Sol Ruca retains on WWE Raw as Championship Monday hits Chicago
Sol Ruca retained the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship on the July 6 edition of WWE Raw in Chicago, defeating Raquel Rodriguez after IYO SKY stopped Judgment Day interference on Netflix's "Championship Monday" broadcast, one of three advertised title defenses that also advanced SummerSlam storylines while the WWE Championship main event was thrown into doubt.
Key Takeaways
- Sol Ruca beat Raquel Rodriguez with a Sol Snatcher to retain the Women's Intercontinental title.
- The Vision regained the World Tag Team Championship after Maxxine Dupri low-blowed Angelo Dawkins.
- Cody Rhodes was not medically cleared for his rematch with Sami Zayn; fans chanted for CM Punk.
- Seth Rollins opened Raw targeting Roman Reigns ahead of their SummerSlam world title match.
- Oba Femi confronted Paul Heyman about his Hell in a Cell bout with Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.
What happened to Sol Ruca on WWE Raw July 6?
Raw General Manager Adam Pearce had billed the night as "Championship Monday" with three title matches on the card. Sol Ruca defended the Women's Intercontinental Championship against Raquel Rodriguez, who earned the shot by beating Maxxine Dupri the prior week.
Per Bleacher Report, Rodriguez used her power early, but Ruca's high-flying offense turned the match. Roxanne Perez and women's world champion Liv Morgan interfered for Judgment Day, yet IYO SKY appeared at ringside, took out the heels, and set up Ruca's Sol Snatcher for the pin. Bleacher Report graded the bout C+ and noted the finish advanced Sky's rivalry with Morgan.
Why did Cody Rhodes miss the WWE Championship rematch?
The broadcast headlined Sami Zayn defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at Chicago's Allstate Arena, nine days after Zayn won the title from Rhodes at Night of Champions in Riyadh. Before the match, Gunther attacked Rhodes backstage, and a trainer later refused to clear him for competition.
Backstage, Adam Pearce told Zayn he would still defend the title even though Rhodes could not wrestle. The Chicago crowd responded with "CM Punk" chants, suggesting fans expected a substitute challenger in the main event.
How did Championship Monday set up SummerSlam 2026?
Beyond Sol Ruca's defense, Bron Breakker and Austin Theory regained the World Tag Team titles from The Street Profits after Dupri turned on Dawkins. Seth Rollins opened the show with a promo on his SummerSlam clash with world heavyweight champion Roman Reigns, later interrupted by LA Knight and a Jimmy Uso superkick.
Oba Femi, who passed up a guaranteed world title shot at SummerSlam to face Brock Lesnar in Hell in a Cell, traded promos with Paul Heyman. WWE promoted the July 6 show on Netflix at 8 p.m. ET. For more live-buzz coverage, see our Fintech & Crypto Alerts hub.