On Friday’s SmackDown, the new rosters from the recent WWE Draft were made official. Over this past week, both the RAW Women’s Championship and the SmackDown Women’s Championship stayed with two women who have switched brands. Charlotte Flair retained the RAW title over Bianca Belair on RAW via disqualification who has been drafted to SmackDown. Becky Lynch retained the SmackDown title over Sasha Banks & Belair in a Triple Threat at Crown Jewel on Thursday. She is heading to RAW this coming Monday.
As a result, WWE decided to do the most basic solution which was for a title exchange to take place last night on SmackDown. During the night, the notion of Lynch wanting to become “Becky2Belts” again came up. Flair had commented in a previously that she wanted to hold both belts as well.
When it came time for the segment in the main event spot, Sonya Deville was handling the exchange. After asking for the women to switch the titles between the two, Lynch went to go grab the RAW Women’s Title from Flair as the belt was then tossed on the mat.
Deville would instruct Flair to pick up the belt and continue with the exchange. Once Lynch received the RAW belt, she threw the SmackDown belt at Flair. After the awkward exchange took place, Sasha Banks joined the situation. Lynch then promoted Survivor Series by saying she would face one of them at that event coming up next month. She then exited the ring. Banks and Flair would close out the show after a few words led to a Meteora from Banks off the ring apron to Flair on the outside.
After what took place on-screen several reports have come out on what happened surrounding what took place. Everything ranging from those were involved not being pleased with the booking and a backstage verbal argument between both Lynch and Flair after the show.
PWInsider first reported the alleged information.
The issue arose prior to WWE going on the air that Flair voiced her concerns on the title exchange segment. According to those that were privy to the situation, Flair reportedly didn’t want the segment to make her look weak or her title reign to look weak. The segment went on regardless.
During the segment when Flair threw the RAW Women’s Title to the mat as Lynch went for it was not the plan on how the exchange was supposed to go. Sonya Deville then instructed for Flair to pick up that title and continue with the exchange. After receiving the RAW Title from Flair, Lynch then threw the SmackDown Title at her. This is also being reported as not part of the planned segment.
The closing moments then got back on track once Sasha Banks made her way out and Lynch departed the ring. After SmackDown went off the air Flair made her way to the back.
PWInsider were told from one source that there was a confrontation backstage between Lynch and Flair over Flair allegedly disrespecting Lynch by “trying to make her look bad.” There were apparent loud words between the two. Added was that the situation was heated, but it did not turn physical.
From PWInsider’s initial report, both Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful and Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT have stated that they have heard the same and canc confirm what PWInsider has stated. Sapp states he is working on getting more information.
McCarthy adds to the report that there was supposed to be a “cat and mouse” type of exchange but that the RAW Title was not planned to hit the ground. He further adds that it is believed that nobody was happy with the title exchange segment heading into it and it was debated throughout the day.
They added to the report that Flair campaigned to lose the RAW Women’s Title clean to Bianca Belair last Monday. She is reportedly a huge fan of Belair and feels that a win for her could have been a big moment and the disqualification finished killed that moment.
Heading into this past week, a solution for the drafting of Flair and Lynch while still having the titles was more simple than not. Flair could have lost the RAW Women’s Title to Belair on RAW which would have made Belair heading to RAW as champion. Lynch could have lost the SmackDown Women’s Title to Banks at Crown Jewel which would have kept the title on the brand with Lynch heading to RAW. Neither took place and that led to this awkward ending of SmackDown and seemingly some unhappy.
