The Smackdown Women's Division is Flourishing
and there's one person to thank for it ...
Aliyah, Lacey Evans, Natalya, Raquel Rodriguez, Shayna Bazler, Shotzi, Sonya Deville and Xia Li. These are all names of the current female Smackdown wrestlers you have seen a fair share of or more on Friday nights in recent months. These are superstars names you hadn’t seen much tv time or PPV time before Wrestlemania. Liv Morgan is the current Smackdown Women’s Champion. A Raw superstar who won Money in the Bank and cashed in on Ronda Rousey to become the champion. All of this is possible, in my opinion, because of one person. Charlotte Flair. Her absence has allowed the focus to be off of her for the first time in years.
All Charlotte, all the time.
Charlotte Flair has been absent from WWE television and pay-per-view programing since her Wrestlemania loss to Ronda Rousey. Admittedly, it has been a breath of fresh air. Charlotte’s persona, character and constant presence was becoming, well, tiresome. From her long, drawn out promos, to her always being the focus of the women’s division of whichever brand she’s on. We might as well have started calling it Friday Night Charlotte some nights. 197 straight days Charlotte held the Smackdown title before her Wrestlemania loss to Ronda Rousey. Before that, Charlotte was on the Raw brand and held the Raw Women’s Champion for 61 days before being drafted by Smackdown. In the Draft, the Smackdown Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch was drafted to Raw and the women exchanged titles to match the show they represented. It seems as though Charlotte always has to either hold a title or hover around the main event to remain relevant.
Honorable Mentions
Ronda Rousey earns an honorable mention to thank for the women’s division flourishing. Even as the Champion, Ronda was a part-timer. She is absolutely horrific in delivering promos, so her television time is usually short, when she actually shows up. Ronda generally competes only in PPV matches, so even when she does show up, it’s usually an appearance only, a quick exchange during someone else’s promo or a short, painful promo of her own.
Sasha Banks and Naomi walking out also has led the way for more talent to be utilized, although as Women’s Tag Team Champions, they floated between brands and weren’t regulars on either show week in and week out.
Final Thoughts
I’m happy to see some of the talent that show up and put in the work finally being utilized. I’m glad they have been given opportunities. I am ecstatic that a very much improved and fellow Jersey native, Liv Morgan, has been given the chance to be the Smackdown Women’s Champion. I honestly believe if Charlotte wasn’t absent from WWE programming, Liv never would have had the opportunity she does now.
What are your thoughts? Are you a Charlotte fan? Do you miss Charlotte or do you agree with me and are enjoying Charlotte’s absence?