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WWE made sure to end 2022 with a bang. Charlotte Flair returned during the last SmackDown of the year and dethroned Ronda Rousey for the latter's title.
With her win on December 30, The Queen topped her own record by becoming a seven-time WWE SmackDown Women's Champion. In total, Flair has acquired 17 title reigns in WWE, with one reign apiece with the Divas Title and the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, two reigns with NXT gold, and six reigns as RAW Women's Champion.
Before winning on Friday night, The Queen hadn't wrestled since losing the SmackDown Women's Title to Rousey in an I Quit match at WrestleMania Backlash on May 8, 2022.
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So the question that needs to be asked is whether it was really the right decision to make her champion again.
Without further ado, let's explore the pros and cons of Charlotte Flair dethroning Ronda Rousey.
#7. Right Call: The Queen brings a greater spotlight to the WWE SmackDown women's division
Since arriving on the main roster in 2015, The Queen has been building a career worthy of the WWE Hall of Fame. Flair is a bonafide star, and bringing her back into the fold has only gotten wrestling fans and critics talking.
If WWE wants to end 2022 with fans interested in women's wrestling, a surprise Charlotte Flair championship win is one way of doing so. While a wrestler like Raquel Rodriguez is a respectable competitor and a rising star in WWE, she doesn't yet have The Queen's star power.
Flair has once again made the women's division a trending topic. Her charisma and flamboyance were enough to provide the spotlight needed to put the division on center stage once again.
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#6. Wrong Decision: Charlotte Flair as champion immediately overshadows rising stars in her division
While it's arguable that Flair is giving a renewed spotlight to her division, The Queen's presence already seems to be overshadowing many of her colleagues. Rodriguez appeared to be on her way to becoming one of the blue brand's top stars, but the 14-time champion's arrival has put the former NXT Champion's ascension on hold, at least for now.
Wrestlers like Shotzi, Sonya Deville, Tegan Nox, and Xia Li are once more on the sidelines in relation to The Queen's return. Instead of investing in different talents, WWE is once again giving gold to someone already dripping in title reigns.
The Queen is a great wrestler, but her getting too much of the spotlight can mean a lot of other female wrestlers won't get the attention they need to advance their careers. After all, does Flair really need another title reign to prove her greatness?
#5. Right Call: Charlotte Flair is a reliable and credible champion
The Queen has proven herself in WWE as one of the best champions in the company's history. And while some fans may have grown tired of the blue brand's women's division by the end of 2022, Flair was brought in to bring renewed interest to the SmackDown Women's Championship.
For years, Flair has been relied upon as a credible champion to help represent not only the company's women's division but WWE itself. The Queen has had championship gold around her waist every year in WWE since 2014.
The SmackDown Women's Champion could be described as the female version of Roman Reigns. She's indispensable as someone who can be used to drive interest and bring credibility to her division no matter which brand she competes for.
#4. Wrong Decision: Charlotte Flair doesn't need another title reign
Charlotte Flair doesn't need another title reign to be booked as a significant star in her division. Flair has held 14 singles title reigns on the main roster, and stacking too many reigns on a wrestler could potentially end up devaluing a title.
At this point, Charlotte is an attraction with or without a title around her waist. She already has an incredible amount of title reigns. It'd be much more meaningful for a fresh face in the division to get a run with a major title compared to someone who has seemingly done it all.
Flair appears to be competing with her father when it comes to titles won. As WWE attempts to build new stars on their programming, another title reign for Charlotte might not be necessary at this exact point in time.
#3. Right Call: The live audience loved Charlotte Flair's win
If the live audience in Tampa, Florida, is an indicator of anything, it's that many in the WWE Universe enjoyed seeing Charlotte Flair topple Ronda Rousey.
Many would also argue that The Queen is better placed as a heel than a babyface. However, the crowd on the December 30 episode of SmackDown was more than welcoming to the idea of her reigning supreme as a face champion.
Right now, it's so far so good when it comes to Charlotte's newfound title reign. While audiences in different cities may potentially provide The Queen with a different reception, she's off to a great start with her return on Friday's SmackDown.
#2. Wrong Decision: In recent years, Charlotte Flair has arguably appeared more natural as a heel than a babyface
Charlotte Flair is successful no matter if she's a face or a heel, but critics might argue that The Queen is at her best when playing the role of a heel.
Her persona is of a highly-successful wrestler with an ego befitting a Flair. It's easy for the crowd to boo her character, which may make it hard for her to maintain a long-term run as a babyface champion.
While she may prove her critics wrong, Flair still has doubters when it comes to a babyface run as champion. It will be interesting to see how Flair's program with Rousey plays out in the coming year.
#1. Right Call: The Queen is a big star, and Ronda Rousey needs the right opponent
During her two reigns as SmackDown Women's Champion, Ronda Rousey battled wrestlers like Natalya, Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan, and Shotzi. But none of those opponents can match the star power of The Queen.
The Baddest Woman on the Planet is still a megastar, and if WWE wants to capitalize on her name, they'll need her to face their very best. Charlotte Flair fits the mold for the best WWE has to offer on the blue brand when it comes to all-around talent and appeal.
No one in the SmackDown women's division outside of Ronda Rousey can match Charlotte Flair's star power. That in itself would provide ample justification to book Flair to dethrone Rousey for the title and reignite their rivalry.
What do you make of Charlotte Flair winning the SmackDown Women's Title? Let us know in the comments section below.
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