Coming into their fourth-ever televised straight-up singles match — a Queen of the Ring tournament semi-final affair on the Juneteenth episode of WWE SmackDown — Liv Morgan had never beaten Charlotte Flair one-on-one. Beating the Queen in Kansas City tonight would mean advancing to face IYO SKY at Night of Champions to become Queen.
That honor comes along with a World title shot at SummerSlam, and as WWE Women’s World champion Morgan has already said she wants to use the crown to prove she’s the greatest
Women’s champ in WWE history. We had thought that would mean a unification match at the Biggest Party of the Summer, but there are currently signs that WWE Women’s champion Rhea Ripley is injured and may need to vacate…
Back to that in a second. First SmackDown’s semi-final, where Morgan almost won this one by forfeit after Jade Cargill and her Baddies attacked Charlotte backstage on her way to Gorilla.
Blue brand General Manager Nick Aldis and Flair’s friend & tag partner Alexa Bliss tried to talk her out of the main event showdown with Liv, but Flair needs to reestablish herself as WWE’s one true Queen…
The Dirtiest Player in the Game’s daughter was the babyface-ests of babyfaces, fighting from underneath as Morgan targeted her injured knee. Flair was so desperate for victory that she likely further damaged it herself going for Figure Fours on the World champ.
When those didn’t work, Charlotte still fought valiantly on one leg. She survived a Boston Crab by getting to the ropes, and ignored Bliss, Aldis and the medical staff to fight on. She kicked out of ObLIVion, but a follow-up Crab applied to her bum knee brought a submission win for Morgan.
Flair’s last move after referee Daphanie LaShaunn called for the bell was to yank Liv’s hair, which had us wondering in the Cageside “offices” if Charlotte might argue that she didn’t mean to tap. Perhaps not, but there are probably a lot of creative ideas on the board for WWE right now depending on the health of Ripley’s knee.
Let us know what you think is next for Charlotte, or what you think of Morgan’s upcoming showdown with SKY and chances of becoming a champ-champ, in the comments below.
And remember to catch up the events and discussion around tonight’s SmackDown in our live blog here!
