The Queen vs. the Face, Heel, Hottest Thing, Rookie, Underdog Champion

As WrestleMania 41 rapidly approaches on April 19-20, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, WWE faces backlash over the problematic feud between Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women’s Championship. The rivalry, which prematurely thrust a veteran performer against a promising but inexperienced champion, has deteriorated into disorganized storytelling. WWE’s questionable decision-making has left Stratton vulnerable, highlighting her shortcomings rather than elevating her as a credible star. Without significant corrections, this matchup risks negatively impacting Stratton’s career trajectory and diminishing Flair’s reputation, underscoring deeper issues within WWE’s creative process.

The feud began through interviews where Tiffany admitted Charlotte inspired her to wrestle. Charlotte Flair, a 14-time women’s champion and the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble winner, returned triumphantly from a year-long injury hiatus (torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus suffered in December 2023). Her victory earned her the right to challenge for any women’s title. After considering other competitors—including Rhea Ripley and Giulia—she set her sights on Tiffany Stratton, the reigning WWE Women’s Champion. Stratton had prematurely ascended to the top by cashing in her Money in the Bank contract on Nia Jax on January 3, 2025, establishing herself ambiguously between a face and a heel—this ambiguity being the first of many missteps. While Tiffany excels as a heel, Charlotte Flair is naturally suited to that role, making Tiffany’s attempts at heel promos against Flair a complete misstep.

This matchup made little sense from the outset: Flair, the seasoned veteran with a storied legacy, versus Stratton, a cocky newcomer with only one title reign from a cash-in and no notable accomplishments to support her status. Flair’s experience and in-ring skill paired against Stratton’s flashy but inconsistent ring work created an unbalanced booking. WWE’s recent tendency to rely more on fan suggestions and recycled storylines has contributed to a feud widely regarded as a masterclass in missed opportunities, failing both to elevate Stratton and respect Flair’s legacy.

The feud’s failures are most evident in its promo segments. Flair consistently showcased her veteran savvy, leaving Stratton flailing. Problems began during a split-screen interview on the March 21, 2025, episode of SmackDown. Flair dominated, dismissing Stratton as an undeserving champion who only won via cash-in, labeling her a “pity pick” for WrestleMania. Stratton’s attempts to counter, accusing Flair of suppressing new talent, felt rehearsed and lacked impact. Tiffany’s inauthentic, repetitive delivery ultimately buried her in a critical moment.

This dynamic escalated on the April 4, 2025, episode of SmackDown in Chicago, where their face-to-face confrontation intended as a heated prelude to WrestleMania devolved into an off-script disaster. Flair struggled with the hostile, largely artificial crowd reaction, while Stratton’s improvisation emphasized her inexperience. Stratton inappropriately pivoted to personal attacks, referencing Flair’s real name (Ashley Fliehr), her father Ric Flair, and failed marriages. Flair, blindsided, retaliated by mentioning Stratton’s real-life boyfriend. WWE later edited out these controversial elements, implicitly acknowledging the segment’s failure. Attempting to elevate an unprepared Stratton at Flair’s expense reveals WWE’s misjudgment about her readiness for the spotlight.

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray summarized the dynamic on “Busted Open Radio,” warning that Stratton would be exposed if Flair dragged her into deep waters. Social media echoed this critique, labeling the feud “dreadful fiction” in storytelling terms, and noting how damaging it was for Stratton’s credibility.

The physical aspect of the feud was similarly lackluster. Highlights included Flair ambushing Stratton post-match with a Figure Eight on March 7 and a brief pull-apart brawl on March 15 in Barcelona. Although these moments briefly ignited audience interest, inconsistent momentum persisted. Stratton’s dive from the entrance ramp two weeks before WrestleMania was notable, but her routine missed targets on high-risk moves further disappointed fans.

The booking failed to generate sympathy for Stratton or genuine heat for Flair. Flair’s dominance unintentionally portrayed her as an overpowering antagonist and bully, while Stratton appeared outmatched rather than cunning. The feud’s personal jabs felt more like reality TV than wrestling storytelling, reflecting WWE’s trend towards controversy over substance.

This feud represented a crucial opportunity for Stratton to establish herself as a main-event star. Instead, it risked derailing her momentum. At 25, Stratton’s potential was evident in her title win, but facing her idol at WrestleMania has clearly overwhelmed her, revealing her inexperience. Flair, 39, thrives at WrestleMania, and her insistence on not “being less than” has further exposed Stratton’s deficiencies. Stratton’s lackluster matches and shaky confidence have painted her as a performer still developing her on-screen presence, undermining her short reign.

The storyline also failed to enhance Flair’s legacy. Her return should have been triumphant, but the feud’s one-sided nature cast her as a gatekeeper stifling new talent—something Stratton herself noted. WWE’s unclear booking confused fans about Stratton’s role as a heel, face, victim, or bully. This ambiguity harmed audience engagement and further confused the narrative. WWE could have leveraged Flair’s experience to elevate Stratton instead of exposing her limitations.

Ultimately, WWE’s reluctance to adapt creatively has exacerbated these issues. Flair’s polished skills starkly contrasted Stratton’s lack of experience, and the creative team failed to provide sufficient support or depth. Stratton needs substantial improvement across the board, while Flair requires fresh character development beyond repetitive title feuds. The decision to let Tiffany improvise in Chicago was a failed gamble, making the feud uncomfortably personal.

With WrestleMania 41 approaching rapidly, there is little time to salvage this storyline. Although the match itself could deliver in-ring, the poorly executed build-up has been a disservice to both competitors. Unless WWE corrects course, this feud risks becoming a notorious example of desperate booking, negatively reflecting on WWE and its new TKO Group partnership.

