Charlotte Flair Reveals What Kept Her Out Of WWE Action For So Long

It sure seems Charlotte Flair hasn’t missed a beat since she made her shocking return to WWE at the end of 2022. Picking up right where she left off before her hiatus, Charlotte captured the SmackDown Women’s title about, oh, 14 seconds after she came back. 

If it feels like Charlotte is constantly on top of the WWE women’s division in one form or another, you wouldn’t be wrong: She’s held 14 main roster singles titles overall — 16 if you count her two stints as NXT Women’s Champion. Call it the result of hard work, amazing wrestling DNA, a little luck, or perhaps a combination of all three — but Charlotte is indisputably the most decorated woman in WWE history and it’s not even close.

For the first time in a long time, the WWE Universe is fully behind Charlotte, as her demeanor since her return has been one of appreciation and gratitude; it’s a softer side of Charlotte Flair, that’s for sure. Either way, the fans are here for it. She and Bianca Belair even spent some time in the ring at RAW XXX this week applauding each other’s accomplishments — well, until Sonya Deville interrupted the festivities:

While Superstars taking extended leave of absence is common in WWE, it’s usually for injury-related reasons. Ever since Charlotte defeated Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women’s title, the WWE Universe has been left wondering: Why was she out of action from early summer until the end of 2022?

"The New York Post" actually spoke to Charlotte earlier in the week, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

As it turns out, Charlotte was suffering from an injury — and it was directly related to an accident in the ring in 2018 when she got a few teeth knocked out during a WWE tour of Europe. According to the "Post," she was still experiencing some dental problems even years after that 2018 injury:

“[Charlotte] experienced issues that again needed immediate attention. So after her honeymoon, Flair underwent multiple dental procedures after which she could not risk being hit in the face for weeks at a time. Flair said she probably could have been back for SummerSlam in late July, but stayed out longer knowing she still had one more procedure to get through,” the outlet reported.

It sounded like Charlotte had no choice, and to time it after her honeymoon to ex-WWE Superstar Andrade seemed like the best course of action: “I had to,” she said. “I didn’t have a choice but to take care of these issues.”

As it turns out, the extended absence translated into a truly magical and long honeymoon, while seemingly giving Charlotte a renewed sense of joy concerning her life outside of professional wrestling.

“To completely be disconnected and in the moment was so nice and getting that one-on-one time with Manny [Andrade] that I never have had before, it was priceless,” she said.

The much-deserved and well-earned time off has done Charlotte well as she awaits the Royal Rumble this weekend in hopes of getting a look at a possible future WrestleMania opponent. Will the women’s Rumble winner choose to go after Bianca Belair’s RAW title or Charlotte’s SmackDown championship? 

Whatever path the eventual winner chooses, we know that Charlotte will have her hands full at WrestleMania — just like she always does —  as she continues her relentless march towards immortality.

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