On the December 30 episode of WWE SmackDown, Charlotte Flair made her return to television after being away since WWE Extreme Rules.
Flair confronted WWE SmackDown Women's Champion Ronda Rousey, who put Flair out of action in an I Quit match at WWE WrestleMania Backlash, and baited her into putting the SmackDown Women's Championship on the line. Flair was victorious in the bout, winning her 14th Women's Title.
Speaking to Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post, Flair explained that she wasn't supposed to be gone for so long, but was having dental issues that she needed to get taken care of.
The article states, "She experienced issues that again needed immediate attention. So after her honeymoon, Flair underwent multiple dental procedures after which she could not risk being hit in the face for weeks at a time. Flair said she probably could have been back for SummerSlam in late July, but stayed out longer knowing she still had one more procedure to get through.
“I had to,” she said. “I didn’t have a choice but to take care of these issues.”
Flair was initially set to take time off to marry Andrade El Idolo and go on their honeymoon.
Flair's return came with new music, which WWE had contacted her about. She said she was, “not really good with change.”
She continued, “My last music hit with the guitar off the bat. I’m such an EDM, techno, house-music person. That was the vibe that I wanted. I was like, ‘this needs to come out strong.’ At first, when I first heard it, I was ‘oh this is cool,’ but when it played out on the night I came back I was like, ‘Oh no, we got to go back to the writing board.’”
Flair was part of WWE Raw XXX, doing an in-ring promo that eventually led to a confrontation with Bianca Belair and a match between Belair and Sonya Deville.
Charlotte is not currently scheduled to compete at WWE Royal Rumble. Fans can view the current lineup for the show by clicking here.