It’s been all eyes on Charlotte Flair the past week after reports surfaced of a backstage altercation with Becky Lynch and others following Flair going off-script during SmackDown. Now, a new update has surfaced that should, at the very least, make her next SmackDown appearance more interesting.
Recent reports claim that Charlotte Flair is apparently no longer available this week for media duties that the WWE had previously set up in the aftermath of WWE officials removing her from the building following the alleged altercation. Sen Ross Sapp of Fightful.com first shared the news, noting that her media week coverage had been pulled. This means the next time fans hear from Flair may not be until her SmackDown return, assuming the Women’s champion will appear. As one of the prominent faces of the brand, it seems a given she’ll make an appearance this week, but nothing is certain.
The big question about this latest development is why the WWE supposedly doesn't want Charlotte Flair to give any interviews between TV appearances? Flair will likely face some scrutiny from fans in attendance at SmackDown, so ignoring interviews may only amplify the issue of making the incident a bigger distraction. Of course, there's the huge possibility that the WWE doesn’t want Flair speaking to the press, perhaps out of fear of what she could say that would legitimately further damage her relationship with the roster or the company's execs.
If all reports on the Charlotte Flair situation so far are accurate, the WWE is in a bit of a bind. Flair is one of the brand’s biggest superstars, as well as the women’s champion of SmackDown. Taking her off the program even temporarily won’t go unnoticed, and removing her from the company entirely seems like a massive hit to the WWE, especially in the same year when her father Ric Flair was released. Flair is one of the biggest pro-wrestling stars in the world, so if she left the company and went to a rival organization, I have no doubt fans would follow her. That’s especially true if her release came shortly after a bunch of backstage drama.
One important thing to note about all of this is that a lot of what’s known on the situation comes mainly from reports unverified by the WWE or any of the parties involved. It’s possible the dispute between Flair and Becky Lynch is entirely water under the bridge at the time of writing, but that doesn’t mean the WWE wouldn’t try and lean on it to gain viewership or generate some tension by injecting reality into a fictional storyline. The WWE isn’t afraid to mix real stories with fake ones for the sake of heightening interest in its product, so it’s always good to keep in mind the organization thrives on creating entertainment first and foremost.
SmackDown has a special airing on FS1 this Friday, October 29th, at 8:00 p.m. ET. This will certainly be an episode to watch based on what’s happening with Charlotte Flair alone and to see how the crowd reacts to all the drama reported so far.
