This month marks one year without the Queen, Charlotte Flair, in WWE. She got injured in December of 2023 in a match against Asuka, suffering from a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus in her left knee.
Flair received surgery in January 2024 and has been recovering since. This type of injury typically requires seven to nine months of recovery, sometimes longer.
With this month marking a year without seeing Flair in the ring, hopefully, her return is coming soon. After all, we are approaching WrestleMania season…
When is the best opportunity for Charlotte Flair’s return? Who will be her first opponent when she returns? Many new stars have emerged and grown into their characters in the past year that she has been gone. Will Flair be able to adjust to this new talent?
Liv Morgan
Even though we have seen Charlotte Flair vs Liv Morgan, surprisingly, it hasn’t been for years. The last time these two had a singles match against one another was back in April 2020. Liv Morgan was still with the Riott Squad (Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan) during this time.
It has been nearly five years since that match, and Morgan has grown tremendously in her character and in the ring, especially in the past year. 2024 genuinely felt like the year for Liv Morgan.
She became the women’s world champion and was heavily involved in one of the year’s biggest storylines between Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio.
This new and evolved Liv Morgan could create a phenomenal story with Charlotte Flair. They are both great on the mic and in the ring, and there is no doubt they will draw views, whether it be for the championship or not.
Jade Cargill
Jade Cargill made her WWE in-ring debut at Royal Rumble 2024 in January after Flair became injured. We have never seen these two in the ring together, but hopefully, that will change soon.
Cargill would be a perfect first opponent back for Flair. The feud would draw views, as these two are incredibly strong and athletic. Their physiques are phenomenal.
There is nothing like a never-before-seen match in WWE. This match will create more anticipation since Jade Cargill has quickly become a big name in professional wrestling.
Before Flair got injured, they teased a future feud between them while promoting Cargill’s debut. It was just a small backstage interaction, but the tension was visible.
If enough time is spent on a storyline with them, it could easily be one of Cargill’s best feuds. It could also be one of Flair’s best, but she has more wrestling experience and unforgettable moments in the company.
Tiffany Stratton
Tiffany Stratton is another star who didn’t debut on the main roster until 2024, also after Flair became injured.
Stratton has a large personality that makes it hard for her to have a lousy feud with anyone. It is easy for her to feed off her opponent and vice versa.
There aren’t many stars like that. Along with the fact that she can follow up her words with her actions. Stratton has improved immensely over a short period as an in-ring performer and continues to impress the audience.
With Flair, she can obviously perform, whether it be a promo or a match. She has years of experience; it can go as far as saying it is in her genes. Whether people like her or not, it can’t be denied that she puts on an excellent performance.
A feud between these two would be interesting because of their different yet strong personalities. They can create a great story. As I said about a feud with Cargill, it could become one of the top storylines if enough time is spent on it.
Royal Rumble Return?
While we don’t know everything about Flair’s recovery, we can hope for a return soon. Recently, Flatblacks Wrestling School (owned by Shawn Spears and Tyler Breeze) posted a photo on Instagram with Flair, indicating she is training for her return.
View this post on Instagram
Seeing that post gives hope that her return will happen sooner rather than later. With WrestleMania season approaching, the Royal Rumble is an excellent opportunity for her return.
Fans love seeing returns and surprises at the Rumble, and the Rumble can easily set the ground for upcoming stories.
It will be exciting to see Flair compete with some of the new talent on the main roster, including some I hadn’t mentioned, like Ivy Nile or Zoey Stark.
The women’s roster has a lot of potential right now; it will be exciting to see how Flair can elevate that. I don’t think her first feud back will be for a women’s championship, but I do think it may be against someone such as Tiffany Stratton or Jade Cargill.
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