Reflecting on the 2018 Royal Rumble, Charlotte Flair discussed the first ever Women’s version in a round table discussion on the WWE Network.
For Charlotte Flair, as the then reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion – she watched from the side-lines as the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble took place in 2018.
I probably had a boo-boo face on. Like, ‘Wait, I’m on camera, don’t have a boo-boo face.’ It’s exciting and the action and movements. I didn’t know what the future was going to hold, but you see these things going down and you hear the crowd reaction and you’re like, ‘Oh, I feel so left out of it.’
At the same time, I had to realize that I was holding what the women want, so ultimately that’s the main goal. For me, it wasn’t even about the title. Main eventing the Rumble is so much bigger than…the Rumble is for who you’re going to face at Mania, it’s for all these women from the past and present.
The main event on that night was in fact the 30-woman Royal Rumble match, a Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania 34 on the line for the victor.
Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch were the first and second entrants, and we saw numerous surprise appearances from WWE Hall of Fame’s own Lita, Trish Stratus & Beth Phoenix to NXT stars like Kairi Sane and then NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon.
After the match Charlotte Flair did enter the ring alongside then RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss to approach the inaugural Women’s Royal Rumble winner, Asuka. The interaction didn’t last long until we saw the arrival and debut of UFC superstar Ronda Rousey.
Charlotte may not have been a part of the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble, but she is one of just three to have won it as she took the victory in the 2020 Rumble match.