Charlotte Flair says knee injury has been a ‘mixed blessing’

Charlotte Flair was devastated when she injured her knee last year, but it’s ended up being a “mixed blessing.”

In a match against Asuka on WWE SmackDown in December 2023, Charlotte suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus. It’s now been 10 months since Charlotte last wrestled. She underwent surgery this January to repair the injury.

While being interviewed on the Forever Young Podcast, Charlotte joked that she thought her life was over when the injury happened. But, while it’s been a challenge, the injury has also provided Charlotte a moment to take some time off and figure out how she can improve for the long run.

“When it first happened, I thought my life was over [laughs]. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, a perfect storm.’ Like, my husband [Andrade] had just come back to the company — or was on his way back, I knew he was going to be debuting soon. From the moment I was taken out, I just have kept telling myself that I’m going to come back the best version of the Queen when I do come back,” Charlotte said.

“You never like to be sidelined due to an injury, but then again, I’m not sure if I would have ever sidelined myself had it not been for the injury. So it’s been a challenge, but a challenge I know that’s going to make me better in the long run. Because I’ve had the opportunity over these — I think it’s been like nine, eight months now — to go back and see things that I would have done over, what can I do over, look at the landscape of the division, try to figure out where I can add character layers when I come back. And I think the biggest struggle for me mentally is I’ve never not been able to rely on my athleticism. Where I might not be the best on the mic or a certain look, I’ve always been so proud of how physical I am. And not having that feel 100 percent has been an adjustment for me. Where before I know the girls respected me for being tough and, you know, not being injured. And when this happened I was like, ‘[gasps] I can be injured.’ So it really — it’s been a mixed blessing. For me, it feels very vulnerable, but I know that in the long run it’s going to be better for me.”

When asked how far away she is from returning, Charlotte played coy and wouldn’t answer.

“Oh, I can’t give that up,” she responded. “I still have to wait for people to be surprised.”

Charlotte’s husband Andrade is currently on the SmackDown roster and feuding with Carmelo Hayes. Charlotte told the Forever Young Podcast that Andrade is doing “really well” on the road.

“I’m looking forward to joining him,” she added.