Report: Major WWE Title Plans "Dead In The Water"

For now, WWE has shelved this significant championship plan (despite announcing it!)

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WWE

WWE has seemingly shelved its plans to crown new Women's Tag Team Champions for the time being.

On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that the tournament devised to name Sasha Banks and Naomi's successors is currently "dead in the water," despite WWE announcing it on the 20 May episode of SmackDown.

Meltzer stated that a four-team match for the vacant belts was pitched as an alternative idea, though this hasn't been signed off on yet. For now, it appears the Women's Tag Team Championships are to remain in limbo.

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WWE announced that Banks and Naomi had been stripped of the titles at the same time as stating that they had been suspended indefinitely from the promotion. This followed the duo walking out of that week's episode of Raw over reported creative concerns, leaving their WWE status in question.

It is believed that Naomi and Banks are not being paid during their time offscreen. There is currently no indication of when they might return to television, if ever, though WWE could conceivably freeze their contracts while they aren't active, binding the duo to the market leaders for longer. This may prove particularly troublesome for Naomi, who had been in negotiations over an extension to her soon-to-expire deal prior to walking out.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.