Layla El is officially the WWE Women's champion on the Smackdown brand after Friday night's episode of WWE Smackdown.
In a two-on-one handicap match with Layla and Michelle McCool vs. Women's champion Beth Phoenix, Layla scored the pinfall to win the title and officially become champion.
The match was set up to take the belt off Phoenix, who will reportedly need six months to recover from a major leg injury.
Phoenix published a blog after Smackdown aired detailing her injury, surgery with Dr. James Andrews next week, and her frustrations with surgery being the best option to recover.
"My injury was much worse than I would let myself believe. The doctor explained that I had a generous bone bruise, torn and displaced Meniscus, sprained my MCL and had completely torn my ACL," Phoenix said.
"After the match (on Smackdown), I was encouraged, again, that surgery really is the only option. I demanded a second opinion. The second doctor told me more of the same. 'Surgery now is the best option.'