Roman Reigns may have been trying to reestablish a competitive WWE Universal title scene during last night’s Raw, but that doesn’t mean SmackDown LIVE! has slowed down since SummerSlam.
At Monday night’s SmackDown live event from Atlantic City, Charlotte Flair successfully defended her SmackDown Women’s championship against former champ, Carmella. Post-match, however, she would be attacked from behind by an irate Becky Lynch.
Fans in attendance noted that although Becky Lynch was the heel during the altercation, the crowd cheered the onslaught doled out onto Charlotte Flair.
https://youtu.be/J3rM2DmXnhw
It’s not surprising to see the WWE Universe’s support for Becky continue after SummerSlam. On Sunday, she snapped after having a victory taken from her in the closing moments of the SmackDown Women’s championship triple threat match.
Becky Lynch, having locked in her finishing move, the Dis-arm-her, onto Carmella was seconds away from victory when Flair came from behind and executed the Natural Selection, pinning her friend for the three count.
Becky Balboa
Becky Lynch has been on a tear through the women’s division for months, picking up victories to prove her worth and clawing her way back to the top of the division.
Flair, who only recently returned from time away from the ring on July 31st, was immediately granted an opportunity into a championship match at SummerSlam, providing she could defeat Carmella. Which she did.
This development left Lynch bewildered, given the arduous journey she has been forced to undergo to obtain a spot against the champ.
With this as context, it is unsurprising for Becky to hold a simmering, subconscious grudge that finally boiled over this past Sunday.
Her mission was to earn herself an opportunity, to get herself back into the main event, and to win the title. What she didn’t count on was her best friend interjecting herself into the situation and taking that moment away from her.
Lass-Kicker Connection
The fact that WWE wants to try and sell this story from the other side is perplexing. It makes no narrative sense for Charlotte to be portrayed as the heroine.
The outcome, however, hasn’t connected in the way that the WWE hoped, with fans rallying behind Becky.
It will be interesting to see how the story develops, and where the WWE lean into from a character perspective.
This is a great opportunity to develop both characters and, if done right, Becky will be right back in the main event scene – assuming they don’t mimic the frenemies angle unfolding on Raw between Bayley and Sasha Banks.
