WWE Adds Non-Title Match Between 2 Champions On SmackDown
A highly anticipated women’s match has been added to WWE SmackDown.
There was a backstage segment on the February 13th edition of WWE SmackDown that saw the Women’s United States Champion, Giulia, and Kiana James confront the Women’s Tag Team Champions, Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky.
While Ripley and Sky have already successfully defended the Women’s Tag Team Titles against Giulia and James, Sky told Giulia that she might take the Women’s US Title from her.
To follow up on that, WWE has announced that on the February 20th SmackDown in Fort Lauderdale, Giulia will face Sky in a non-title match between the two Japanese champions. It’s a big match for WWE fans who have wanted to see Sky test her skills against Giulia.
The advertised WWE SmackDown lineup looks like this:
- Carmelo Hayes vs. Damian Priest vs. Trick Williams in a Elimination Chamber Qualifier on Syfy
- Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax vs. Kiana James | Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier Triple Threat Match
- Oba Femi takes on Kit Wilson
- Giulia battles IYO SKY in non-title bout
- Ilja Dragunov to throw down with Tama Tonga
Update: WWE has changed the women’s match to Rhea Ripley vs. Giulia.
BREAKING NEWS: @RheaRipley_WWE will replace @Iyo_SkyWWE and face @giulia0221g on #SmackDown tonight, 8/7c on @SYFY!
— WWE (@WWE) February 20, 2026
WWE SmackDown will be on Syfy in the US due to USA Network airing coverage of the Winter Olympics. SmackDown returns to USA Network next week.
WWE Elimination Chamber Matches Will Continue On February 23rd Raw Episode
The next WWE PLE is Elimination Chamber on February 28th in Chicago. Here’s the lineup so far:
- Men’s Elimination Chamber Match: Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Je’Von Evans vs. 2 more wrestlers
- World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk vs. Finn Balor
- Women’s Elimination Chamber Match: Rhea Ripley vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka vs. 2 more wrestlers
- Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch vs. AJ Lee
In addition to the two Elimination Chamber qualifying matches on the February 20th SmackDown, there will also be two more Elimination Chamber qualifying matches on the February 23rd episode of Raw.
The Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match will see Bronson Reed face Jey Uso, and “The Original” El Grande Americano (Chad Gable) to become the sixth man to qualify for the match.
Meanwhile, the Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match on Raw will see Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane, and Raquel Rodriguez face off in a huge triple threat match.
You can watch WWE Elimination Chamber, streaming live on Saturday, February 28, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN in the United States and Netflix everywhere else.