(6) CHARLOTTE FLAIR vs. RONDA ROUSEY – Smackdown Title match
Rousey came out first. Then Charlotte. Both ring entrances were close to typical. No big costume changes or extra stuff during their ring entrances. Rousey armdragged Charlotte hard. They battle on the ring apron where Rousey kneed Charlotte. Cole said Charlotte has been a step ahead of all of Rousey’s signature moves so far. Rousey and Charlotte battled on the ring apron where Charlotte drove Rousey into the ring apron and then dropped an elbow on her chest. Cole said Charotte’s confidence was starting to grow. Rousey grabbed Charlotte’s leg, but Charlotte leg-whipped Rousey through the ropes to the floor. Charlotte locked on an inverted chinlock. Rousey escaped and hit a kneelift to the forehead that looked great on replay. Rousey landed a tornado faceplant off the second rope for a two count.
Rousey stood and showed some fire, but Charlotte surprised her with a sudden spear for a near fall. Charlotte gave Rousey a back suplex for a two count. Both were down and slow to get up. Charlotte kipped up. She walked over Rousey’s chest and then gathered herself in the corner before climbing to the top rope. She did her usual thing where she does a moonsault, the opponent moves, and she lands on her feet, but then does a standing moonsault. It’s so predictable now, she should drop that spot entirely. This didn’t end well, as her standing moonsault was clunky and she sort of headbutted Rousey. She still leveraged Rousey’s shoulders down for a two count. The announcers covered well. Rousey and Charlotte exchanged chops. Rousey countered a Charlotte bodyslam with a her own pump handle suplex for a two count.
Charlotte hung Rousey upside down in the corner. She then lifted Rousey by her legs as she sat on the top rope. Rousey sat up and stared at a disbelieving Charlotte. Rousey then elbowed Charlotte and arm dragged her to the mat for a two count. Rousey’s chest was full of red marks from the chops. Rousey lifted Charlotte onto her shoulders and hit the Piper’s Pit. SHe set up her signature armbar, but as she looked to the crowd, Charlotte pulled away. Flair kicked Rousey, then leaned back against the bottom rope and smiled as she recharged. She went for a figure-four, but Rousey blocked it and then snap slammed Charlotte for a two count. Rousey lifted Charlotte onto her shoulders again, but Rousey rolled out of it and into an anklelock. Charlotte crawled over toward the bottom rope. Instead she rolled into her own anklelock. Rousey leveraged Charlotte with her legs hard face-first into the bottom turnbuckle.
As the ref checked on Charlotte, Rousey got psyched up. Charlotte countered a Rousey armbar with a slam for another two count. Rousey grabbed Charlotte’s arm. Charlotte fought her off, so Rousey shifted into an ankleock. Charlotte yelled out in pain. She teased tapping for a few seconds, but then kicked Rousey to break free. Rousey yanked Charlotte off the ring apron to the mat at ringside. Charlotte caught a charging Rousey and overhead suplexed her into the barricade. Both were slow to get up.
Rousey landed a Piper’s Pit near the corner. The ref counted to three, but Charlotte’s foot was on the bottom rope so he called off the pin. Rousey complained and said he can’t do that. McAfee congratulated the ref for that. Charlotte caught Rousey with a Natural Selection for a near fall. Charlotte looked emotionally spent as she sat up above Rousey, who was out on her back. Charlotte went for a figure-four, but Rousey kicked her off and shoved Charlotte into the ref Charles Robinson. Rousey got Charlotte to tapout, but the ref was down. Rousey let go and tried desperately to revive the ref. Charlotte gave Rousey a running boot from behind to retain the title.
WINNER: Charlotte in 19:00 to retain the Smackdown Title. (****)
(This wasn’t smooth a lot of the time, but in a way that was oddly compelling because Rousey’s style is so different. Still, it all added up to a dramatic, effective back and forth. The finish was meant to give Charlotte bragging rights for a win, but Rousey two other unofficial wins – a three count in the ropes and the tapout while the ref was down. Overall, a really good performance by both. I wouldn’t say the crowd reacted to Rousey like they were rooting for her passionately. I do think they were intrigued by the match and considered it exciting and were intrigued by who would ultimately win.)
