WWE WrestleMania 38 Night One: Ronda Rousey Vs. Charlotte Flair (SmackDown Women's Title Match)
SmackDown Women's Title Match: Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair
We go back to the ring and out first comes Ronda Rousey. Rousey is all smiles as she marches down the ramp with nothing special but new custom attire. Rousey waits in the ring as SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair makes her way out next. Flair stops on the ramp and spins around to show of her robe as the fireworks explode above. Flair stops on the apron and has the referee open the ropes for her. Flair poses in the middle of the ring as more pyro goes off, then fireworks explode above the stadium. We get formal ring introductions from Irvin.
The bell rings and they aggressively lock up. Flair takes it to the ropes and backs off. Flair swings but Rousey grabs her into the corner. The aggressive offense continues. Flair goes into the ropes as the referee backs Rousey off. Flair nails a cheap shot and stays on her. Flair with a takedown. Rousey tosses Flair and takes her back down, going into the ankle lock but Flair scrambles away.
Flair jabs at Rousey but fakes and takes her down. Flair goes for a Figure Four but Rousey catches her. They scramble on the mat some more until Flair gets sent to the apron. Rousey rocks her but Flair fights back in from the apron, kicking Rousey down. Rousey comes back with another block and a knee strike. Rousey uses the ropes to apply a submission as the referee counts. Flair has Rousey on the apron now. She puts the knee into her spine, then drops her on the edge of the apron with an elbow. Flair wastes some time and Rousey has an ankle lock applied through the ropes. Rousey sends Flair to the floor but Flair comes back in and sends Rousey to the floor.
Flair poses to boos as the referee counts Rousey. Flair goes out and sends Rousey into the ring post. Flair brings it back in for a quick 1 count. Flair rag-dolls Rousey while grounding her now. Flair keeps control until Rousey tosses her to the mat and then nails a knee to the face for a 2 count. The back & forth continues. Rousey rag-dolls Flair by her arm several times, then bounces around to cheers from the crowd. Rousey's celebrating is interrupted by a big Spear from Flair. Rousey kicks out just in time
Flair with a back suplex and a kip-up. Flair goes to the top for the moonsault but she lands on her feet, and barely hits the follow-up moonsault. Flair still pins Rousey for 2 after the botched moonsaults. Flair with big chops now. Rousey with a big slam for a 2 count. Flair turns Rousey upside down in the corner and works her over with knees. Rousey pulls herself up with Flair but Flair knocks her back to the upside down position. Rousey pulls herself back up and rocks Flair but Flair knocks her back down one more time.
Rousey is on her feet now. She climbs to the second rope and launches Flair off the top to the mat with a big arm drag. Flair kicks out at 2. Rousey puts Flair on her shoulders and drops her with Piper's Pit. Rousey goes for the armbar but Flair escapes. Rousey with a knee to the face. Flair with a big boot to the face. Flair and Rousey are both down and slow to recover. Rousey blocks a Figure Four and catches Flair with a snap powerslam for a close 2 count. Rousey shows some frustration now.
Rousey goes for Piper's Pit again but it's blocked. Rousey rolls through and applies the ankle lock. Flair goes for the bottom rope but Rousey pulls her back. Flair counters into an ankle lock of her own. They tangle some more and Flair kicks out at 2. Rousey bounces around and talks some trash while Flair is down. More back and forth. Rousey applies an arm lock but Flair counters and slams her to the mat for a close 2 count. Flair escapes an arm bar. They tangle and Rousey applies the ankle lock, pulling Flair back to the middle of the ring. Rousey drops down and now she really has the submission as fans go wild.
Rousey tries to keep the hold locked but Flair kicks free with boots to the face. Rousey blocks the Figure Four again and pulls Flair into the arm bar. They tangle some more and the screen goes black a few times, perhaps due to a wardrobe malfunction. Flair gets the Figure Four and bridges to the Figure Eight but Rousey turns it over into another submission. Flair hangs on and turns back over but they get to the ropes and the holds are broken. Rousey rolls out of the ring to the floor. Flair sits up on the apron and is frustrated.
Flair goes to the top for the moonsault but Rousey keeps blocking from the floor. Flair comes back down to the apron and reaches for Rousey but Rousey slams her to the mat and she lands hard with a thud. Rousey charges at ringside but Flair catches her and launches her into the barrier with a big Exploder suplex. The referee counts while they're both down at ringside. They make it back in at the 9 count, staring each other down. They crawl to the middle of the ring. Flair mushes Rousey first and talks some trash. They get up and Rousey catches a big boot. Rousey nails Piper's Pit but Flair lands near the ropes and gets her foot on the bottom rope to break the pin attempt.
Rousey pleads with the referee over the call but she didn't see Flair get her foot on the bottom rope. Flair takes advantage and hits Natural Selection for a close 2 count. Flair can't believe Rousey kicks out. Flair seethes now while on her knees, Rousey flat on her back. Flair goes for the Figure Four but Rousey kicks her out, sending her into the referee. He goes down in the corner. Rousey drops Flair into the armbar and Flair taps out but the referee is down.
Rousey breaks the hold and frantically goes to wake the referee up. Flair takes advantage and rushes, delivering a big boot to the head to knock Rousey right back down. Flair quickly covers for the pin to win as the referee comes to.
Winner: Charlotte Flair
This is from our live coverage of WrestleMania 38. You can click here to access full WrestleMania results with your feedback and our live Viewing Party...