Add as a preferred source on Google Charlotte Flair recently revisited one of the most significant changes in WWE’s women’s division: the retirement of the Divas Championship in 2016.
Speaking with Ring The Belle, the former champion said she never understood the controversy surrounding the title, which was replaced by the WWE Women’s Championship during WWE’s Women’s Revolution.
“To me, it was the one title that I felt owned me and I didn’t own.”
“I was also, as an athlete, so proud to hold the Divas Championship and feel like a diva, when at my core was an athlete, and realising you could be both at the same time. Then when I retired it, I took a lot of pride, because you have to look at the women before me.”
“Had I not retired the Divas Championship, and ended Nikki Bella’s longest reigning Divas Championship reign, where would I be today? It was like all part of the history.”
Flair also emphasized the championship’s historical significance and reflected on ending Nikki Bella’s record-setting title reign before the introduction of the new championship. She was the final Divas Champion before WWE officially unveiled the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 32.
“I never understood the controversy in it, like just because it had a butterfly? Well, I’m still a badass and I wear butterflies all the time. You can still be strong, it doesn’t mean anything. I think it’s having the duality, having the feminine energy and being badass at the same time, that’s what makes women so special, we can do it all.”
Flair remains a featured part of WWE programming. On the latest episode of SmackDown, she won a Fatal 4-Way Match against Jade Cargill, Lyra Valkyria, and Sol Ruca to advance in the Queen of the Ring tournament.