Charlotte Flair estimated to be out of action for extended period after suffering knee injury last week

WWE’s Kevin Patrick noted on Smackdown last night that Charlotte Flair is expected to miss nine months after suffering a knee injury during a match with Asuka last week on Smackdown.

Charlotte is among WWE’s top female wrestlers and will miss WrestleMania and perhaps even Summerslam.

WWE played back the botch spot that may have caused the injury. The spot initially took place during the commercial break last week. She finished the match, but couldn’t put weight on her knee as they quickly went to a finish.

The actual initial damage to the knee could have come from a top rope moonsault spot right before the commercial break where she missed Asuka and landed hard on her feet. She appeared to be stepping gingerly afterward in the brief seconds that aired before the commercial break.

From there, Charlotte set up a top rope move on Asuka during the break, but slipped or lost her balance and fell sideways and landed on the top rope awkwardly and then bounced hard onto the mat and Asuka with her legs hitting sideways on landing.

Charlotte was wincing in pain yet still went through with applying a Figure-Eight finishing hold, which could have exacerbated the injury.

After the match, she was unable to stand on her own or leave the ring on her own. She sat on the mat and was tended to by trainers and the referee afterward. About 30 seconds later, she was helped to her feet and had help leaving the ring and walking to the back.