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Extremely radiant and inexplicably energetic, given her schedule, we poked fun at how resilient Charlotte is. Speaking to her from her car while she drove to her next show in Baltimore, Maryland, I teased that I thought my schedule was busy, but hers is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. She provided a detailed account when asked what a typical day looks like. “Usually it’s fly out Thursday, show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Fly home on Monday.” We were amazed as she further elaborated. “I’m usually exhausted, but it’s my free day. I tend to enjoy my cheat snacks like Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and sushi with my fiancé, sort of like a date night, while on Tuesday, I try to get stuff done. Also, on Wednesdays, I try to get stuff done, whether it’s media, photoshoots, press over the phone, or just trying to hang out with friends or to try to do everyday life. When Thursday rolls around, and I wake up, workout, pack my bags and fly out.”

Despite her busy schedule, Charlotte loves the feel of being in the arena with fans. She admitted that it’s so different from the atmosphere online. “I’m the person that makes the crowd want to cheer for the other person to win. I love that. I love the energy.” Sometimes, when wrestlers are on social media, the negativity can be consuming, but the events allow them to feel all the fans’ love, respect, and support. It helps to distract from the toxic environment, so many of us read on social media. Social media is not always indicative of genuine reactions when it comes to the fans’ reception to her. She’s always been a talent that transcends what the media has to say. As a person who frequently attends WWE events, there has never been a crowd that didn’t show a lot of appreciation for her performances. I quickly pointed out that there has been a shift in the live crowds lately – no matter how mean or vindictive she is, people find this overwhelming need to cheer for her; the crowds have been split, but she’s the bad guy they love to root for.

Beginning her return, this character shift was different from how she’d left. There were mixed reactions to face Charlotte versus Evil Queen, but during that time, she secured her rightful place as Grand slam Champion and won her first tag team title with longtime rival Asuka. The reign was short-lived, and the alliance, and another questionable feud emerged with Lacey Evans and, surprisingly, Charlotte’s father. Earning a chuckle, I informed Charlotte that this would be the only time we mentioned her father, sixteen-time World Champion, and Hall of Famer, Ric Flair, in the interview. We adore him, but this is the queen’s time. But to round out the feud with her father and Lacey, Charlotte delivered the first of many promos that made even some of her skeptics admit that she was doing fantastic work. When asked how she felt about the negative versus the positive, she wasn’t shy. “I feel like it’s the cool thing not to like me. Whether good or bad, it’s always a positive to be in the conversation.”

As one of the top stars in WWE, it is no surprise that Charlotte is the topic of discussion among sites that cover sports and backstage gossip, also known as the Dirt Sheets. She has frequently been the subject of articles that attack her personally and professionally. “I laugh at a lot of them. There are reports of me being backstage for events that I’ve never gone to, there are so-called sources that exist for these articles, but they never called me. I ignore most of these things because I don’t believe in giving them life. Silence is the best way to deal with them.”

Comments about her physical appearance were a huge hot button subject on social media and in several articles.  Waving it off, the champ didn’t dwell on the negative attention. “I try to rise above it.” Charlotte came back in the best physical shape she’s ever been, and judging from her social media posts, fitness is a serious priority. She eats healthier and trains constantly. Her routine has more than likely been a huge factor in her success and one of the reasons she rarely has injuries.

After missing WrestleMania 37 (consider it WWE’s version of the SuperBowl), upon her return the night after, the audience was introduced to a different kind of Charlotte. Her look was edgier, her robes were villainous, and her promos cut much deeper. They were a reflection of the queen digging her heels in and deciding to never apologize for who she was and what she’d accomplished. It was evident that something shifted character-wise. “I just wanted to come back unapologetic. I just couldn’t keep apologizing for what I’ve accomplished. If someone else was in my spot, they wouldn’t apologize for being there. I realized I’m damned if I do [and] damned if I don’t. I just had to own it. I will never understand why people think I should be content with what I’ve done. I don’t want to be that person that just feels like I’ve peaked. I always come back hungry because there is so much more that I can do. Do men’s careers end after five years? They don’t get criticized for wanting to do more and be better. You don’t tell the men that they have an expiration date on their careers. No woman should have an expiration date.”

Regardless of what’s said about her in a negative sense, Charlotte always has an abundance of praise to heap on her fellow athletes. There are rivalries she would love to revisit or continue, and one immediately came to mind, as well as a few that she hopes to engage in. She knows she is different as a competitor, and so are her counterparts. “I’ve never had a full feud with Naomi. I would love to face her again. I want to do a full program with Shayna Baszler; I admire her and her background. I also think that Bianca and I will need to have a full program at some point. I had a taste of what we could do on Raw, and I would like to go back to that and have a full program. She’s so athletic and powerful, and I need more time with her. Rhea also definitely has unfinished business with me. I would love to share more moments with her. I really want to fight everyone.” She laughed. “I’m a different performer now, and I guess I have unfinished business with everyone.”

Being the competitive athlete that she is, Charlotte has a bit of an aggressive side in her matches. Some people can bring that out more than others. Charlotte had her thoughts about who could provoke that side of the Mad Queen. “I would say, Ronda, right?” The kendo stick and savage beating Ronda Rousey, former UFC fighter turned WWE champion, suffered at the hands of the queen at Survivor Series 2018, came to mind, and I couldn’t help but agree as she continued. “I mean, that’s kinda when they let me turn it on. I’ve always had it in me. When do I get to be that Killer Queen? I love Killer Queen. I also get very aggressive with Asuka.” Sasha was also mentioned as a person who brings out aggression in the queen. “Sasha and I haven’t had a program on TV in five years, but when we cross paths again on TV, I believe it will be what everyone expects and more.”

