Charlotte Flair will be taking time off from WWE, PWInsiderElite.com has confirmed. We are told that Flair informed WWE she would be taking a break from the company over Wrestlemania 39 weekend. WWE's creative plans for the Smackdown Women's Championship, moving it to Rhea Ripley, were locked in place before Flair told WWE she would be taking a break. Flair is not expected to appear at this week's Smackdown and we are told she was telling those backstage that she and husband Andrade were going to travel. There is no word how long the hiatus will be, but it was a Flair decision, not a WWE Creative move.
There was absolutely no discussion of former New Japan Pro Wrestling star Jay White within WWE at all over Wrestlemania 39 weekend and based on multiple conversations with WWE officials and talents, we are told it does not appear White is WWE-bound.
Matt Riddle was brought in for Raw Monday morning in order to hide the fact he was returning. The feeling was that if was hanging out all Wrestlemania weekend, the return would be obvious.
In regard to the Melina incident at the Wrestlecon hotel over the weekend, we are told that Melina attended Smackdown this past Friday and after returning, was acting out in a loud manner, getting into an argument (and according to one person, a physical) altercation. Hotel security intervened and she was ordered off the property and was not allowed to return to sign at Wrestlecon.
The word making the rounds with AEW is that Tony Khan's announcement Wednesday is not a "storyline" or talent announcement.
