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WWE had advertised a segment between Charlotte and Becky this week on SmackDown. Though many fans were expecting Charlotte to somehow envoke her rematch for the SD Title, very few might have pictured Bayley coming out and laying down a challenge of her own.
This resulted in a #1 contender's match between Bayley and Charlotte for the SD Women's Championship. With Charlotte being in the Championship scene for almost all the time, it felt like finally, it'll be Bayley's time to shine and have her moment.
But the match didn't turn out to be that way as Charlotte picked up a win over the former Women's Tag Team champion, claiming the spot of the #1 contender for Becky's SD Women Championship. In a backstage segment after the match, Becky Lynch confirmed that she'll be defending her title against Charlotte at the upcoming Money in the Bank PPV.
With many still confused about why Charlotte is immediately back in the championship scene, especially because the two have been feuding for almost a year now, I've got a few reasons why WWE took this step and continued this feud.
So without further ado, let's take a look at them! Feel free to give your thoughts and comments.
#5 Charlotte was not pinned at WrestleMania
Charlotte defended her SD Women's Title against Becky and the then RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey in a "winner takes it all" match in the historic main event of WrestleMania 35.
The end of the match saw the emergence of Becky 2 Belts, as she walked out of WrestleMania as both RAW and SmackDown Women's Champion.
But the fact is, it was not Charlotte, but Rousey that Becky pinned to win the match - as the Queen herself made clear. Charlotte was not involved in the finish and hence she has the right to call herself a victim of Rousey's inability to stand her ground.
Whatever be the case in real-life, storyline wise it makes sense as to why Charlotte had a point when she claimed that she deserved another shot at the SD Women's Title.
#4 Becky is not going to lose her first title defense as the Champ Champ
WWE has been often blamed about not booking a babyface properly after he/she finally overcomes all the odds and wins the big thing. Same could be the case here as if Becky 2 Belts loses her first title defense as the double champ, all her momentum would be lost and her win at WrestleMania might just look like a fluke.
So if Becky is anyways going to win her first defense, why waste a newer talent on her? WWE could just have Charlotte compete and lose clean to Becky to solidify the fact that Becky Lynch indeed is The Man to beat in WWE. This way, when someone finally defeats her to get one of her titles, it'll be a huge thing.
#3 Saving Becky vs Bayley for a later date
As pointed out by Bayley herself in the segment before her match with Charlotte, Becky hasn't beaten her in one-on-one matches on the main roster ever.
With Bayley moving to SmackDown, breaking up with her tag team partner Sasha Banks, and establishing herself again as a singles competitor, she might just be getting a good push on the brand sometime in the future.
Right now, Becky is too hot to be touched, and giving Bayley a title opportunity against her would lead to Bayley losing the title match and immediately going out of the main event scene.
But if this match happens somewhere down the line, Bayley might just get built nicely enough to feel like a proper challenger, and might actually end up being the one to give Becky 2 Belts her first defeat after WWE WrestleMania 35.
#2 To keep Charlotte out of the Money in the Bank match
Fans have been quite vocal of the fact that the way WWE books Charlotte, she pretty much seems like the Roman Reigns of the Women's division. Constantly being in the championship scene, having already won 8 Women's Title, highest ever in history, WWE has a knack of letting Charlotte win the big matches and handing her opportunities one after the other.
Though it can be argued that her defeating Bayley and again becoming the #1 contender can also come under this category, looking on the other side of the coin, this keeps her away from the Women's Money in the Bank match. Her not being in the match gives someone else an opportunity to win the briefcase and get herself a title shot in the future.
This might have been a smart move from WWE to keep her out of the MITB match next month.
#1 Becky is still a "face"
No matter how badass Becky Lynch acts, the fact is that she still is one of the biggest babyfaces in WWE. Despite her gimmick waning a bit over the last few months, the response and support that she gets from the fans are unlike anything any other women superstar has ever got.
With her being the face, naturally, a heel should be the one to challenge her and not another babyface. We know how risky booking face vs face matches (ex, Styles vs Nakamura - WrestleMania 34) turns out to be. The only way this could have worked is if Bayley turned heel and then competed against Becky Lynch.
Becky is set to defend her RAW Women's Championship against Lacey Evans, who is a proper heel. So it only makes sense for Becky to be the face in her SD Women's Title feud as well. And we all know Charlotte is still the biggest heel on SmackDown roster.
What's your take on Charlotte being the #1 contender for the SmackDown Women's Title and Becky pulling off a double duty at Money in the Bank? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.
