WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch
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They locked up and went back and forth before facing off. Lynch didn’t get a monster pop but you could hear there were fans behind her. Becky was caught in a side headlocked but shoulderblocked Flair down. Flair took her down and went for the figure eight but Lynch transitioned the attempt into a Disarmher attempt. They grappled back and forth until Lynch grabbed a top hammerlock. She muscled Flair down to the mat but Flair hit a kip up and took down Lynch’s leg. She began working it over while trapping Lynch on the mat. You could feel there was a bit more grit and aggression to their interactions, not just going back and forth with spots and holds.
Lynch missed a move and Flair nailed a series of shoulderblocks to the mid-section in the corner. Lynch shifted over and Flair hit her shoulder against the ringpost. Lynch worked her over on the floor and tossed the Champion back into the ring for a two count. Lynch tossed her into the corner, where Flair did the Flair Flop and returned with a shoulderblock into the ring. Lynch took her down and worked over Flair’s arm on the mat. You could hear a “Let’s go Becky” chant. Lynch bridged back, adding additional momentum to the hammerlock.
Flair fought back but was caught with a clothesline for a two count. Lynch missed a legdrop, allowing Flair to attack her neck. She sent Lynch to the outside, but Lynch grabbed her arm and snapped it over the ropes as she dropped down to the floor. The story has been that Lynch has been able to scout Flair and stay ahead of her. They battled on the apron but Lynch again leapt off the apron, snapping Flair down on her worn down left arm and shoulder. Flair fought back and nailed a belly to back suplex out of desperation, more to buy time than anything else.
The battle continued with Flair nailing a big boot, but then missing a moonsault off the top. Lynch went for the Disarmher, but Flair was able to power her up into a powerbomb for a CLOSE two count. Great stuff. They battled back and forth with a nice series of strikes. Not the hit me, hit you, yay and boo sequence that has been done to death but striking that looked like they were legitimately taking it to the other. Lynch missed a missile dropkick and Flair turned her over into a Boston Crab. Lynch was able to make it to the ropes. They crashed into the buckles, which allowed Lynch to go to the floor and smash her shoulder into the ringpost.
Lynch grabbed Flair and cinched her in the Disarmher. Flair slipped under the ropes and Lynch broke the move on the four count from the referee. Flair went for a spear but Lynch used the momentum to take her down and scored the pin.
Your winner and new WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch!
Really good, hard fought, entertaining and physical bout that told a great story and featured a believable match.
Flair sat on the apron, dejected, shaking her head yes at Lynch. Lynch stood over her with the title belt, looking at it before she placed it on her shoulder. They faced off in the center of the ring as fans chanted Becky’s name. Charlotte went to raise her arm but Becky blew her off and raised her own, before pointing at the belt and walking off. Some fans booed that.