Returning to SmackDown after a two-year absence was special and exciting for the queen and fans alike. This put Charlotte on a brand where long-time rival Sasha Banks, for the first time in five years, as well as many talents she had yet to have matches or feuds with. We wanted to know what goes into her process of preparing for new opponents. “I watch their matches on Youtube. I asked both Shotzi Blackheart and Toni Storm what their favorite matches were of theirs, and I watched them to study their move sets to try to work around that.” And when incorporating the opponent’s moves, she does admit that being the bad guy helps because she gets to be aggressive. “Like, for instance, if I’m in a program with someone like Shayna Baszler, I’d change my style more for that. Shayna is a tough competitor with a background as a UFC fighter, and I have to up my game when I’m in the ring with her.”

Adding to the style changes, Charlotte has also adapted a few move changes of her own that we needed a little clarity on— What’s the deal with stepping on people so often? “It’s demeaning; it’s one of the most demeaning things you can do to a person. Just those little gestures add so much to the Evil Queen character. I feel like when you step through that curtain, it’s your job to make those people believe what they are supposed to. To elicit those reactions from the audience feels good. That is my job as a performer. The most important thing to me is entertainment when it comes to the fans.”

With Royal Rumble on the horizon, there is much anticipation as it is Charlotte’s third year of participation, and the first time a women’s Champion has been an entrant. “So for Rumble, my top three— Shayna Baszler, Alexa Bliss, and wow, I don’t know—” With a chuckle, I reminded her to pick herself as one of the top three. “Yeah, me,” she added, seemingly still floored at having the chance to compete as a champion. Now that Charlotte has the opportunity to enter the Rumble and possibly win for a second time and choose her opponent for WrestleMania, her goal for main eventing again seems closer than ever.

We have all heard the beautiful reason Charlotte began her journey in wrestling, and over the years, there have been so many triumphs as well as setbacks for her, and one of my burning questions was what keeps her going. Tearfully she provided her motivation. “I constantly surprise myself. That’s really it. Sometimes I drive down the road, and I look at my life, and I’m like, how the hell did I get here? I hadn’t found my purpose or passion yet in my twenties. When my brother passed away, my life changed and put me on the path to where I am today. If I can go this far, how much further can I go?”

Even with everything she has achieved, Charlotte has so much more she still wants to do. “I want another storyline that catches fire, I want to main event Mania, and I want to do an action movie. I feel like I grow into more of myself every year.” Charlotte has also never done an Elimination Chamber match, and the subject of infiltrating the men’s Royal Rumble also came up. “I don’t want to do the Men’s Rumble, but if the opportunity for Elimination Chamber presented itself, definitely.”

Her career started because of dedication to her brother, and he was not able to be a part of her rise to the top, but there are moments she’s dedicated to him. “When I won the Diva’s Title, I feel like that was for him. Now I just think to myself that he would never believe what I’ve become. I’m the most decorated woman in sports-entertainment history, and he never saw a second of it. This was his dream.” Even with success, there are sometimes regrets, but as far as Charlotte is concerned, she has none. “Are there things I would do differently? Yeah, probably, but regrets, no. I’m here now. I’m where I am.”

While I had her on the ropes, we talked about a moment in 2021 that, for me, dispelled the rumors of selfishness and difficulty. Money in the Bank 2021, while Charlotte faced Rhea Ripley, there was a moment where the crowd started to cheer for an opponent that was neither active nor in the match. In my opinion, Rhea appeared to be a bit dejected, but as the veteran, and in one of the most genuine moments, Charlotte saw this and took charge. Flipping off, the crowd seemed to do the job of stopping the chatter, and we, as a crowd, were able to refocus on the match about to begin in front of us.

The match went on to make the top ten matches of the year and also took that same crowd from cheering for someone else to chanting this is awesome where we, once again, saw the tough armor around the queen drop to give us a glimpse of her taking it all in. My question was, where does Charlotte end and Ashley begin in those moments. “I would do it again. I love that girl. I love Rhea. She has grown on me, and I feel like I’ve grown on her. She deserves so much. She is such a great kid, such a hard worker. She has this amazing presence. She picks up things so fast. She is amazing. I believe Rhea and Bianca are the future. They are both incredible talents.”

After such an intriguing talk, it was hard to wrap up, but there was one last question for the queen. While she already has a collection of tattoos, there is usually meaning for each of them. Her fans were buzzing about her new ink on her forearm, the word worthy, and what it meant to her. “I have learned a lot since my debut in 2015. I have grown every year, and a part of that growth is also learning how to deal with the pressure and criticism, whether it’s good or bad. I am so invested in my career and character, but being in the public eye is sometimes challenging. It’s remembering that there is a difference between what people say about the character Charlotte versus the person Ashley. It symbolizes remembering and knowing that and striving to stay true to yourself. It’s also about knowing you’re worthy and believing that every day.”

As always, it was such an amazing experience to dish with the queen and share a few laughs as she headed into her next day of events. After being thanked for sharing her time, she simply responded, “It was my pleasure.”

“There are levels to this.” As Charlotte once expressed in a promo, there definitely are levels. To be the best athlete, the best performer, the best talent, there are levels you must pass. Charlotte Flair is a level all her own. When you think of presence, star power, talent, and hunger, Charlotte is the level most people should aspire to achieve as an athlete. The person behind the character is also top tier as a human being who is compassionate and, above all else, humble.

Gallery: Charlotte Flair’s 2021 Gold Rush

Charlotte Flair can be seen every week on WWE SmackDown, airing Fridays on Fox. Follow Charlotte on social media on Instagram and Twitter.

