The Backstage Watch-Along continues!
In the present, Natty is joined by her cat, 2Pawz, as the match continues from the kick out. Charlotte knees Natty low and then knees her in the back. Charlotte spins to add to the CHOP! She also kicks Natty down, and Ric gives a big “WOO~!!” from the apron. The ref warns Ric to keep his distance but Charlotte gives her own “WOO~!” Charlotte drags Natty up but Natty CHOPS her! Natty whips but Charlotte reverses, but Natty goes up and over! Natty waistlocks and wants to try the German again, but Charlotte turns things around to RAM Natty backwards into buckles! Charlotte throws elbow after elbow to get free, but Natty just jumps back on!
Beth speaks to Natty noting Ric and Bret in the corners. This was an interesting shift in the dynamics. Usually, the women are in the corners as the valets and managers. Here, it is the legendary male wrestlers being the supporting roles to highlight the women in the match. That alone is a cool detail in the (R)Evolution. Natty agrees with that. As iconic as Bret and Ric are, they both wanted to let the women have the spotlight. That in itself was so special. Natty remembers asking Bret if he’d be part of that night. She wasn’t sure if he’d say yes, because Canada to Florida is a long way to travel. But he jumped at the opportunity to do that, and that meant so much to Natty personally. So many people look up to Bret and Ric, so them giving the match a marquee feel was so special.
Renee agrees, the match tells such a great story when there wasn’t a lot of story told beforehand. But to use the family dynamic, and Natty’s journey in the WWE, and then giving Charlotte this match, it’s so cool to sit back and watch. Renee also vividly remembers this match since she was in NXT at the time, so she saw them put in the work. In the match, Natty has a sleeper hold while being a backpack, but Charlotte reaches back to hit a BACKPACK STUNNER! Cover, TWO! Charlotte is shocked and tries again, TWO! Charlotte is furious so she bounces Natty’s head off the mat again and again and again! She stomps a mudhole into Natty at the corner! The ref backs her off, but Charlotte yanks Natty out of the corner to let her hit the mat. Cover, TWO!
Renee notes how Natty mentioned the crowd of 200 in Full Sail. What is it like being there versus a mainstay PPV? Well first, 2Pawz needs to go for now, he’s getting grumpy. But for Natty, she’s said it before and will say it again. That very first TakeOver was like a WrestleMania Moment. It was about the feeling in that moment. As cool as it is to be in front of 80 thousand, there was an emotional connection between herself, Charlotte, Ric, Bret and the audience. It speaks to how much the audience, even when it’s just 200, enhance the match when you let them in and tell such a beautiful story. This match is perhaps the most special and wonderful moments in Natty’s career.
In the match, Charlotte keeps on Natty with the headscissor hold. Charlotte turns Natty over to drive her head into the mat again and again and again! Charlotte squeezes tight but Natty endures. So Charlotte just rolls and THROWS Natty away! Cover, TWO! Charlotte doesn’t let up, she brings Natty up to lock on the cobra twist! She pushes Natty’s head down to add to the stretch! Natty endures so again Charlotte thrashes her about. But Natty endures, slips out and gets around, to put Charlotte in the cobra twist! She grabs a leg to really stretch Charlotte out! Charlotte endures now, fights free, but Natty turns her for a backslide! Cover, TWO, but Charlotte basement dropkicks Natty down! Cover again, TWO!
Renee asks if there were any key moments or spots in this match where Natty and Charlotte could feel they had something special. Natty says that when Charlotte steals the Sharpshooter, Natty was a little reluctant to let her do that. This was their first ever match against each other, so should she do that? Natty realized that in this kind of match, knowing how big it will be, she just knew the feeling everyone would have. Everyone would be talking about this match for years to come, so this was the right time to have a moment like that. The funny thing is, Charlotte didn’t really know how to do the Sharpshooter, but it didn’t matter because technically she’s not supposed to. It added to the match and Charlotte’s character. Of course, there’s also the spectacular moonsault Charlotte does, and the first hints of the WrestleMania main eventer.
Charlotte whips Natty into a corner then stomps a mudhole again. The ref counts and Charlotte backs off at 4. Charlotte rushes back in but Natty dodges! Natty catches Charlotte on the rebound to spin her around for a butterfly suplex! Charlotte flounders up but Natty clotheslines her down! Natty fires up as she snapmares Charlotte down hard. Natty runs, walks all over Charlotte, then comes back with a basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Natty can’t believe it but Charlotte still lives! Natty drags Charlotte back up, whips her to a corner. Charlotte tumbles up and out to the apron, but Natty DECKS her off! Natty wants after Charlotte but the ref keeps her back. Natty refuses to leave it at that, but Charlotte anchors her foot! Charlotte trips Natty up and THROWS her to the floor!
Natty says Charlotte is one of her favorite female performers in the world to wrestle. There is just magical chemistry there. Renee asks Natty how much Charlotte has changed since this match. Obviously she is now a ten-time women’s champion just between Raw and SmackDown, but how does that reflect in the ring? Well it’s been awhile since Natty wrestled Charlotte, wink wink nudge nudge let’s go again. However, it is interesting to see what Charlotte is doing, especially with her character. Charlotte is once again NXT Women’s Champion, which is a fascinating move. Even before she won the title, Natty had a bit of doubt. Would Charlotte really win the NXT Women’s Championship to go back to NXT? So when Charlotte did win, there was that unpredictability. Just imagine all the new match-ups now!
