{"id":152966,"date":"2026-02-11T08:00:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T13:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=152966"},"modified":"2026-02-11T03:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T08:44:23","slug":"the-gold-standard-the-case-for-a-chelsea-green-wwe-main-title-push","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2026\/02\/11\/the-gold-standard-the-case-for-a-chelsea-green-wwe-main-title-push\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gold Standard: The Case for a Chelsea Green WWE Main Title Push"},"content":{"rendered":"

For years, Chelsea Green has mastered the art of making the most out of every creative decision thrown her way, transforming what could have been a “jobber” comedy act into one of the most entertaining segments on SmackDown. Yet, despite her undeniable range and comedic timing, WWE remains hesitant to move her past the “always a bridesmaid” phase of her career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Often pigeonholed as a high-effort gimmick meant to put others over, Green is frequently overlooked as a serious main event contender. This narrative ignores both her technical skills in the ring and evidence of surging fan support. She has officially outgrown her role as the division’s reliable mid-carder; it is time for WWE to stop viewing Chelsea Green as a reliable character actor and start treating her like the superstar she has proven she can be.<\/span><\/p>\n

As evidenced during this past Friday\u2019s episode of SmackDown, there is a clear uptick in fans who believe it is time for a Chelsea Green main title push. During her Triple Threat showdown against Tiffany Stratton and Lash Legend for the Elimination Chamber qualifiers, it was impossible to ignore that Green was the one getting the chants of the crowd.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite losing the match and being unfortunately sidelined for a period due to a severely bruised ankle, there were undeniable positives to take away from the match. With fans now vocalizing their support, it is clear that Green\u2019s relentless hard work both in the ring and through her meticulous character development is finally paying off in a major way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With this recent buzz, now could be the turning point where WWE creative finally capitalizes and pushes the red button on a Chelsea Green main title push. But before diving into the reasons why she should be elevated to that next level, it\u2019s important to look back at her rise to stardom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Back Story\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Born in Victoria, British Columbia, where she spent the majority of her childhood, Green was actually forbidden from watching wrestling as a kid. While attending the University of Calgary to become a personal trainer, she caught a match on television and was immediately hooked. In 2014, she enrolled in the Storm Wrestling Academy, where she was trained by former WWE and WCW star Lance Storm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Green made her wrestling debut that same year and quickly made a name for herself for what she is still known for today: her incredible adaptability and character work. She launched her career under the ring name Jaida while competing for Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That same year marked her first WWE appearance, briefly appearing on Raw as Daniel Bryan\u2019s physical therapist, Megan Miller. In 2015, she earned a massive opportunity to break into the company by competing in the sixth season of WWE\u2019s \u201cTough Enough,” ultimately finishing in fourth place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The next two years saw Green compete on the Indie circuit across Japan, Mexico, and India. She eventually found a new home in TNA in 2016, initially wrestling as Chelsea before transitioning to Laurel Van Ness, most notably capturing the Impact Knockouts Championship during her time with the company.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was here that her talent for character development truly began to shine as she embraced a maniacal persona, appearing in a tattered wedding dress with smeared makeup and messy hair, and carrying a wine bottle to the ring.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After spending two years in TNA, she eventually made her way to WWE and started in NXT, where Robert Stone managed her. She made her main roster debut on SmackDown in 2020, though her run was cut short due to a wrist injury, and she was eventually released in April 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Following her release from WWE, Green returned to TNA and competed under her real name, this time focusing on the tag team division. She formed a successful alliance with Deonna Purrazzo, and the duo eventually captured the Impact Knockouts World Tag Team Championship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After departing TNA in late 2022, she made her return to WWE at the 2023 Royal Rumble, introducing a new dynamic to her character that many fans dubbed the \u201cKaren\u201d gimmick. Ever since her return three years ago, she has continued to improve not only in the ring but, most notably, in her brilliant character creativity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Championship Success\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

