The April 11, edition of WWE SmackDown saw plenty go down, including massive stakes being added to WrestleMania 41. But before Bayley & Lyra Valkyria cashed their tickets to Las Vegas and before Drew McIntyre Vs. Damian Priest was made into a Sin City Street Fight, one WWE NXT Superstar won gold.
Before SmackDown went on the air, WWE filmed its upcoming episode of WWE Speed, which will air on the WrestleMania 41 Week episode on April 16. During the taping, Candice LeRae’s time as the WWE Speed Women’s Champion was brought to an end by NXT’s Sol Ruca.
This win marks Ruca’s first taste of gold in WWE and makes her the second-ever WWE Speed Champion. LeRae’s 189-day reign had begun in October 2024 when she defeated IYO SKY in the finals of a tournament to win the title. Despite being on TV as champion though, LeRae did not appear with her gold which WWE keeps exclusive to its X-hosted show.
Now, it will be Ruca who the women of WWE hope to dethrone, and winning the title is certainly an endorsement for the NXT Superstar. Now, attention turns towards Stand & Deliver, where Ruca hopes to become a double champion by winning the vacant NXT Women’s North American Championship. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Sol Ruca and her reign as WWE Speed Women’s Champion.
