Several changes made to SmackDown Women's Championship booking in lead up to Royal Rumble 2023 - Report
WWE's Royal Rumble event is just days away, and it seems that the company's creative team has been hard at work the last few weeks. This includes several changes in the direction of the SmackDown Women's Championship.
Charlotte Flair returned to WWE on December 30th, confronting then-SmackDown Women's Champion Ronda Rousey following her match with Raquel Rodriguez. The Queen took the championship off the UFC legend in decisive fashion.
The decision to do the title change on SmackDown came as a surprise to many, as most assumed Ronda and Rodriguez would clash at the Royal Rumble, and Flair would return the same night. It's now being revealed that WWE has made several big decisions in relation to the SmackDown Women's title in the last few weeks.
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According to Fightful Select, WWE had originally planned for Ronda Rousey and Raquel Rodriguez to square off at Rumble. However, the company wanted to add more excitement around the December 30th edition of SmackDown, the last WWE broadcast before the New Year. The outlet stated that it had information that showed WWE was set on having Rousey vs Rodriguez for the Rumble in early December.
Fightful Select also reported that WWE's decision to have Flair win the SmackDown Women's Title caused other tentative plans to be completely scrapped.
Namely, Flair was at one point pitched to work with Bianca Belair and compete for the RAW Women's Championship, with Judgment Day's Rhea Ripley heading over to SmackDown to start a feud with the then-SmackDown Women's Champion. The outlet also noted that Ronda Rousey was presented with several creative ideas prior to losing the title to Flair, however, none of them "worked out".
As of this writing, Charlotte Flair doesn't have an officially scheduled match at the Royal Rumble on Saturday. However, many speculate that a match between her and former GM Sonya Deville will be made official on SmackDown.
Ronda Rousey is not scheduled to appear at the Royal Rumble; wants to go after a different WWE Championship
Since Ronda Rousey's loss to Charlotte Flair, The Rowdy One hasn't been seen on WWE television. As of right now, there are no confirmed reports on Rousey's status with the company, and no one knows exactly when she could make a return.
While anything could happen at the Royal Rumble, Rousey is currently not rumored to participate in the 6th ever Women's Royal Rumble match, and her previously rumored match with Becky Lynch at WrestleMania was also reportedly "nixed."
However, during a YouTube Stream, the former UFC champion made it clear that she's not finished with WWE. More so, she wants a "new challenge," suggesting that she wants to compete for the Women's Tag Team Championships:
"I don't know guys, I'm tired of Charlotte [Flair]. I'm tired of that title. I already did it you know. I am thinking about taking over the [Women's] tag division."
Rousey will most likely team with real-life friend and on-screen ally, Shayna Baszler. Baszler has been announced for the Rumble, along with 6 others as of this writing.
Who do you think is going to win the Women's Royal Rumble? When will Ronda Rousey return to WWE? Who will Charlotte Flair face at the premium live event? Let us know your thoughts and predictions in the comment section below!
If you'd like to learn some fascinating facts about the Royal Rumble, check out the video below!