Subhojeet Mukherjee on April 25, 2026
Jade Cargill’s next move in WWE is still up in the air—but her absence from SmackDown just got a clear explanation.
After dropping the Women’s Championship to Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 42 and admitting she’s unsure what comes next, Cargill was noticeably missing from the April 24, 2026 episode of Friday Night SmackDown. That raised some eyebrows, especially with her title status already uncertain. Now, there’s an update—and it has nothing to do with storyline plans.
Cargill wasn’t at SmackDown because she was in Cincinnati for a major personal moment, attending her husband Brandon Phillips’ Reds Hall of Fame induction. The event marked a big milestone for Phillips, a longtime Cincinnati Reds standout, and Cargill was there to support him. The couple has been together since 2015, and this appearance makes it clear her absence wasn’t tied to WWE booking—but real-life priorities.
Before missing SmackDown, Cargill had already gotten a lot of reactions for her comments about her title loss and uncertain future. Speaking on the Battleground podcast, she admitted she doesn’t even know if a rematch is coming, pointing out how inconsistent those opportunities can be.
“Well, I will hope so. I mean, a lot of people don’t get rematches these days. When I defeated Tiffany, I didn’t get my rematch. So, I mean, I don’t know. It’s up to them, I guess.”
That leaves her in a rare position—coming off a major WrestleMania loss without a clear path forward, and now temporarily off TV as well. Whether WWE plugs her right back into the title picture or makes her fight her way back remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: her absence this week had nothing to do with creative direction.
Do you think Jade Cargill should get an immediate rematch when she returns, or should WWE make her earn another shot from scratch? Share your thoughts.
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