Backstage Latest On Charlotte Flair's WWE Creative Direction

Was Charlotte Flair REALLY set to replace Zelina Vega at Money in the Bank 2023?!

Charlotte Flair 2023
WWE.com

WWE sources have moved to debunk rumours that Charlotte Flair was at one point set to replace Zelina Vega in the past weekend's women's Money in the Bank ladder match.

Speculation on Flair taking Vega's spot had swirled ahead of the 1 July premium live event. Fightful Select reports that WWE sources hadn't heard of such a scheme, adding that Flair's current creative "has been planned for a while."

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Charlotte is currently feuding with Women's Champion Asuka and Bianca Belair on SmackDown. This has been in the works since before Flair returned to television. Absent since April, Charlotte re-emerged on WWE television on the 9 June SmackDown.

WWE's goal with Flair's current positioning, Fightful reports, is to re-establish Asuka by having her work with two top-level title opponents. In doing so, WWE hopes to "add more intrigue and suspense" to Asuka's reign as Women's Champion.

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Although the promotion is yet to confirm this, Asuka defending the WWE Women's Championship against Flair and Belair in a Triple Threat is expected for next month's SummerSlam 2023 PLE. The Japanese star has held the belt since dethroning Belair at Night of Champions on 27 May.

Channel Manager
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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.