Photo Credits: Zavier De’Angelo (@zavierdeangelo)
Hair and Makeup: Lina Zuniga (@linazunigaofficial) and Liz Santana (@lizsantanabeauty)
Wardrobe: Christina Joy Pacelli (@christinajpacelli)

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With all the negativity surrounding the sport, and the constant attempt to regard women’s wrestling as less than compared to the men, the assumption would be that women in the industry would band together, but this is not always the case. Letting the insecurities you have for yourself be used as satire for your character is one thing, but taking the insecurities someone has for themselves and weaponizing it to assert dominance is something that has been used far too many times. And in the passing years, there has been one particular wrestler with her own crosses to bear, using the body image of others as a negative way to respond to Kayfabe insults.

“I just feel like I appreciate my body more. I go ‘well, you know what? I’ve created a life. This is great, this is great.’ I don’t really care how it looks any more, you know what I mean? If that makes sense? I’ve always had body issues, and I was always self-conscious about showing my stomach off. And now, I’m just real proud of the function of it, of everything it can do. So I don’t know if it’s a mental thing that just turns into a physical thing. If that makes any sense?” – Becky Lynch, (Muscle and Fitness 2021)

Becky Lynch, a self-proclaimed locker room hero, has been known for many things over the years. Her inclusion as being one of the WWE’s own versions of the Four Horsewomen, being the inaugural Smackdown Women’s Champion, her rise to the top as the Man, and no one could ever forget her being one of the first women to main event WrestleMania. Her resume has been impressive thus far, no one can deny that, but with great power comes great responsibility.

As a role model to children, to women, and to some men, there are certain standards that need to be maintained even when the cameras are no longer rolling. Especially when the cameras are no longer rolling. Insults in Kayfabe that attack the opponents’ abilities, their character, and dismantle them mentally and sometimes even physically if things escalate are exciting, they’re expected, but what you do when you log into your social media sometimes leaves more of a lasting impression. And when you use social media as a form of negative reinforcement, it takes on a life of its own.

From body shaming, to injury, and slut shaming, Becky Lynch has taken social media beyond the guise of Kayfabe and feud promotion into bullying and organized targeting of her peers. What’s more disturbing than taking social media feuds too far, it the fact that a woman who has admitted body issues of her own would subject others to the scrutiny she herself was plagued with.

“I post pictures when I think my abs look good and whatever, and I’m standing in a way to where the lighting is whatever— I mean if I move that thing is going to jiggle. That’s why I don’t have my stomach on show. You know what I mean? It doesn’t matter how lean I am, I’m predisposed to being a little doughier.” – Becky Lynch, (Making Their Way to The Ring 2017)

So how does one go from victim to victimizer? It is very unclear where the shift in attitude came from. Possibly the weight of trying to maintain a position on top. It could also be the constant need to outlast her predecessors, but there has clearly been a shift. Or was it already there and because of her lack of popularity it was buried under more important headlines. The lineage of body shaming exhibited by Becky Lynch dates back as far as 2016. This is strange, considering her own interview about body issues only came out in 2017.

While this is one of the first tweets unearthed detailing the particularly unscrupulous behavior of Becky Lynch on social media, it certainly is not the last. In each feud, and sometimes just out of the blue, she hurls below the belt insults that are apparently intended to be satirical but come off as rude and insensitive.

While it is unclear what the motivation is behind the vicious cyber-attacks on her coworkers, one thing became apparent after her latest questionable twitter moment: The fans are not amused. Unlike most of her other “moments of glory” legions of fans were very vocal about Becky’s comments.

While Charlotte Flair is the latest on Becky’s list of people to personally attack on social media, many fans don’t expect her to be the last. If history has shown us anything it is that Becky’s main go to in a feud is a personal comment that has nothing to do with Kayfabe. I find it very intriguing that with all the comments and negativity surrounding the way she conducts feuds that she’s “seen” as a hero.

“… I never use cheap insults to discredit someone, make fun of someone’s appearance, or body-shame. That’s a huge, no, no to me. Even though I am the bad guy, it’s more of, I’m better than you. I never use other things to put others down.” —Charlotte Flair

While there may be more than one definition of what a hero is, there are many examples of how to create a positive Social Media environment, even in the face of a feud. Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks exchanged many blows during their feud and managed to stay on track, as did Rhea/Charlotte/Nikki A.S.H. While it is understood that tensions could run high in feuds and hurtful things could be said, it’s a common occurrence in Becky Lynch feuds. And that is something worth addressing.

“So all I’ll say is the locker room needs a hero sometimes. And sometimes somebody’s gotta be a hero. I’m all right being that hero. That’s what I’ll say on that matter.” —Becky Lynch (Sports Illustrated 2021)

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While working to honor the legacy of the Flair before her, Charlotte also became a trailblazer to cement herself as one of, if not the best. While so many of her matches are memorable and stay with us long after they’re concluded, nothing compares to WrestleMania. Each and every WrestleMania moment leaves us with a different feeling of astonishment when Charlotte appears.

Having had her first WrestleMania moment as a part of Triple H’s 2014 entrance, alongside fellow wrestlers Alexa Bliss and Sasha Banks, Charlotte would soon step into a moment that could completely be her own two years later at WrestleMania 32.

The match was a segway into the new era of women’s wrestling, as Charlotte entered the Diva’s Champion and exited the new Women’s Champion. Coming into the arena with her father by her side, Charlotte had everything to prove and everything to lose. To add to the momentous occasion, Charlotte donned a robe made out of material from her father’s final match. Something she shared with him just before their entrance. The match was a classic clash of the current titans for WWE’s women’s wrestling, and all three came in with the chance to take home the gold. The match itself was grueling, intense, and women’s wrestling at its current peak. Charlotte’s moonsault outside the ring was a moment that will always be remembered, taking out both of her challengers. At the conclusion of this epic battle, Charlotte reigned supreme, eventually tapping out Becky Lynch to take home the most coveted title in the women’s division. It was a beautiful WrestleMania moment.

