Tonight on SmackDown Live (July 31st), Charlotte Flair made her WWE return after weeks of being sidelined to recover from surgery.
WOOOOO! @MsCharlotteWWE wasn't about watch #SDLive #WomensChampion @CarmellaWWE take out @BeckyLynchWWE! pic.twitter.com/awbqbY8FBg
— WWE (@WWE) August 1, 2018
During tonight’s opening SmackDown, Becky Lynch and the SmackDown Women’s Champion came face-to-face ahead of their SmackDown Women’s Title match. Lynch reflected on her journey back to the Women’s Title scene, vowing to fight mind, body, and soul at SummerSlam to dethrone Carmella and walk into Evolution as the SmackDown Women’s Champion.
For her part, Carmella to share her excitement about the Evolution PPV but felt that she wasn’t worthy of a Champion compared to Lynch. She goes on to say that Lynch earned this title match and wished her luck at SummerSlam.
Suddenly James Ellsworth‘s music hit but it proved to be a set-up as Ellsworth was a no-show and Carmella attacked Lynch from behind, going as far as bringing in a chair to the ring. This brought out Charlotte Flair to make the clear the ring of Carmella and make the save for her friend.
.@RealPaigeWWE wants @CarmellaWWE to prove that she's a REAL CHAMP when she faces @MsCharlotteWWE TONIGHT! If @MsCharlotteWWE wins, the #SDLive #WomensTitle match at #SummerSlam becomes a #TripleThreat! pic.twitter.com/bdh31tewLC
— WWE (@WWE) August 1, 2018
SmackDown General Manager Paige then met Carmella backstage, where she booked Carmella in a match against Flair to prove she is indeed a worthy Champion. Paige added that if Flair could score the victory, she would be added to the SummerSlam Women’s Title match.
Gotta go, bye! pic.twitter.com/2rioCHYeqJ
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) August 1, 2018
.@MsCharlotteWWE moonsaults off the barricade! pic.twitter.com/OCjELgyUkw
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) August 1, 2018
.@MsCharlotteWWE celebrates. @CarmellaWWE taps. @BeckyLynchWWE ????#SDLive pic.twitter.com/uSOxA0LGh4
— WWE (@WWE) August 1, 2018
During the main event match, Carmella first tried to get the win tossing Flair to the outside and get the countout win. Flair made it back to the ring and rebuilt some momentum with a moonsault off the barricade and Natural Selection but Carmella stayed alive. In the end, Flair secured her SummerSlam Women’s Title match after reversing Carmella’s attempt of a Figure Four with a Figure Eight, forcing a tap out.
Perhaps @BeckyLynchWWE isn't too happy about her best friend coming back after all… #SDLive @MsCharlotteWWE pic.twitter.com/YJzPkPu6m8
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 1, 2018
All throughout the main event match, Lynch was watching the match from backstage and didn’t appear to thrill about Flair being added to the match.
What did you think of Charlotte Flair’s return? Who are you rooting for at SummerSlam? What do you predict will happen in the weeks ahead of SummerSlam? Let us know in the comments below!
