Explained: What is an interim champion in WWE?
(Courtesy : Netflix)
An interim Champion will be crowned at SummerSlam.
WWE will crown an interim Champion at the 2026 edition of SummerSlam in Minneapolis, Minnesota, next month. The 39th edition will air as a two-night spectacle on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Acting SmackDown General Manager Adam Pearce has announced that due to the reigning Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley’s injury, the promotion will crown an interim Women’s Champion in a ladder match at the PLE.
What is an Interim Champion?
An interim champion is a temporary titleholder who is recognized when the reigning champion is unable to defend their championship for a period of time but has not been stripped of the title.
The title is usually used when the reigning Champion is injured, suspended, or otherwise unavailable to compete and defend the title. Once the reigning Champion returns, a title unification bout is held between the two, with the winner becoming the Undisputed Champion.
The interim title is generally used in MMA and Boxing; WWE’s sister promotion, UFC, also utilizes the Interim title when the reigning Champion is unable to compete. Even AEW, their biggest rival in pro-wrestling, has used the title to crown an Interim Champion on multiple occasions.
However, the Stamford-based promotion does not have an official interim championship system. The promotion usually opts to strip the Champion if he/she is unable to compete, usually due to injury or other reasons.
History of Interim Champions in WWE
As noted, the promotion does not have an Interim Champion system, but that does not mean they have not utilized the system before.
Former leader of Los Garzas, Santos Escobar is the first-ever Interim Champion in WWE. Escobar won the NXT Interim Cruiserweight Championship in May 2020 after the reigning champion, Jordan Devlin (JD McDonagh), was unable to travel to the United States due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Escobar then defeated McDonagh in April 2021 at Stand & Deliver in a ladder match to unify the title and become the undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion
The SummerSlam ladder match will now crown the second-ever Interim Champion and the first-ever on the main roster in WWE. The concept, which is widely utilized in combat sports, now finds a home in pro wrestling’s biggest stage.
Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill have qualified for the ladder match, and they will be joined by three more participants who will battle to secure the unification match against reigning Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley when she returns.
Is Rhea Ripley still the Women’s Champion?
Yes, the promotion opted to introduce an interim Women’s title instead of stripping Ripley, who is out of action due to injury. The interim champion will be crowned in a ladder match at SummerSlam.
What is an Interim Champion?
An interim champion is a temporary titleholder who is recognized when the reigning champion is unable to defend their championship for a period of time but has not been stripped of the title.
Who is the first Interim Champion in WWE?
Santos Escobar is the first-ever Interim Champion in WWE. Escobar won the NXT Interim Cruiserweight Championship in May 2020 after the reigning champion, Jordan Devlin (JD McDonagh), was unable to travel to the United States due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
When and where will SummerSlam 2026 take place?
The 39th edition will air as a two-night spectacle on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.