How Did They Get Here: Charlie Morgan
It is always hard to see someone retire from the ring, especially when that wrestler is someone so early into their career as Charlie Morgan was. She announced on Sunday that she was retiring due to her injuries. I feel like it would only be right to take a look at a very talented wrestler who had such a bright future in the wrestling world and was forced to retire.
Charlie Morgan made her in ring debut on June 5th, 2011 using the ring name Penelope at the World Association of Wrestling Academy Show. She competed in an eight woman tag where she teamed with Amy-Lee Kramer, Liberty and Stacey, but were unable to pick up the win. Fun fact, Paige was also in the match wrestling under the name Britani Knight. These six women would be the women that she would face throughout the beginning part of her career. Morgan’s first career championship match came on November 11th at WAW Night of Champions 2, when she was involved in the WAWW Hardcore Championship match, which was won by Britani Knight. Morgan then was able to earn a lot of experience from a match against Rhia O’Reilly at WAWW The Return, but would come up short in the match. Wrestling some very experienced names in the first year of her career would prove to be very helpful to her as her career went on.
Morgan got her first win on February 19th when she defeated Liberty at a WAW event. She also was an entrant in the WAWW British Championship number one contenders tournament, but fell in the semifinals of the tournament to Amazon. Morgan picked up her biggest win of her career when she defeated Alpha Female (better known as Jazzy Gabbert) at Bellatrix 6. That win earned Morgan a shot at the Bellatrix British Championship at Bellatrix 7, but she came up short against Erin Angel. Morgan also failed to win the Indygurlz Australian Championship from Saraya Knight at Bellatrix 8. Morgan would then enter the Queen of the Ring tournament at Bellatrix IX, but would not get out of the first round as she fell to Lady Lory. Morgan would try to find some sort of momentum, and she would find just that.
Morgan got her first win on February 19th when she defeated Liberty at a WAW event. She also was an entrant in the WAWW British Championship number one contenders tournament, but fell in the semifinals of the tournament to Amazon. Morgan picked up her biggest win of her career when she defeated Alpha Female (better known as Jazzy Gabbert) at Bellatrix 6. That win earned Morgan a shot at the Bellatrix British Championship at Bellatrix 7, but she came up short against Erin Angel. Morgan also failed to win the Indygurlz Australian Championship from Saraya Knight at Bellatrix 8. Morgan would then enter the Queen of the Ring tournament at Bellatrix IX, but would not get out of the first round as she fell to Lady Lory. Morgan would try to find some sort of momentum, and she would find just that.
On August 29th, Morgan would challenge Miss Mina for the DOA Sirens Championship at GBG Legend Hacksaw is in Town, and would win the title in the process. Mina would get revenge as she defeated Morgan the next day to retain the Nordic Women’s Wrestling Championship. Morgan wasn’t done winning championships after winning the DOA Sirens Championship, as she would defeat Violet O’Hara to win the Bellatrix British Championship at Bellatrix X, and the DOA UK Sirens Championship after beating Addy Starr and Chanel at DOA’s One Year Anniversary Show. Morgan was on top of the world as she had just won her first championship and seemed to have the ball rolling along, but she would have to forfeit those championships as she sat out all of 2015, but I could not find the reason why. I’m assuming that it was due to injury, but after looking into it I couldn’t find the reason as to why.
Morgan made her return to the ring on January 31st, 2016, defeating Aurora Flame at Bellatrix 17. Morgan would then win the RQW European Women’s Championship from Queen Maya at Bellatrix 18, getting back to her winning ways. She would then take part in a fatal four way match for Southside Wrestling Entertainment for their Queen of Southside Championship at Raw Deal 5. She would not be able to win the championship in a match that featured Jade (Mia Yim), who would win the championship, Nixon Newell (Tegan Nox) who came in as champion, and Toni Storm. Morgan would also lose the RQW European Women’s Championship to Blue Nikita at Bellatrix 19. It was almost as if signs were pointing to a big break for Charlie Morgan.
Morgan made her return to the ring on January 31st, 2016, defeating Aurora Flame at Bellatrix 17. Morgan would then win the RQW European Women’s Championship from Queen Maya at Bellatrix 18, getting back to her winning ways. She would then take part in a fatal four way match for Southside Wrestling Entertainment for their Queen of Southside Championship at Raw Deal 5. She would not be able to win the championship in a match that featured Jade (Mia Yim), who would win the championship, Nixon Newell (Tegan Nox) who came in as champion, and Toni Storm. Morgan would also lose the RQW European Women’s Championship to Blue Nikita at Bellatrix 19. It was almost as if signs were pointing to a big break for Charlie Morgan.
