Gauging Impact of Potential Charlotte vs. Stephanie McMahon Feud for WWE

Should Charlotte ever battle Stephanie McMahon, the spotlight wattage on the WWE women's division will shoot up.

That potential rivalry has ample sparks waiting to be fanned into flames. It's a story rich with star power and "it" factor.

It is, however, a narrative that if done poorly could be another example of the McMahons dominating WWE programming. Charlotte and the women's division overall could easily be overshadowed by Stephanie's presence.

But that's a long way from happening. Charlotte has her sights locked on Natalya for now, as the two are set to collide at Extreme Rules. Still, one can't help but start dreaming up what a McMahon-Charlotte clash would look like thanks to a tease on Monday's Raw.

During a contract-signing segment, animosity spilled over. Ric Flair grew angry with the McMahons when he realized the contract stated that if he appeared during the upcoming title match, his daughter would forfeit the Women's Championship.

In the chaos that followed, McMahon slapped The Nature Boy, and Charlotte looked to lunge at her in response. Natalya stepped in before that could happen.

In that brief moment, that slight hint of violence between the champion and the executive was enough to create buzz about a potential meeting in the ring down the road. As John Canton wrote on TJR Wrestling, "Stephanie slapping Flair was the moment that people are going to talk about the most from that."

Should WWE ever build on that, there would be plenty more discussion, plenty more buzz.

A Charlotte-McMahon matchup would be of the marquee variety and bring added attention to the women's division.

That's just what happened when McMahon took on Brie Bella at SummerSlam 2014.

When Brie and Stephanie began snarling at each other, suddenly there was more focus on the division. The two women earned a higher spot than normal on the card of a premier pay-per-view. There was an electricity and excitement around the bout.

Miami Herald columnist Scott Fishman talked of the power that feuding with Stephanie had:

The biggest issue with that rivalry was Brie's involvement. She couldn't hang with Stephanie when they traded barbs on the mic. She was outclassed in every confrontation. And Brie just wasn't good enough to play ring general with a non-wrestler like Stephanie.

That wouldn't be an issue with Charlotte vs. McMahon. The self-proclaimed "genetically superior" Superstar is a much better wrestler and talker than Brie. Should WWE give her a chance to lock horns with Stephanie, the result will be miles better than Brie's efforts.

And with McMahon's name power driving the feud, it will undoubtedly garner major attention.

Credit: WWE.com

It could be both a catalyst for Charlotte and for the division as a whole. The current champ would be battling a future Hall of Famer, and their bouts would have the benefit of nostalgia and the McMahon family name. The bout would easily be among the biggest in the history of WWE women's wrestling.

The danger is that there could be too much focus on Stephanie rather than Charlotte.

That has long been an issue. WWE so often has the McMahons stand on center stage, even over its top wrestlers. It's not surprising that the closing segment of Monday's Raw featured Stephanie and Shane McMahon for much of it. From the opening promo of many a Raw to the ongoing battle for control of the show, the McMahons are staples of WWE programming.

And as the Divas Revolution unfolded, Stephanie was right there, in just as prominent a spot as the wrestlers she was promoting. WWE painted her as the catalyst for that movement, as the one steering the ship.

She was the one who introduced Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks to the main roster last year and assigned them to teams. 

She was the one talking up the power of female athletes in the weeks to follow. She was the flag-bearer of the division, a spot that should have gone to one of the actual wrestlers who comprised it.

If WWE isn't careful, a Charlotte-McMahon angle could easily end being more about the latter. But executed well, that story can be a means to propel Charlotte and provide a money match for the division.