5 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE SmackDown (June 9)

1. Charlotte Flair Is Still “Babyface”

Charlotte Flair 2023
WWE.com

There's no defending this.

Sorry, but there isn't. Charlotte Flair has publicly said she doesn't enjoy being babyface, and yet here we are again. Flair's return didn't feel nearly as epic or grandiose as WWE wanted it to either. If anything, it's a sad commentary on the lack of credible challengers Asuka has to work with on SmackDown.

Charlotte rolled out for the first time since losing at WrestleMania and pretty much told Adam Pearce she was getting a shot at Asuka's new Women's Championship. Later, Pearce made that official (because of course he did what Flair told him to do), and the monotonous matchup is on.

Keep in mind this is supposed to be a new dawn for women's wrestling in WWE. The company ditched the Raw/SmackDown title branding in favour of a new look, but then immediately reverted to type by booking a match that's been done, done, done.

Top off that sh*t sandwich with Flair being the least-likeable baby going.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.