New WWE champion officially crowned; 39-year-old star makes history
WWE has been firing on all cylinders lately, with Triple H and Co. recently introducing a few new titles for stars to compete for. The list of newly introduced titles also includes the Speed Women's Championship and its inaugural champion has now been officially crowned.
After the huge success of the Speed Championship in the men's division, Triple H announced the same title for the female stars, with the rules being the same and the matches airing exclusively on X. After an enthralling tournament featuring top female talents, IYO SKY and Candice LeRae made it to the finals of the tournament.
The match between the two was taped last Friday after SmackDown, and many are already aware that Candice LeRae emerged victorious. Nonetheless, WWE aired the full match moments ago, and the 39-year-old is now officially the Speed Women's Champion.
This was Candice LeRae's first singles title win in WWE
Candice LeRae joined WWE in 2017 after making a name for herself on the independent circuit. While the 39-year-old was a major name before joining the global juggernaut, she did not have the success she would have hoped for in the company.
LeRae has been with the Stamford-based promotion since May 2017. She left the company for a brief time in 2022 but returned once Triple H took over the creative duties. However, Candice's booking has been very inconsistent since her return, and she rarely features on TV programming.
Candice's Speed Women's Championship win was the first singles title win of her WWE career. She was ecstatic about the win, as evident from her post-match interview.
"Oh my god! I am the first Speed Women’s Champion. Maybe only ever. This is my first singles title and the first time I beat Iyo. Nobody is gonna beat me; nobody is gonna ever beat me. They are gonna retire the title with me because nobody is gonna beat me,'' she said.
Candice LeRae last competed on TV programming in July 2024 when she and Indi Hartwell lost to Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair in a tag team match on SmackDown. Fans would be hoping for a change in the star's fortunes following her Speed Women's Championship win.