At WrestleMania 33, Charlotte went into a fatal-4-way match as a challenger to the reigning Champion, Bayley, alongside Sasha Banks, and Nia Jax.

Teaming up with her opponents, Charlotte assisted in the elimination of Nia Jax as the first one out. Once Jax was eliminated, Charlotte hit one of the most memorable moves of the night, her corkscrew moonsault. From the top ropes, to the outside of the ring, she took out both opponents with one of her most majestic moves to date. Next, Charlotte locked horns with one of her biggest rivals, Sasha Banks, where Charlotte was able to rack up an elimination. With the match coming down to her and Bayley, The Queen was not able to pick up the victory. While we love a winning Queen, you can’t win them, all.

She may not have won a title here, but as far moments go, she owned the night. Charlotte became known for two things this night, her beautiful moonsault, and her entrances. Her green robe and gear would become one of her most distinguished looks as well as the fireworks that accompanied her just as she raised her arms, creating a magical moment where time seemed to stand still. And we love a woman that knows how to make an entrance.

WrestleMania 34, was the pinnacle of moments, for Charlotte.

As if the stars aligned, everything surrounding her match was perfect. She had the perfect opponent in Asuka, The Empress of Tomorrow, who would be bringing with her an unbroken win streak. Her entrance was a legendary full circle moment reminiscent of her very first appearance onscreen at WrestleMania. She entered on a throne with gold gladiators, and everything screamed royalty. In my opinion, this was her best entrance, ever. Even the symbolism of using NXT wrestlers as her escort proved that a good story could be told just through an entrance.

The match itself had so much anticipation on both sides. Would the Queen be ready for Asuka? Would Asuka be the one to shatter the myth of The Queen? Who was taking home the SmackDown title? In a tumultuous thirteen minute and five second match, Charlotte proved that she was ready for Asuka by tapping her out to the Figure-Eight. Another great moment was witnessing the respect that Asuka and Charlotte have for each other as the women shared an emotional embrace at the conclusion of the match. Both women put on a phenomenal match, but there could only be one winner. The Queen had her moment in the sun.

Continuing her legacy of WrestleMania appearances, Charlotte had a historic—never done before—match on the books in the form of an all women—winner take all—main event. With Fellow wrestlers, Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey, Charlotte would enter as the SmackDown Women’s Champion and the least favored to win. But since when has that ever mattered to The Queen?

Arriving at the arena with her most dramatic mode of transportation to date, a helicopter, Charlotte sported equally flamboyant purple gear that was custom made for the event. The tension was immense as the match kicked off, Charlotte engaged and several fantastic spots with both women. From an epic double spear to a chop off battle with Ronda in the middle of the ring, The Queen put on a show. The battle was close, all of the women got off some of their best moves, but this night went to Becky Lynch as she pinned Ronda to take home both titles.

Even without a win, The Queen earned her moment by doing what no other woman had done, besides the women she shared a ring with that night, she main evented an otherwise male dominated pay per view.

Leading into her most recent WrestleMania moment, Charlotte had to deal with the changes in the world. While she had a fresh new and exciting opponent in Rhea Ripley, the rest of the world was in a Global Pandemic, and the event would be crowdless. Coming off of the high of a Royal Rumble victory, Charlotte had her pick of the champions to challenge, but growing tired of the same rivalries, Charlotte took her time in selecting an opponent. She’d put off naming her pick for WrestleMania until an opponent came to her in the form of, then NXT Champion, Rhea Ripley.

While the two went back and forth about Charlotte accepting the challenge, the decision was made clear when Charlotte showed up at Rhea’s NXT Takeover Portland match and decimated Rhea and the opponent she’d just defeated. From that moment, up until the actual match, Rhea and Charlotte made menacing visits to each other’s respective shows, adding a lot of much needed animosity to the rivalry, seeing as these opponents had never met or shared a locker room before.

What makes this particular moment one of the greatest in my opinion, was the fact that these two amazing women were able to build something that came off very authentic and well put together with absolutely no crowd. It was the first time in the history of the Charlotte’s WrestleMania appearances that she would perform with no fans. The match was incredible. Each woman brought so much intensity and hunger to the table, it was arguably one of the best matches of the night, if not the best. To do such amazing work, out of your element is not something everyone can do, but Rhea and Charlotte defied the odds. And the Queen became only the second woman, behind Shayna Baszler, to hold the NXT title two times.

When Charlotte is mentioned, good or bad, the one thing that cannot be denied is her power. The mere mention of her name elevates the conversation. Her star power shines bright enough to make any match the focal point of any event. While Charlotte herself brings her best to her WrestleMania matches, you could also say she brings out the best in her opponents. While this year we won’t get that special feeling of a Charlotte Flair moment, what comes next for her can only get better. Each year she pushes herself to new levels.

People could argue for days, who Ms. WrestleMania is. There could be so many differing opinions, and some would be valid. But if we’re going off of talent, results, and sheer hunger there can only be one. Just as we came to the conclusion many years ago that Shawn Michaels was Mr. WrestleMania, the same can be said for Charlotte. The title isn’t based solely on wins or losses. The title itself describes a person who embodies the passion, the drive, the magnetism that inspires and electrifies their audience at each and every WrestleMania they’re present for. Her moments are our moments. Her moments are her legacy. Ms. WrestleMania is and always will be synonymous with the name Charlotte Flair. She earned it.

