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid of Fatal Influence. The champions came up short, with Green taking the pin before Nia Jax and Lash Legend continued the attack after the match.
The booking, however, did not sit well with WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray. Speaking on "Busted Open Radio," the veteran questioned why WWE did not give Green a moment to shine before putting her through the post-match assault. He felt the company could have protected the newly crowned champion while still giving Fatal Influence and the other women involved a strong segment.
"It kind of left a bad taste in my mouth like, 'Come on. Give her a little something,'" Ray said.
Ray suggested that Green could have scored a surprise victory with a roll-up before the situation broke down. In his view, that would have allowed the crowd to celebrate her success before the champion was ultimately overwhelmed.
"It was just too much of beating down Chelsea Green," Ray added. "I'm not saying she's going to go from zero to hero in one week, but come on, man. Give me a follow up… It would have been a good win for Chelsea. People would have popped, but no."
The WWE veteran also pointed out that Green had just come off one of the biggest moments of her career at SummerSlam. Taking the loss immediately afterward, in his opinion, removed some of the excitement surrounding her championship victory.
"At least you bring the people up, and then you take it away," Ray said. "At least Chelsea has some hope, then you take it away. In this way, there was nothing for her." [H/T Wrestling Inc.]
Chelsea Green Has Been Sidelined After Suffering an Injury
(Photo by Brien Adams/WWE via Getty Images)
Green's situation became even more complicated after the SmackDown match. "The Hot Mess" later revealed that she had suffered a broken orbital bone during the bout, leaving WWE with another problem to address in its already unsettled women's championship picture.
According to Bryan Alvarez on "Wrestling Observer Radio", Green suffered the injury while Fatal Influence performed their Fatal Flaw finisher. Alvarez said Lainey Reid landed on Green's head during the move, resulting in the orbital fracture.
There is currently no confirmed timetable for Green's return and the champion addressed the situation herself on Instagram, acknowledging that injuries are part of professional wrestling but admitting that this one felt different from previous setbacks. She also said she needed time to process what had happened.
Her absence creates another issue for WWE because Green was placed in the interim championship position while Rhea Ripley remains sidelined following knee surgery. With both women unavailable, WWE may now have to reassess its plans for the women's title.
For Green, what began with a career-defining SummerSlam victory has quickly turned into an uncertain period on the sidelines.
It now remains to be seen when the 35-year-old star will return to action and what plans Triple H has in store for her.
