Giulia To Defend Women's US Title Against Tiffany Stratton On Tonight's WWE SmackDown

After failing to make the WWE WrestleMania 42 card, at no fault of her own, Women's United States Champion Giulia will defend her title on Friday's edition of "WWE SmackDown." Giulia is set to face off against former WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton, after Stratton won a number one contender's match against Jordynne Grace on the April 17 episode of the blue brand.

The match was previously advertised for last week's show, the go-home episode to WrestleMania. Despite both "SmackDown" and "WWE Raw" usually featuring title matches that don't make it on to the WrestleMania card every year, there was no word as to why the Women's US title match was pulled from the three hour show.

Giulia's most recent match was a victory over Stratton on the March 27 edition of "SmackDown" live from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The champion was reportedly "banged up" following the match, which included a spot where Stratton hit the Swanton Bomb and landed awkwardly with all her weight seemingly on Giulia's stomach. The pair were previously rumored to fight for the gold on "The Grandest Stage of Them All," but Stratton alluded to the match not being officially set in stone during an interview at the end of March.