Giulia has officially joined the WWE SmackDown roster. The news was announced on Friday by General Manager Nick Aldis, during a backstage clip featuring Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. There was a notable exchange of stares between Giulia and the other talents.
After the revelation, Giulia announced her new role to her social media audience, asserting her position as a dominant force in the SmackDown team.
Giulia of SmackDown!
Remember the name.SmackDown just got dangerous.
#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/7sTa99xoh6
— GIULIA ＝ ジュリア (@giulia0221g) May 17, 2025
In other SmackDown news, Tiffany Stratton retained her WWE Women’s Championship against Nia Jax in their recent match. The match witnessed interventions from Naomi and Jade Cargill that spilled into the crowd. Stratton triumphed over Jax with a pivotal kick to the face and her signature Prettiest Moonsault Ever. Having secured the title by cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase back on January 3, Stratton has now held it for 134 days.
In other debut news, JC Mateo, previously known as Jeff Cobb, marked his first WWE in-ring appearance with a victory against LA Knight on SmackDown. Mateo garnered his win with a scoop powerslam.
On the other hand, former WWE Women’s Champion Carmella, real name Leah Van Dale, parted ways with WWE in early 2025 after her contract was not renewed. She last competed in March 2023 and had been off from competitions since 2022 due to health complications post child delivery in November 2023.
In her recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Carmella shared her thoughts on her exit from WWE, highlighting the unclear circumstances and missed opportunities to continue contributing to the company in different roles.