July 17, 2023, was a historic day not only for Chelsea Green but also for her tag partner, Sonya Deville. The duo defeated Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez to become WWE Women\u2019s Tag Team Champions, marking the first title win for both women in their respective WWE careers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, just a few weeks into their tag team title run, Deville suffered a torn ACL, leaving the future of the titles in question. In classic Chelsea Green fashion, rather than vacating the belts, she sought a creative way to find a replacement; she held auditions for a new tag team partner, which ended abruptly when Piper Niven walked into the ring, grabbed one of the titles, and declared herself as Green\u2019s new partner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Between her partnerships with Deville and Niven, Green held the Tag Team Championship for 154 days before losing the titles to Kayden Carter and Katana Chance on December 18, 2023. Following that defeat, Green opted to transition into a singles run on SmackDown.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Green achieved historic success on December 14, 2024, becoming the Inaugural WWE Women\u2019s United States Champion after defeating Michin at Saturday Night\u2019s Main Event. Since that landmark moment, Green has continued to collect gold, capturing the United States Championship for a second time and also becoming the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champion alongside Ethan Page.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite this impressive resume and her undeniable connection with the audience, a narrative persists among fans and critics alike that WWE management does not yet fully view Green as a cornerstone main-eventer, as evidenced in Season 2 of WWE: Unreal. <\/span><\/p>\n

While she has proven herself as a reliable champion and a top-tier entertainer, Green often finds herself fighting against the “comedy act” label to prove she belongs in the same elite circle as the company\u2019s most high-profile stars.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Main Event Discussion<\/b><\/h2>\n

Green kicked off 2026 on a hot streak, holding both the WWE Women\u2019s United States Championship and the AAA World Mixed Tag Team title. Fast forward to today, however, and Green currently holds no championships; she lost the United States Championship to Giulia on the January 2, 2026, episode of SmackDown, ending her second reign at 56 days. <\/span><\/p>\n

This past Saturday, she also lost her AAA title after Mr. Iguana and Lola Vice dethroned her and Ethan Page. The loss followed a severe ankle bruise Green suffered on SmackDown the day prior, which prevented her from competing and forced a last-minute replacement in La Hiedra.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the leader of \u201cThe Green Regime\u201d currently titleless and recovering from an injury, she has certainly lived up to her \u201cHot Mess\u201d persona as she navigates this recent string of bad luck. However, with no title belt currently around her waist, the timing is prime for a Green main title push once she returns from injury.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the fans recently rallying behind a Chelsea Green main title run, it appears the office still doesn’t view her as a main-event player. Michael Hayes, Senior Producer and Vice President of Creative Writing and Booking for WWE, made his feelings on Green clear during Season Two of Netflix\u2019s WWE: Unreal. <\/span><\/p>\n

Although he praised her, stating that she \u201cshows more personality in 30 seconds than most wrestlers can in 30 minutes,\u201d he appeared to confirm suspicions that there is currently a ceiling on Green\u2019s WWE career.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hayes stated that:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cChelsea is so entertaining. But she is not built for, nor should she be, in the Charlotte Flair role or Tiffany Stratton. Because Chelsea\u2019s job is to help make those people.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Upon hearing those comments, many fans were left angry and frustrated, as they believe, contrary to what Hayes suggested, that Green belongs in the main event discussion as one of the most talented and entertaining performers on the main roster. They also argue that WWE creative cannot truly know if Green is main-event material unless they actually grant her the opportunity to be part of those top-tier storylines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Echoing the frustration of her fanbase, Green expressed her own displeasure regarding Hayes\u2019 comments during an interview on SiriusXM. She admitted she had always suspected she wasn\u2019t part of the top superstar plans, remarking, <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201c<\/span>But to actually hear it, to actually hear that there was a ceiling put on me, it\u2019s different. You can\u2019t help but be pissed off and a little upset and just a little aggravated at the fact that you thought that there was maybe a chance that there wasn\u2019t a ceiling, that maybe it was all in your head, and then it was confirmed. It wasn\u2019t confirmed to me; it was confirmed on national television.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"A
Photo Credit: By Sarah Bellia<\/a> – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=165082837<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

