CLEVELAND -- WWE Diva’s Champion Charlotte Flair wants her WrestleMania moment.
Flair made her first appearance at WrestleMania two years ago as part of Triple H’s entrance ahead of his bout with eventual champion Daniel Bryan, and with more than a month left before WrestleMania 32 in Arlington, Texas, she plans on making her first in-ring appearance at “The Show of Shows” as a champion.
The quest to keep the Diva’s Championship starts tonight with her defense against Brie Bella at WWE Fastlane at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
“It’s an honor to face Brie,” Charlotte said. “I did beat her sister for the Diva’s Championship, and I’m well on the way to becoming the new longest-reigning Diva’s Champion. I’m excited. I know that Brie has a lot going on in her personal life with Daniel announcing his retirement. I’m looking to put another Bella on the shelf. It should be good.”
The daughter of 16-time World Champion and two-time WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair, Charlotte wants to build a legacy of her own inside the squared circle, which she is well on the way to doing as one of the longest-reigning Diva’s Champion of all time.
After stopping Nikki Bella’s record title reign at 301 days, Flair has been champion for 154 days, a number that could reach nearly 200 by the time she walks down the aisle at AT&T Stadium on April 3rd should she be successful against Nikki’s sister, Brie, tonight.
“It pretty much means everything,” Flair said of carrying on her family’s legacy. “The fact that my dad spent 40 years creating his legacy and now, I’m an extension of his legacy, it means a lot. I want to do it justice and make him proud. My dad always wanted to be the best, and his passion for the business alone and his fans, that’s what I want to carry on. When people see and watch me, I just want to know that they never left a show unhappy.
“I guess it’s hard for me to say I’ve changed something just because when you’re in it, you don’t really realize what’s happening, but I do hope that I stand for something for women to look at, that being a diva is not just a pretty face or a model, that it takes athleticism and strength. I hope that’s what I represent, that we’re just as good as the men.”
And as for what a victory over Brie Bella would mean for Flair, it will allow her to not only extend her title reign, but also, prove women’s wrestling has evolved.
“Now, the need for women’s wrestling is more a focus to the fans, so we’re getting more time, more storylines,” Flair said. “The women have always been athletic, but now, there’s more of a focus on what we can do in the ring instead of just being a pretty face, that we’re not just divas, that we’re superstars as well.
“I have a lot to accomplish. I want to main-event a pay-per-view. I want to steal the show at WrestleMania. I want to bring back the Women’s Championship, and just pretty much change the game for women all around.”
