WWE can add yet another name to its lengthy list of sidelined superstars.
According to a report from Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT, Charlotte Flair was written off TV on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw and will be going on an indefinite hiatus that could extend into 2021: “Sources have told talkSPORT that Flair will be taking an extended break from WWE. The 34-year-old has been a constant on the show for years now and she is going to be taking some personal time and having some surgery. The idea is that she will return around Royal Rumble season next year, but if a good story pops up before then – around Survivor Series – she would be open to return later this year.”
It was made clear by the way she was booked on Raw this week that “The Queen” would be taking an extended absence from TV. After Flair lost her Raw Women’s Championship match against Asuka to seemingly put an end to their long-running rivalry, she was violently attacked by Nia Jax in a brief backstage segment, resulting in a storyline injury that will be used to explain her TV absence. There are conflicting reports regarding when Flair will return to Raw, however.
The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer (h/t Sportskeeda) reports that Flair could be back by SummerSlam, but admitted that he wasn’t certain about that. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer said, “So Charlotte Flair is having surgery…I think that she’s going to be back by SummerSlam, I don’t know. I asked a couple of people, and nobody knows the timeframe, but she is definitely having surgery, and that’s what the storyline was to explain her being gone. I think SummerSlam, it was sort of hinted to me. They hope SummerSlam, but that’s not a 100% either.”
McCarthy refutes that Flair will be back so soon, however, noting that he was told “There’s a zero percent chance Charlotte returns for SummerSlam,” even though he also reports that Flair will likely be ready to return to TV by “early September,” which shortly after SummerSlam. Regardless of the length of her absence, Flair will become the latest major star who is sitting on the sidelines indefinitely, joining the likes of Becky Lynch, Edge, Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn, who are all currently off WWE programming for various reasons.
Though Flair has taken a lot of flack for her monstrous push as the most featured star in WWE’s women’s division, the impact of her absence can’t be overstated, especially with Lynch also expected to be gone well until 2021 due to her pregnancy. For all of the criticism Flair gets because of the way she’s protected by the creative team, she has been an absolute workhorse as a star who’s frequently appeared on Raw, SmackDown and NXT in recent months, serving as the focal point of marquee storylines and putting on quality matches across WWE’s three major brands.
Flair was widely expected to be pushed even more heavily now that Bruce Prichard has taken over Raw’s creative direction following Paul Heyman’s removal as the show’s Executive Director. As seen on this week’s Raw—which was built around names like Edge, Randy Orton, Big Show, MVP, Rey Mysterio and Ric Flair—WWE is making a concerted effort to push already established stars under Prichard’s guidance, and Flair had undoubtedly fit in with that crew until she was sidelined due to an injury and personal leave.
Though Flair reportedly may be out until Royal Rumble season, it’s difficult to envision the Raw women’s division being without its two biggest stars in Flair and Lynch for such a lengthy period, especially if Flair is available to return to the ring.
For Now, WWE seems to be moving forward with an even stronger push for Bayley and Sasha Banks to make up for the absences of Flair and Lynch, and it remains to be seen if WWE will elevate any rising stars while Flair is gone.
Updated (1:00 p.m.)—New Timetable For Flair’s Return
PWInsider reports that Flair “will be undergoing a planned elective surgery during this time and is not injured or sick.” The site says that she is expected to take “six weeks off from WWE TV,” adding yet another possible return date for the 12-time women’s champion.
I’m a contributor for the SportsMoney team at Forbes, where I’ll examine the interesting effect that sports have on business…and vice versa. I graduated from Louisiana
I’m a contributor for the SportsMoney team at Forbes, where I’ll examine the interesting effect that sports have on business…and vice versa. I graduated from Louisiana State University in 2010 with a degree in journalism and a minor in English, and during my time in Baton Rouge, I worked for Tiger Weekly, a newspaper focusing on LSU athletics. Upon graduation, I spent more than three years as a columnist for a well-known national sports Web site. Name a sport, and I’ve probably written about it at some point in my life. My goal at Forbes is to analyze the shrinking space between sports and business, and of course, to stir up the discussion. After all, what fun would sports be if no one ever talked about them?