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Starting the interview, Andrade spoke to his dream of being a wrestler. He’d known from birth that it was what he wanted to do. Wrestling was in his blood, a family tradition. Delving further into recent events, Andrade, discussed how he wasn’t sure about leaving the WWE until last month.  

According to Andrade, in February, top WWE talents Randy Orton, Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, and Cesaro, questioned his absence, and that’s when he started to suspect something was off. While he initially went undrafted in the most recent pool, it was cited that he’d been left off due to an eye surgery that he was cleared for in November, but after being cleared, there was still no story for him.

Despite several media outlets reporting an eventual push scheduled upon his return. Andrade had this to say about the locker room and his peers. “Everyone treated [me] with kindness, but no one speaks out, everyone vents but nobody stands up and says something.”

Fearing that there might be an actual problem within the ranks, both Andrade and his fiancée Charlotte Flair, pitched ideas to the WWE creative team regarding their future storylines. None of the ideas came into fruition. While he was unspecific about what the ideas were, it was very apparent that his English was the excuse they wanted to rely on for the lack of mainstream stories for the thirty-one-year-old wrestler. This seems to be a justification for lack of creativity where he is concerned, as there are several talents who speak perfect English who are also stuck in catering.

One of the most telling parts of his sit down, a source of high contentment, was the medical treatment, or lack thereof. While the timing is a bit suspicious, the Lucha wrestler kept it positive. He had this to say: “15 days ago, I asked for my release on a Monday, I tested positive for Covid, Sunday 7 days later. They then called me and said I was granted my release. The doc that punished me for testing positive for a substance is the same doctor who relayed the positive covid test.”

While his overall experience was filled with ups and downs, Andrade had nothing but great things to say about his fellow wrestlers, WWE executive Paul “Triple H” Levesque and former executive producer Paul Heyman. “Paul always spoke the truth to me. He believed in me. None of the matches with Rey [Mysterio] were scripted, the matches kept taking place because the viewers loved it not because it was scripted to take place.”

Andrade was also very clear on the basis of that, while he fears some may have negative feelings towards Latinos in WWE, he doesn’t let it affect him. He doesn’t give things like that importance.

He had several things to say about his real-life romance, but the main consensus was that of respect for her wellbeing. He spoke on a few events, that I personally find reprehensible, but even then, he relayed their events with tact and poise. While his treatment and experiences leave a lot to be desired, there is one thing that stands out. Andrade is destined for greatness. Let’s hope he finds a place willing to showcase it.

The full interview can be found here.

The post Former WWE Superstar Andrade Reveals Why He Left WWE in Interview with Lucha Libre Online appeared first on TV Source Magazine. TV Source Magazine - TV News, Spoilers, Recaps, Interviews

In this very much male dominated sport, where WWE produces three hours of programming on Monday Night Raw and two hours of WWE Friday Night Smackdown, the women are averaging less than a third of the screen time allowed to their male counterparts. That must mean the males work harder? Absolutely not.

While the overall storytelling for the men and women is mostly lazy, women are working just as hard as the men. Some even more. The expectation of having the same advantages seems to be a foreign concept amongst the WWE executives. As well as the screen time, the pay also differs tremendously between the top male and female stars. But let’s talk talent. The biggest misconception is that opportunities are given to certain superstars based on popularity with management.

There are several well liked talents (such as Liv Morgan) who are not featured in main story lines and the consensus is that the creative team just simply doesn’t know what to do in the form of a believable feud. Does that mean their opportunities are being blocked by other superstars? No. Contrary to a popular belief, most superstars are given their stories and they play them out as scripted. There is not a barter system to get title shots and juicy storylines. Just simply, “here are your marching orders.” And those orders can change at the drop of a hat if deemed necessary, sometimes even the day of a major match. So what can they do?

The one thing that has always been a deciding factor with exposure on WWE is drive. Not to say that any of the non-featured talent lacks drive—but what exactly are they doing when the camera points at them? No matter how small the role is, or how short the match may be, it is imperative to make the most of any time you spend on camera. With the opportunities being limited as is, it’s up to the talent to make themselves noticed. If they give two minutes, one should strive to make it the most unforgettable two minutes of the show. The characters have to look good on paper and in person.

What about their favorite go to talents? The thing we all have to ask ourselves is why those go to talents are called upon so regularly. When a company sees an employee as an asset and knows they can be depended upon in a time of uncertainty and direct need, that’s who they call upon. It sounds complicated, but it’s very simple, make yourself that person they can depend on via your actions onscreen. Make the most of your time. What can they do now? We’re in a pandemic. While the crowd is visibly missing as far as the live performances, it was actually a perfect time to build new stars. This did not happen. With all brands under one roof and every star at their disposal, it should have been a no brainer to use the veterans to usher in a new wave of faces for front burner feuds. Again, this did not happen. But, you know, it’s because “certain people take all of the title shots.”

Actually, during this unprecedented time, two of the top female stars were out for an extended period of time. Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, two driving forces in the division went out on leave within weeks of each other, leaving a void and opportunity for talents who had otherwise not been featured or felt overlooked to emerge on top. Vince Mahon has often spoke about talents needing to grab the brass ring, to step up and make moments when presented. Who would heed the call? In a division that features nearly two-dozen, there would only be one who truly stood out.

Sonya Deville, who had previously pitched a storyline for herself, was a star on the rise She’d gone to management and fought for her screen time and solo push. Sonya mentally prepared herself knowing that she either had to sink or swim and did her best to make the most of her moment. During an interview last summer with WWE personalities Renee Young and Paige on WWE Backstage, Deville revealed she went to management and asked for an opportunity to prove herself staying, “I knew going in that this was my moment. It was kinda like make or break and I knew I had to kill it. I had never really gotten mic time before and people didn’t really know I had a voice. It was something I had been asking for-for a long time leading up to that. I remember asking Vince and creative to give me one time on the mic and if I screw it up, you can take it away forever. I was confident that I had something to say in that time and place.”

