Charlotte Flair Set to Reemerge Against Trish Stratus

Trish Stratus will return to WWE next month at SummerSlam, taking on Charlotte Flair in what the company is calling a “dream match” between two stars from different eras.

Stratus was the guest on a special edition of “The King’s Court,” with Jerry Lawler hosting his famous talk show segment as SmackDown originated from his hometown of Memphis on Tuesday night.

During the interview, Stratus was interrupted by Flair, who has been making appearances in dark matches for WWE but has been, for the most part, kept off television for the last few months. Charlotte entered the ring and bragged about being the “queen of all eras” before challenging Stratus to a match. Stratus, a former seven-time WWE Women’s Champion and a Hall of Fame inductee (2013), was hesitant at first.

“I expected more out of the 7-time Women’s Champion,” Flair said. “But I know what it is … the WWE has evolved and we’re no longer models shaking their assets, we are women changing the industry. Trailblazers like me. I expected more fire out of you.”

Stratus seemed perturbed by Flair’s comments and spoke of some of her Attitude Era colleagues, including Lita and Ivory.

“To be the woman, you have to beat the woman,” Stratus said, channeling a line that Flair’s father, Ric, made famous.

As Flair has been off television for several weeks, this is the perfect introduction for her back on WWE television. Becky Lynch has dominated the women’s division for almost a year now, unseating Flair as the top of that division. Flair feuded with Becky before taking a back seat after WrestleMania.

Flair is still a vital piece of WWE. She was the first woman through the wall in the women’s revolution and just because she’s not on top right now doesn’t mean she won’t be on top again. Wrestling is cyclical.

Like her father, she’s a future Hall of Famer, and her upcoming resurgence, the second phase of Charlotte’s career in WWE, could begin with SummerSlam’s match against the star of a former generation.