Charlotte Flair's New Role Is Proof She's Miles Ahead of Her Peers
08/31/2017 04:24 pm EDT
If you've noticed a shift in Charlotte Flair's behavior since joining SmackDown, you're onto something. The daughter of 16x World Champion, Ric Flair, has quickly become WWE's best talent in the women's division. Every inch of her success has come as a heel. But now, she's flipped to the good side as she works exclusively as a babyface.
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In an interview with the Pensacola News Journal, Charlotte was asked about her new role in WWE:
"This is a new transition for me, but I will take it as a challenge to be the best babyface I can be. Obviously, my comfort level with my size, my demeanor, and my presence, and where I had elevated myself to, is definitely as a heel. But I'm ready to see what I can do as a babyface!"
It's highly possible that Charlotte moved to SmackDown for the sole purpose of switching from heel to babyface. Since debuting, Charlotte has already proven that she can be the company's top heel in the women's division. With WWE knowing they have such a weapon, they have the luxury of trying her out in new situations. This is a testament to how good Charlotte actually is.
With her peers Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Becky Lynch all still in phase one, Charlotte has not only surpassed them, she's nearly in another world. Banks is still stuck in between psychologies, unable to unlock her full potential. Bayley, although owning a run with the RAW Women's Championship, is still stuck at her starting blocks. Perhaps most befuddling is Becky Lynch, who was sent to the island of the Blue Brand to rule, but aside from her first and only turn with the SmackDown Women's Championship, she's been irrelevant.
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Yet, Charlotte has already passed the first stage of WWE Superstardom. Now she's been given the challenge of rounding out her already well-developed character. In short, WWE is experimenting. Chances are, Charlotte will remain heel for the entirety of her career. Look at her father, who in 40 years of wrestling only had a few fleeting babyface moments. Even though Charlotte will likely follow suit, this new task can't hurt.
Charlotte trying her chops at baby facing is like when LeBron James decided to work on his post-up offense. Will it change their respective worlds? No, but it will make them much more effective down the road.
The best part about Charlotte being a "good girl" is that she'll once again be bad. Just wait for the moment she turns on Becky Lynch, we'll all remember how much we love to hate her. For about 2 consecutive years, Charlotte has unconditionally lead the women's division. With that kind of rapid success, what will she look like in 5 years?
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