Charlotte Flair is no longer the WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion as she failed to retain her title against Ronda Rousey in an I Quit Match at the WrestleMania Backlash event in Providence, R.I.
Flair connected with a nasty german suplex early in the match. They had a kendo stick fight on the stage. After brawling into the crowd, Flair wrapped her around a handrail. Flair powerbombed her onto the barricade. Rousey with the armbar while using Flair was hanging upside down from the top rope, but Flair ripped the grip away and Rousey landed hard on the ground. Flair with the Natural Selection on a chair. Rousey locked in the armbar with the chair for the win.
At WrestleMania 38, Flair retained the title, but did so in controversial fashion. Charlotte tapped out to Rousey’s armbar when the referee was down. When Rousey woke up the referee, Flair connected with a big boot to retain the SmackDown Women’s Title.
The following episode of SmackDown, Rousey challenged Charlotte to the “I Quit” match at WrestleMania Backlash and while Flair declined to give in at first, Adam Pearce said later in the show that a decision on the match would be made, which it was officially booked.
Rousey earned the right to become Charlotte’s WrestleMania challenger after winning this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, which also marked her return to WWE after having not appeared for the company since WrestleMania 35 in 2019.
