Surprising Count-Out Decides Chelsea Green vs. Zelina Vega Match

STAMFORD, Conn. — A surprising count-out decision marked the end of the highly anticipated match between Chelsea Green and Zelina Vega during the April 11 episode of WWE SmackDown. The Women’s United States Champion Green was taken aback when the referee’s count ended the match much sooner than planned, leading to Vega’s unexpected victory.

Reports suggest that Green became distracted outside the ring while arguing with the announcers and miscalculated the referee’s count, which reached ten while she engaged with the crowd. Sources within WWE confirmed that the count-out was legitimate, and Green may not have realized the referee, Ryan Tran, was still counting after she threw Vega back into the ring.

A close source indicated that Green likely believed the referee would restart the count once Vega was back in the ring. Instead, the official continued the count, resulting in Green being counted out after failing to return in time. “It was a live TV situation; there was no choice but to call it as it was,” the source explained, stressing the necessity of adhering to the rules in a live broadcast.

Despite the abrupt finish, both Green and Vega are reportedly in good standing behind the scenes, with WWE executives deeming it as an unfortunate yet possible outcome during live events. The match was intended to run longer, but officials had already planned for Vega to emerge victorious, albeit with a different finish.

After the bell rang, there was a brief moment of confusion as Green appeared uncertain about the result until the ring announcer confirmed her count-out defeat. Thankfully, neither wrestler sustained any injuries during the match, allowing them to continue their storylines without disruption.

Looking ahead, Chelsea Green has not been scheduled for WrestleMania 41 but is set to team up with Piper Niven and Alba Fyre in a tag match against the trio of Vega, Kayden Carter, and Katana Chance on next week’s episode of SmackDown in Las Vegas.