For better or worse, 2022 forced WWE to rely on a new cast of female Superstars in the absence of The Four Horsewomen.
However, company stalwarts Becky Lynch and Bayley have returned to the fold with WrestleMania 39 season right around the corner, and one has to assume Charlotte Flair wonโt be far behind.
After all, the 12-time womenโs champion has been a fixture at The Showcase of the Immortals since she joined the main roster. Some of her critics may not like it, but her track record at the event speaks for itself. So, thereโs plenty of reason to believe she will return in time to take her rightful place on the card at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on April 1-2.
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If anyone doubts this is the case, consider the fact that she missed WrestleMania 37 and how that became her on-screen motivation last year. Flair has also teased a return in recent Instagram posts.
Itโs inevitable. The Queen is coming back to WWE programming after a seven-month hiatus, and the company could honestly use her star power right now.
Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
We havenโt seen Flair since her loss to Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania Backlash on May 8. In the meantime, she took some much-needed time off and married AEW star Andrade El Idolo.
It was a welcome reprieve because the polarizing Superstar was getting overexposed at several points during her exceptional career. For that reason, fans who resented her constant presence in the title picture may have taken her for granted.
It has been a pleasure to see someone like Liv Morgan get the chance to shine. However, itโs hard to deny the SmackDown womenโs division has been noticeably worse without The Queen. Thatโs not to say that her absence is the only reason for its decline, but itโs certainly a contributing factor.
Losing Flair, Sasha Banks, and Naomi around the same time was catastrophic. No one on the brand has appeared to be on equal footing with Rousey since she forced The Queen to say "I quit" in May. As a result, there has been a severe lack of star power and believable opponents for the champion.
Letโs face it: The experiment with Morgan was a nice moment, but she would never remain on top as long as Rousey was around.
We all knew the former MMA star would eventually beat her to regain her title. In the same vein, WWE hasnโt taken the time to properly build anyone else up to look like a legitimate challenger.
Reintroducing Flair to the equation doesnโt exactly address that issue, but her experience and in-ring acumen has been sorely missed.
Still, the vacancy was kind of a blessing in disguise because itโs always a good idea to give viewers a chance to miss the biggest stars once in a while. Consider how much that has changed the perception of John Cena and granted him memorable returns.
Pursuit of the Next WrestleMania Moment
As WWE begins the Road to WrestleMania, established stars like Flair will be essential. Expect to see her compete in the womenโs Royal Rumble match in January and set her sights on a second win.
During the press conference following Survivor Series, Lynch talked about her goal to be the first woman to win the annual Battle Royal twice. It doesnโt take an expert to realise that would be an accolade The Queen would like as well.
Over the weekend, Bianca Belair also named Flair and Rhea Ripley as her ideal opponents in her next appearance on The Grandest Stage of Them All. She also expressed interest in defeating all of The Four Horsewomen, and she only has one more left to topple.
The EST of WWE has cemented herself as a bona fide star by beating Banks and Lynch in two of the best womenโs matches in 'Mania history, and she saw off Bayley in a memorable feud. So, the most decorated Horsewoman is the last one standing in her way.
Ripley would also be a great choice, but that is an excellent premise for a high-profile match. Flairโs legacy is such a significant part of her character, and she has the most valid claim to the title of Ms. WrestleMania. So, it would only make sense for her to want to face the female Superstar who has made the most significant impact at the event for the past two years.
This would also give The Queen a chance to test herself against someone who can match her athleticism. Itโs not a first-time matchup, but itโs still a blockbuster outing worth revisiting in April.
After all, both women have their share of name recognition, and Hollywood would be a prodigious backdrop for their latest encounter.
Itโs the perfect setting to chronicle the tale of a returning conqueror or continue the Cinderella story of an underdog from Knoxville, Tennessee, who made history.
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