WWE likes to begin planning for Wrestlemania main events far in advance and with this year’s event now over, it appears the company has the headliner for next year’s Show of Shows – Ronda Rousey versus current Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. If everything comes together, it will be the first time two women main event Wrestlemania.
In the last edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter radio – via an article on Wrestling Inc. – WWE is looking to have its newest star Rousey face Flair at Wrestlemania 35, which will take place at Metlife Stadium in 2019.
Rousey has received rave reviews for her performance in her mixed tag team match where she and Raw General Manager Kurt Angle defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. The match saw Rousey submit McMahon to win the bout.
On the same night, Flair retained her Smackdown Women’s title against Asuka in what many have called a good, hard hitting match. According to the report, WWE is apparently trying to have women say they felt Rousey should have headlined the show.
There are also fans who believe the Flair and Asuka match should have closed the event. Fans would have probably preferred either match to the Universal Title match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar that while it was physical, it was panned by the crowd.
A main event match between Flair and Rousey would make sense and it’s something fans have been looking forward to seeing for a long time, even before the Rowdy one signed with WWE.
After Flair, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley were dubbed the “Four Horsewomen of NXT,” which set off Rousey fans, who wanted to see their hero and her companions – Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir – confront these wrestlers who had dared steal their trademark.
Both athletes have excelled in their chosen fields – Rousey with combat sports and Flair with wrestling. They are athletic but have charisma to bring the crowd interested. Part of the build could include a Four Horsewomen vs. Four Horsewomen feud, which is something WWE has teased during the Mae Young Classic where Baszler made it to the finals against Kairi Sane. Around the same time, Rousey had challenge Flair to a match.
The issue in setting up the match is Flair is on Smackdown Live and Rousey is competing on Raw. The easiest way to remedy this would be to have Rousey win the 2019 Women’s Royal Rumble match, if WWE once again holds a women’s Rumble bout. Like Asuka, Rousey opts to challenge Flair for the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
Another possible route would be to have Rousey switch over to Smackdown Live, months before her match with Charlotte. The narrative could be Smackdown bosses Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan offered her a lucrative contract and a chance to get away from Stephanie McMahon.
Charlotte versus Rousey is a main event worthy match at any event, and having it headline Wrestlemania 35 would be historical. It would also take some of the bitter taste out of the mouths of fans who are tired of seeing wrestlers like Reigns and Lesnar have the main event spotlight.
