Charlotte On If The WWE Women's Division Has Been Taking A Step Back Lately

The Women's Evolution in WWE was front and center for the last few years and was highlighted by the first women's match to main event a WrestleMania. However, some think WWE's women's division has taken a step back since then and Charlotte discussed that when she joined Corey Graves' podcast.

"Let me speak from how I feel about the current situation from my performance, I feel like The Queen is held to such a different standard," admitted Charlotte. "That is a mixed blessing. Unless I am not out there doing above extraordinary or having the greatest match ever it's like what's happening? Now that I'm walking into TLC in a tag match I go back and I was thinking about my last year after that TLC match and I go, I found a new gear walking into that Triple Threat match last year.

"Then there was the Royal Rumble and the storytelling at the end of it with Nia Jax and Becky Lynch and then I main evented WrestleMania and then I arguably retired the greatest WWE Superstar that we've ever had, Trish Stratus. It's like, I had all of those moments last year, I felt those moments. Like, with Ronda Rousey last year at Survivor Series that is one of the most legit things I have ever seen, like, how did I fall off? If the bar is set so high maybe this just doesn't feel like that gear."

Because of Charlotte's success, she's perhaps held to a different standard than every other women's wrestler. She talked about being a victim of her own success.

"I looked at it as the one thing about me and my character is that I am consistent. I'm never injured. Does not being injured hurt me," asked Charlotte. "I don't know, but I know that my character is consistent so I don't know. Instead of getting angry I had to look at myself and be like, ok, wait, this is just the story right now. Not everything can be the main event and I think that is the gear that I am in where everything has to be the main event.

"When you [Corey Graves] say that you miss the evil Queen that is when I feel like I shine. I felt like I built this character that I don't need friends. You see Charlotte thinking that she is above everyone, I feel like that is the disconnect. I never took what you [Graves] said as a negative because I feel that way and I have to remind myself to calm down. I've done this, this and this, but then I'm like, wait, am I falling off? Have they forgotten about me? I just spent my last three title reigns where people say that Charlotte gets handed everything when in reality my title reigns were not for bigger pictures. That is what really gets to me."

On a broader picture with the women's division as a whole, Charlotte talked about the Women's Evolution possibly feeling less than it was before.

"I think it was a focal point because everything was happening so organically. When Becky Lynch turned on me at SummerSlam when I won the title like that was such an organic moment. Becky and Bayley and Shayna closed out Survivor Series but it's just not being talked about. I have not watched the match I have to be honest, but people talked about Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch after Hell in a Cell. So, I don't know, just depends on what is clicking with the audience," stated Charlotte.

"You have to look for that next big story. That is why we are here, to tell stories. There has to be an organic story for us to sink our teeth into. It's not that the women aren't getting the opportunity or the creative or time, but it's our job and their job to find that next story."

When asked if the momentum of the women's division was slowing down, Charlotte compared it to the peaks and valleys of a roller coaster.

"Yeah, I guess what I was saying is that it's because the show is all year long, it's just going to be a roller coaster. There are ebbs and flows, so that is what I think part of the issue is," said Charlotte.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit After the Bell with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Peter Bahi contributed to this article.