That confidence enabled Deville to step into the spotlight and be what the company was asking for. There was an intensity, there was a determination, and most importantly, she looked like the future star WWE would get behind. Unfortunately, that was sidelined due to personal reasons that were no fault of her own. She was a phenomenal breath of fresh air that I hope to breathe in once again.

Outside of Sonya Deville, no one else answered the call on Raw or Smackdown. Instead the championships and screen time were relegated to involve five previous champions — Bayley, Sasha Banks, Asuka, Nia Jax and Shayna Bazler — leaving little room for new talents to be showcased in order to become top talents

While the gauntlet was dropped as far as calling out the seemingly stalled women’s division, call outs were made by the likes of Raw superstar Seth Rollins who made headlines in August when he was quoted as saying, “I think it’s no secret that Bayley and Sasha [Banks] have done their god damndest to fill in with Becky being out and the women’s division just being wide open. Charlotte Flair being out now too. The women have been lagging behind Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair for some time and now it’s time for them to step up and do their thing. Asuka has stepped up too, as well, but I do think Bayley and Sasha have been great.”

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair also voiced frustrations with the state of the division and the constant backlash aimed at his daughter Charlotte Flair for simply doing her job. He welcomed her hiatus and hoped the division would produce new stars in her absence. “These people say, ‘Oh, you’re holding back?’ Okay. Well, you know what? The only way to find out who we’re holding back as turn it over to them. I’ll give you the list of names they keep running by me that the media keeps bringing up. Give Let’s see them stick a moonsault every night. Let’s see them do a corkscrew moonsault off the top rope onto five people. Give them a great match, not a good match, every time out. Come on, name the five women that could do that. Name the two. I just named the one.”

So what’s the missing piece? What’s missing is passion. While I’ll state again, more opportunities go to the men. Unfortunately this has been a norm in this business since its inception. The biggest issue outside of opportunities, in my opinion, is what is done when those chances are presented. As veteran superstars, the expectation of rising to the top is already built in, but as a talent looking to be the next big thing, you have to have the ability to be just as good if not better. A select few are leaving the lasting impression we crave. They’re making an impact where they were otherwise overlooked.

For example, Billie Kay rarely has matches, but her time onscreen is memorable due to her winning personality. Lana also made an impact by simply being the girl going through tables week in and week out. While these are not the hard hitting matches we want to see from the women of this generation, they are effectively laying the groundwork to the possibility of an eventual push. Opportunities were presented as far as mic time during the pandemic, but mostly, other than the faces we rely on to be the ringers of the division, no one seemed to emerge with a remedy to resolve the missing piece.

While a select few always rise to the occasion, some relax in a bubble of comfortability. And in a business where opportunities are few, hunger and passion to be the absolute best is what separates the good from the great.

The post WWE Women’s Division: The Missing Piece appeared first on TV Source Magazine. TV Source Magazine - TV News, Spoilers, Recaps, Interviews

“Charlotte Flair snapped!” exclaimed Renee Young as we witnessed what WWE has labeled as a ‘brutal attack’ over Ronda Rousey. “Charlotte’s completely lost it!” Michael Cole stated after we witnessed Charlotte attack Ronda with a series of kendo stick shots, a Natural Selection on a steel chair and attacking officials. “Thank you, Charlotte” chant is heard from the crowd after she stomps on a chair that has been wrapped around Ronda’s neck.

This move effectively turned Charlotte Flair from a face (hero) into a heel (villain), despite the outpouring support of the crowd chanting their thanks and support of Charlotte for what she has done. The move is unexpected and unexplainable. The notion that Charlotte has snapped during this match is valid but would have made more sense had it happened sooner.

Just weeks prior to Survivor Series, Charlotte competed in a Last Woman Standing match with former best friend and current Smackdown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. In a match that tested everything in her, Charlotte came up short. She was the one who could not perform after a count of 10 was established. She was the one who, despite an epic rising from the ashes, or in this case chairs and announcer table, was on the receiving end of a losing battle. That is the moment when she should have completely lost it. Instead, it was the battle with Ronda Rousey that caused the Queen to show the cracks in her armor.

As we learned on the November 20 edition of Smackdown, it was not a one-time occurrence as the cracks were still in her armor. The IIconics decided to interrupt Charlotte after she was assessed a $100,000 fine by Smackdown General Manager Paige for her attack on the WWE officials at the event. She continued the ‘snap’ persona of Charlotte as she defeated Billie Kay in her first match of the night and then faced Peyton Royce in another match before a disqualification was called due to interference. While the women assumed they had the advantage, Charlotte didn’t allow the numbers game to overpower her. On the outside, as the women went to grab a chair, Charlotte recovered and speared both women. In a ‘crazed look’, Charlotte slammed one by one and then both of their heads in a fury of shots against the announcers table. Slamming Billie against the barricade, Peyton into the steel steps before finally tossing both over the announcers table. As they recovered under the desk, Charlotte stood above it. High and tall. With that same look she has displayed since Sunday night. A look that says she is here to destroy, not conquer.

