WrestleMania 36 Results: Why Charlotte Flair winning was a great booking decision

Charlotte Flair defeated Rhea Ripley in the first match of WrestleMania 36’s second night, and while the result may have surprised some fans, it was the right decision by WWE.

There are so many wrestling fans who hate it when Charlotte Flair picks up a big win. It’s hilarious, really. Charlotte is one of the best wrestlers in the world and one of WWE’s biggest stars, yet fans pick against her so often in the big matches that they might as well be setting themselves up.

At WrestleMania 36, The Queen won her 11th title in WWE, defeating Rhea Ripley on Night 2 of the Show of Shows in a fiery opener. The win means that Charlotte is now a two-time NXT Women’s Champion, meaning she and current Raw superstar Shayna Baszler are the only wrestlers to win the prestigious title twice.

Charlotte’s first reign as champion was good, but her second is about to be downright special. There are so many amazing wrestlers in the NXT Women’s Division, and I can’t really think of a single division in wrestling that is as stacked.

Flair could have a future rematch with Rhea. She could have a rematch with Bianca Belair in which the EST finally wins the big win. The Queen could even have a dream match with Io Shirai, who seems destined to become her first challenger.

In short, the possibilities are endless.

NXT could be adding more big names in 2020. Last year, we saw Finn Balor, a former NXT Champion, move back to the Black and Gold brand when it started airing on the USA Network in the Fall. And if you thought Balor’s move back was a big deal and a boost for NXT in their ratings battle with AEW Dynamite, then you haven’t see anything yet.

Because for as good as Finn is, Charlotte is Miss WrestleMania. She is a mainstream star who moves the meter. Charlotte is a WrestleMania main eventer who has won big match after big match, and she always has incredible performances with the spotlight on her. Look no further than her amazing battle with Ripley at WrestleMania 36.

The 2020 Royal Rumble winner will add more eyes to NXT on Wednesday nights at a time when AEW is building up a lot of momentum. That alone matters to WWE. Beyond that, Charlotte brings excitement and star power to the Black and Gold brand, and fans will surely be tuning in to the coming episodes of NXT to see who challenges Charlotte next and if The Queen confronts them.

As for Ripley, there is absolutely no shame in losing to Charlotte at WrestleMania 36. This was Ripley’s first WrestleMania match, and she sold the absolute hell out of a knee injury. Ripley looked like a star, and she can either go on a path for vengeance or even move to Raw, where she could try to rival Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch after they once squared off on NXT Television.

Only a fool would say Ripley is buried. And only a cynic would say that they aren’t interested in seeing what’s next for Charlotte and the NXT brand with the Queen reigning as the champion.