The Solution\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

The solution to what WWE can do is an interesting one: give Chelsea Green an underdog storyline where she adopts a new layer to her character, voicing how she feels underappreciated and misperceived. Having her adopt this type of character could encourage fans who haven\u2019t been paying close attention to start taking notice, finally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While Green is currently a comedic heel, there is an opportunity for her to either turn babyface or lean into a more villainous heel persona. With a current shortage of top singles competitors in the SmackDown women\u2019s division, an amped-up Chelsea Green with a stronger, more dynamic edge would resonate with fans looking for something fresh to get behind. Why waste the talent you already have?<\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201cChelsea\u201d chants during her Elimination Chamber qualifying match this past Friday on SmackDown prove that the audience is ready for her to step into an elevated role.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, a significant way for Green to break into the main-event scene would be for her to win the Money in the Bank ladder match. Such a victory would not only provide a massive pop from the crowd, but it would also be the perfect opportunity to finally transition Green into the title picture in a more genuine way, ensuring her rise feels earned rather than forced.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Green has demonstrated that she is more than ready for the challenge of a significant main roster push. Her match in 2018 against Penta in Lucha Underground has gained considerable popularity in recent years, even being touted as one of the best examples of intergender wrestling. <\/span><\/p>\n

Green stunned fans with the level of physicality she displayed, earning praise for her technical skills and her ability to hold her own against an intense masterclass like Penta. That match proved Green can compete in a high-stakes, physically intense environment, much different than the comedic diva persona fans have come to know.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WWE has shown that they will listen to fans when they are vocal about a direction they feel the company should take with a star, with the recent re-hiring of R-Truth serving as a prime example. The company has nothing to lose by pushing Green and giving her the opportunity to prove she truly belongs at the top.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chelsea Green has done an impeccable job since making her way back to WWE in 2023. She has managed to remain a standout wrestler while developing an even more compelling character and gimmick. Historically, in WWE, when someone puts in the level of work she is currently delivering, they are eventually given the opportunity to steer the ship. With fans increasingly taking notice of her, her big opportunity may arrive sooner rather than later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/b><\/strong><\/amp-ad><\/amp-ad><\/p>\n

Header photo \u2013\u00a0WikiMedia Creative Commons<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Stay tuned to the\u00a0<\/span>Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/span><\/a><\/u>\u00a0for more on Chelsea Green and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.<\/span><\/em><\/amp-ad><\/amp-fx-flying-carpet><\/amp-ad><\/p>\n

You can check out WWE programming on\u00a0<\/span>Netflix<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>(Raw, WWE archives, WWE Unreal, and other specials),\u00a0<\/span>USA Network<\/a>\u00a0(SmackDown),\u00a0The CW<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>(NXT),\u00a0<\/span>ESPN\u00a0<\/span><\/a>(WWE PLEs),\u00a0<\/span><\/em>Tubi<\/a>\u00a0(WWE Evolve),\u00a0A&E<\/a>\u00a0(WWE Superstar Sunday \u2013 Rivals, WWE LFG, and Greatest Moments) and\u00a0Peacock<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>(Saturday Night\u2019s Main Event). Follow WWE on social media to relive top moments and matches on\u00a0<\/span>YouTube.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For years, Chelsea Green has mastered the art of making the most out of every creative decision thrown her way, transforming what could have been a “jobber” comedy act into one of the most entertaining segments on SmackDown. Yet, despite her undeniable range and comedic timing, WWE remains hesitant to move her past the “always […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5699,"featured_media":152972,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3,320],"tags":[571],"class_list":["post-152966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","category-wwe-women","tag-chelsea-green"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5699"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152966"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152966\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":152973,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152966\/revisions\/152973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/152972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}