Photo Credit: WWE

At the Nov. 27 edition of Smackdown, Becky Lynch returned from the legit injury she had and the cat and mouse game between them continued. So much so that Paige set a match between the two women for the SDL Women’s Championship once again, in a TLC match. It will be a first for both and the entire women’s division. It is not met without resistance. It comes from neither Charlotte nor Becky but rather the SDL women backstage. They are tired of seeing Charlotte get a chance and they want their own. Paige arranges for battle royal to see who will be added to the match. The winner ultimately turns out to be Asuka. The very woman Charlotte has defeated on the grandest stage of them all at WrestleMania this very year and ended her undefeated streak. Asuka and Lynch have yet to face one another on the main roster in a one on one match.

The Dec. 4 episode of Smackdown Live airs tonight. I am unaware of what direction they will have Charlotte go in, and what I’m proposing may make no sense once it does, or maybe it will align with the direction WWE intends to go. But let’s be honest, predicting what WWE wants to do when the game plan isn’t as cut and dry as they prefer it, is like trying to force a square into a triangle.

What I would prefer is for Charlotte to continue the ‘crazed’ Queen persona.

It was a piece of commentary from the attack that Charlotte placed on the IIconics that was stated that stuck out to me. For the entirety of her career on the main roster, Charlotte has been a winner. A two-time Smackdown Women’s Champion. A four-time Raw Women’s Champion. The final Divas Championship champion. “Charlotte Flair doesn’t want to win matches, Charlotte Flair wants to hurt people.”

This is the direction Charlotte should go. It’s exactly what the character needs. Charlotte does not need to win another match, she could never have to win another match and her impact would still be felt. She just needs to set out to destroy.  Everyone but herself, because she’s already at the stage beyond “repair”. She’s been broken since SummerSlam. Even if WWE hasn’t acknowledged it until the match at Survivor Series. A sadistic, pain inflicting machine reminiscent of a heel Stone Cold Steve Austin (circa early 2001), or a female cerebral assassin ala Triple H is the way to go.

In this business, the old age motto of keep your friends close and your enemies closer has been at the forefront of every friendship. WWE thrives on friends turned to bitter rivals trope. It’s exactly what happened between Charlotte and Becky. The Queen had allowed someone to get close to her. It did not matter that personal experience and experience of her father knew that this was a bad idea. It was sweet and lovable Becky Lynch. Until the moment she felt Charlotte had stolen what was hers. What she had earned. What she deserved. What was meant to finally be her moment.

There will be one more night of an official airing of Smackdown Live before TLC. This is where you set the stage for Charlotte. Instead of the obvious tag match all of the women in the match against 3 other competitors or having them each in a match against someone, allow Charlotte to have a one on one match. It can be any of the women on the roster. Naomi, who she has history with Royal Glow, one of the IIconics again, Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Lana, Carmella, etc. The point should be to continue the crazed persona. This time, Charlotte disqualifies herself. She hits them with a kendo stick. Or a chair. Or use a ladder. In the end, Charlotte stands tall. She stands victorious, even if the win doesn’t go to her name. Although, given how Survivor Series turned out, I imagine WWE creative will just set it up so the women have a backstage spot or talk on the mic to avoid risking injury.

Regardless, when TLC rolls around, the objective for Charlotte should be clear. Charlotte is not to win. But Charlotte does determine the outcome. Remember, Charlotte is broken. Charlotte is crazed. Charlotte is setting out to destroy everyone in her path; even if they are unaware of it.

At TLC, Charlotte has the match won. She has the pin over Becky. But she pulls her up. She stops the referee before he can count to three and make it official. Thinking this is an opening, Asuka goes on the defense of Charlotte. She thinks she has the pin and it’s almost a mirror image of how SummerSlam went, without the friendship involved to be broken. But Charlotte does not give up. She kicks out at two while Becky is still recovering. Charlotte finishes off Asuka. She lays Becky’s body over Asuka for the pin. Charlotte takes a step back, goes out of the ropes and yet stands on the ring apron. As the ref has counts to three, Charlotte takes a jump off said ring apron and leaves up the ramp. Becky is in the ring confused but nonetheless grateful for the fact that she gets to hold onto the title she has worked so hard for. Asuka doesn’t lose the match to Becky and Charlotte does not win.

Charlotte heads up the ramp and never looks back. But we see a smirk. We see the Queen pleased with herself and she heads through the curtains. Backstage, in exclusives and interviews, they try to get Charlotte to open up. She does not. The upcoming Smackdown, they try to once again get Charlotte to explain why she helped her former best friend and why she didn’t take the championship back. Charlotte ignores them and goes out for her match. It is another loss but she destroys another woman on the roster. Not enough to bury them but just enough to where we continue to see her destroy everything in her path; whether it was placed there or because she wanted it there.

Photo Credit: WWE

It is clear to anyone watching – the Queen remains, but she’s a broken Queen. Maybe the Queen we’re used to was left behind when Charlotte was hugged in the ring at SummerSlam before her former best friend attacked her. Or maybe the moment Charlotte emerged from the series of chairs at Evolution is when we missed her.

Or maybe, just maybe, the broken Queen was lost and was only allowed to show herself when Charlotte had something to prove on behalf of her entire locker room. Because proving her own self for the sake of her is one thing. But when you are carrying a brand on your shoulder, a brand that you know did not see you as their number one option, it can cause anyone to snap or lose themselves.

And that’s what Charlotte is trying to do – prove herself to everyone. Or maybe she’s trying to prove herself to…herself. She’s trying to prove that Charlotte is still in control. That the Charlotte that we know is still genetically superior to her competitors. Yet, the battle between Becky and herself forced Charlotte to be a step behind. It forced her to fall back and not have a proper game plan that was nothing more than defense. But in doing so, it opens a door for Charlotte.

‘No man succeeds without a good woman behind him.’ If Becky Lynch is the man, then it is time to allow Charlotte to be the ‘good woman’ behind him while blazing a path that has yet to be explored all her own.

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