Jade Cargill’s SmackDown absence after WrestleMania 42 sparked immediate speculation, but the situation was far more straightforward than fans assumed.
The former WWE Women’s Champion did not appear on this past Friday’s SmackDown After WrestleMania, leading to questions about whether her status had changed following her title loss at WrestleMania 42.
In reality, Cargill’s absence was not tied to creative or any booking decision. Instead, several posts on Twitter (X) indicated she was in Cincinnati, Ohio on Friday to support her husband, former MLB star Brandon Phillips, as he was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.
Cargill had reportedly requested the time off from WWE well in advance of the event, clearing up any uncertainty surrounding her non-appearance.
At WrestleMania 42, Cargill dropped the WWE Women’s Championship to Rhea Ripley.
Following that victory, Ripley kicked off a new direction on SmackDown, immediately becoming entangled in a developing rivalry with Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence, who were recently called up from NXT for the post-WrestleMania edition of the show.
