Charlotte Flair addresses the fan reaction to her WWE Smackdown return

During an appearance on WWE’s The Bump, new Smackdown women’s champion Charlotte Flair addressed the fan reaction to her return this past Friday night

“It’s kind of surreal. I mean I was gone for eight months, and then to be back, here I am in my office, holding the title, it feels like I never left, really. I was sincerely so touched by the fan reaction on Friday. I done a lot of things in my career, but to see the smiles and the cheers, and the reception that I received when I came back, I was just thinking to myself, any time I’ve ever thought negative or ‘Do I still have it,’ I know I always have it, but it was just very rewarding after this journey that I’ve had for ten years. Being in the audience, which I’ve never done before, like I’ve been in the audience, but I’m usually kicking someone’s butt, but here I was holding the title in Tampa, where my career started full circle, and being back after eight months, it really made me emotional.”

“I think after being gone for eight months, the things that I worried about before, I don’t worry about as much. My legacy is cemented now, and I think moving forward, I’ve always been so serious. I’m very serious about the champion, about [having] the title and progressing, and never resting or coasting or being complacent, but it let me know that everyone had appreciated what I’ve done leading up to being back after eight months. It meant a lot to me.” (quotes courtesy of Colin Tessier)