Natty wants to see Charlotte VS Tegan Nox, Charlotte VS Dakota Kai, and all these other possibilities. Charlotte’s evolution has been great, but Natty would love to have another rematch, even as soon as next week’s Raw. Renee would love it, too! But what would Beth’s dream scenario be in a Charlotte Flair NXT Women’s Championship defense? There really are so many women in NXT “stepping up to the plate.” Beth has really enjoyed the transformation of Dakota Kai, as has Natty. We’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg on Dakota, and the shackles are off. To see what Dakota could bring, and see her and Charlotte elevate each other, that is something to look forward to. One of Beth’s favorites is Mia Yim, who has the passion and ruggedness that Beth can connect with, as do many fans.
Renee notes how during the second Mae Young Classic that she and Beth called together, that was before Mia was signed. They both remember the passion from the crowd when HHH came out and they wanted Mia to be signed. It was nuts! What the NXT Universe wants, the NXT Universe gets! Natty adds that even before the MYC, Mia had that tryout for NXT. She was at the PC but got rejected. Mia contacted Natty, saying how they weren’t interested and not knowing what to do next. Natty called “the powers that be,” which wasn’t HHH back then. Natty told Mia to not stop, to not take “No” for an answer. You have to keep going and keeping getting in their faces. That door may be slammed on you over and over, but you just have to turn each “No” into a “Yes.” And the rest is history.
In the match, Charlotte throws Natty back into the ring. Cover, TWO! Charlotte stomps Natty in frustration, then heads up top. Charlotte MOONSAULTS, but FLOPS as Natty moves! Ric freaks out but Bret rallies up the fans. Natty rises and aims at Charlotte, for the DISCUS! Cover, TWO!! Natty has Charlotte’s legs, and puts on the SHARPSHOOTER! Charlotte endures as Natty sits down deep! Charlotte reaches and claws and crawls towards ropes, but Natty drags her away! Natty sits down deep again, but Charlotte powers up! Charlotte rolls Natty backwards and goes after the leg! She gets the Figure Four! Now Natty endures a signature leg lock! Natty powers the hold over, but Charlotte rolls it back, but Natty reaches for the ropes!
Charlotte SLAPS Natty! So Natty SLAPS back! It’s a SLAP fight while locked in the leg lock! Charlotte eggs Natty on, then rolls her away fro the ropes! Charlotte cranks back harder but Natty refuses to quit! And the SLAP fight continues! Charlotte and Natty keep battling with the leg hold, and they roll to the ropes on the other side. They’re underneath so that’s a ropebreak! But Charlotte doesn’t let go. She drags Natty into a HANGING FIGURE FOUR! The ref jumps out to make Charlotte let go, but she just stomps and kicks Natty’s legs! Charlotte finally lets go, and Natty flops to the floor! Both women manage to stand, and Charlotte stomps the back of Natty’s leg! Bret is concerned but Ric is rabid as Charlotte goes after Natty more.
Beth adds that what’s great about Charlotte being NXT Women’s Champion again is that the spotlight is even bigger on NXT now. The women of NXT have all busted their butts just to get eyes on them. Think about this: the WWE now has three brands, and we’re discussing which Women’s Division is the best. Not even individual wrestler, but the entire locker rooms! They have so many great wrestlers and diverse, that now they can even have that discussion! And all thanks to the Glamazon and the Queen of Harts, the #BossBabes, paving the way. Beth says it was also the careers of Bull Nakano, Alundra Blayze, and all the women to come before them. It does a bit of a disservice to those generations to say 5/29/14 is the “start of the Women’s Evolution,” because it is really a mountain all women wrestlers have climbed as a community.
Renee says it is interesting, even going back to the MYC. Meiko Satomura being part of the second, and Mercedes Martinez finally signed with WWE via NXT. It is incredible to see the growth of the division, and wondering who will sign next and lay down more groundwork. What’s amazing now is the technology allows Beth in the US to watch all of the women wrestlers around the world. The fanbases are growing so that it isn’t just what’s on cable television anymore. We see more and more women, and it becomes a melting pot in the WWE, and we get these amazing dream matches. “It has never been a better time to be a lady wrestler.”
Natty agrees, because it is so great for the WWE to be embracing women of all kinds. Race, religion, ethnicity, every walk of life. Just looking at the diverse backgrounds and body types, there are small girls, big girls, short girls, tall girls, the mold has been broken. Everyone has a different flavor, and Natty gets excited thinking about all the dream matches she could have. In that case, who is on that list? Well, if Beth is okay with it… Oh, she has to ask permission? Renee politely interrupts because in the match, Charlotte puts Natty in the ring. Charlotte has the legs, and steals the Sharpshooter! Natty jokes that she’d love to put Beth in the Sharpshooter one more time.
But a really great thing would to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships with Beth. There are so many teams they could work with! Even just building dream teams to face, like Rhea Ripley with Bianca Belair against Natty and Beth. Renee suggests one more go with the Kabuki Warriors. There are so many women to choose from, especially in NXT. She’d love to win the women’s championship- Wait, the tag titles. Well, actually, another run with a singles title would be great, too. It should be off Beth, though. But whatever Beth is up for, Natty is up for. Teammates, opponents, whichever. Beth says Natty will never be rid of her either way.
In the match, Natty powers up and rolls to throw Charlotte down! Natty wants to steal the Figure Four in return but Charlotte boots her away! NATURAL SELECTION! Cover, Charlotte wins!! Ric celebrates his daughter’s crowning achievement! What was going through Natty’s mind at this point? Well, she was thinking how exhausted and thirsty she was. That was almost 30 minutes of wrestling. But also the emotion, because Charlotte dedicated this match to her brother, Reid. There was this big, special energy being directed to his memory, and they did it. There was relief and happiness, and they accomplished the story of Natty proving she still has it. It was a great feeling all around. But while reliving this moment is over, there is more to come, with Maria Menounos!
