Charlotte Flair is the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.
The Queen made a stunning comeback after seven months away to claim a shock win over Ronda Rousey on SmackDown. Rousey had been due to defend her title against Raquel Rodriguez after feuding with the former NXT Women’s Champion for a number of weeks. Heading into the match with an injured arm (storyline) Rodriguez pushed the champion to the limit and beyond, but was ultimately forced to submit following an Arm Bar.
Not that Rousey had long to celebrate. Within seconds Charlotte Flair was making her way to the ring in front of a shocked crowd. Rousey said that she would face Flair at the Rumble, but the returning star had other ideas, challenging Rousey to a match on the spot.
Unable to walk away, Rousey accepted but was defeated in less than a minute. After surviving a big boot, Rousey got hit with a Spear, but turned it into an Arm Bar. However, Flair reversed into a pin to win the title.
Charlotte Flair Reflects On “Crazy” WWE Return
Speaking in a WWE digital exclusive interview after her big win, Flair said that she was “honoured” to be back, describing it as a fairy-tale.
“I’m a little speechless right now. 2022 has just been been the best year of my life. Even going back to the beginning, I was able to the beginning, I was able to wrestle in Saudi Arabia for the first time. I beat Ronda Rousey for the first time at WrestleMania, which was always a bucket list.
Then I got married, travelled the world with my husband, and then ending the year where I belong, where I’m home, it’s picture-perfect, fairy-tale. This was the time I’ve ever been away since 2015, so to come back, before my music hit, I was like, ‘Do I know how to be that serious?’ I never take off the crown, but I just kind of let it chill [when I was away].
I’m just honoured to be back, and payback to Ronda. I don’t know if she thought that I was just gonna let the last match, the ‘I Quit’ Match, go. When I went home, I thought to myself, ‘I’m a lot of things to a lot of different people, but the one thing I’m not is I’m not a quitter.’ So I just waited until the right opportunity, the right time, and I’m 14-time. It’s crazy,”
The victory marks Charlotte Flair’s seventh SmackDown Women’s Title win, and the start of her 14th Women’s Title reign.
H/t to Fightful