In what is easily the best match of the night thus far, Charlotte defeated Nikki Bella to win her first ever Divas Championship. And what a match it was!
Charlotte was ready to fight, but Nikki jumped out of the ring to do pushups before finally getting back in and grappling before getting tossed into the corner. Charlotte got thrown over the rope onto the apron shortly after, and then shoulder-butted out of the ring.
Charlotte then came back in and mounted some offense as the champ held onto the apron for dear life before getting up and bodyslamming the daughter of Hall of Famer Ric Flair. Nikki then took advantage of Charlotte’s hyperextended knee, pushing the action and not giving her opponent an inch. She even tried to beat Charlotte at her own game, locking in a submission hold as Charlotte hollered in pain and unable to mount any offense.
Pinfalls were attempted, and Charlotte kicked out as the crowd cheered her on. Cue a suplex into the bottom rope and more pushups, and Charlotte’s hopes for winning the Divas Championship seemed all but lost despite there being no champion’s advantage.
And Nikki continued to try and tap Charlotte out, locking in a one-legged Boston Crab on Charlotte’s injured knee before doing a jumping punch to it off of the second rope. But Charlotte refused to give up, even after Nikki locked her in the Figure-Four Leglock around the ring post.
The action spilled outside the ring as Charlotte’s friends, Paige and Charlotte, got into it with Alicia Fox and Nikki’s sister Brie. Charlotte took advantage of the distraction to roll the champ up, but Nikki kicked out.
At last, the tides turned. Charlotte chopped Nikki in the chest multiple times before landing a neckbreaker and then hitting Nikki with a boot to the face. But the longest reigning Divas champ kept at it, refusing to give up her belt easily even though Charlotte could barely seem to move with her bad leg. Referee Mike Chioda even asked if she could continue.
And then Charlotte speared Nikki as she dove from the ropes. Cue the Figure Eight as the crowd cheered her on, and Nikki tapped out! Proud papa Ric entered the ring and hugged his daughter as she raised the belt, and the fans roared as she strutted in his style.
I will say this much, though. Despite most fans feeling it would happen, Paige did not turn heel tonight. Maybe that will happen tomorrow on Raw, but it doesn’t look like it will be tonight.
Either way, it’s a great day for the Divas division, as the revolution continues to have plenty of wind at its back!
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