Morgan would return to SWE in a match against Rosemary at Opportunity Knocks where Rosemary was victorious. Morgan was then entered in the Pro Wrestling EVE Championship tournament that featured the likes of Alex Windsor, Jinny, Kasey Owens, Kay Lee Ray, Kris Wolf, Laura Do Matteo, Martina, Nina Samuels, Riho and Viper. Morgan would fall to Kay Lee Ray in the first round, but just to have her name be in the same tournament as some of the biggest names of the UK Independent scene was a big step for Morgan in her career. She would get to step in the ring with Kris Wolf on the second night of the tournament, but would not be able to pick up the win over the whiley veteran. Morgan would get back to her winning ways as she knocked off Christi Jaynes at SWE Limitless. Morgan would then beat Charli Evans to qualify for the SHE-1 tournament being held by Pro Wrestling EVE. Evans would get her revenge as she beat Morgan in the PROGRESS Women’s Number One Contender Tournament. Morgan would then go to the SHE-1 tournament and have a fantastic tournamnent. She would pick up a win over Nicole Matthews, but a double DQ against Kay Lee Ray on night 2 means that she needed some help. She had to beat Nina Samuels, which she did, and have to hope that Nicole Matthews would beat Kay Lee Ray. Matthews pulled through, and helped Morgan advance to the finals. Morgan would have an uphill battle in the finals however. She would have to face not only the Pro Wrestling EVE Champion Sammii Jayne, but also the legendary Meiko Satomura. The deck was stacked against her, but Morgan was more than ready for the fight and surprised everyone. She won the finals to win the tournament over the champ and the legend. A few days later Morgan would win the DOA UK Women’s Championship for the second time in her career, defeating Amarah at Go 4 Glory. 2017 was a great year for Morgan, but the best was yet to come for Morgan.
At the start of 2018, Morgan continued to expand her wings and show just how good she could be. She was a part of the Pro Wrestling EVE Championship Rumble, but was unable to win the championship. She then had a pair of matches where she teamed with Toni Storm, but the latter of those two matches is where things got very interesting. At Progress Chapter 63, she would turn on Storm after the match to join Jinny, Chakara and Nina Samuels in House of Couture, and immediately becoming the best wrestler of the stable. She would lose a match to Doug Williams at XWA 51: WrestleFriends: Equal Fights. Morgan would then go on a run winning five matches in a row. She would win a fatal four way over Chakara, Martina and Millie McKenzie, and earned a Progress Women’s Championship match as a result of the win. It was clear that Morgan was going to be the focal point of the stable, and she was also seen as someone that could help improve the other three women in the stable. Before she went to challenge Toni Storm for the Progress Women’s Championship, she had some unfinished business in Pro Wrestling EVE. She would face EVE Champion Sammii Jayne at EVE Wrestle Queendom, and would finally win the championship. She would look to add to her collection as she challenged Toni Storm for the Progress Women’s Championship at Chapter 68, but was unable to win the championship. She would also drop the DOA UK Women’s Championship to Addy Starr at DOA Golden Chance. But Morgan would not let go of her EVE Championship. She would retain the championship over Charli Evans at EVE After Queendom, Kasey at EVE Riot, Grrrls, and in a fatal four way against Kasey, Rhia O’Reilly and Sammi Jayne at EVE Strong Women Style. During her reign, she was also able to make her WWE debut as a part of the NXT UK brand. She was able to beat Killer Kelly at the NXT UK Championship Tournament on day 2 of the tournament. She would then lose to Kelly at an NXT UK taping, as well as falling to Millie McKenzie and Xia Brookside when she teamed with Kelly at the same tapings. She also had a match with Toni Storm at another set of tapings, but was unable to pick up the win. Morgan would also lose her EVE Championship to Nina Samuels in a triple threat that also included Kay Lee Ray during the Ace of EVE tour. Morgan was unable to win the title back at Shevivor Series, but Morgan was in for a big 2019 and fans around the world were ready to see what was in store for her.
Morgan had very few matches to start 2019, but that was a pattern at this point in her career. She would face Su Yung at EVE Global Women Strike 2 where Yung would come out on top. Morgan would also lose to Nina Samuels at another set of NXT UK tapings. She would pick up her schedule in March, and got off to a quick start, as she beat Xia Brookside at SWE A Quick Day of Reckoning, Jetta at Resurgence This is Spinal Graps, and Jinny at EVE She Fights on Friday. Morgan would get another shot at the Queen of Southside Championship at RoE GLAM, but was unsuccessful in winning the championship from Shanna. Morgan would then make her RISE debut at RISE 13: Legendary as a part of a Battle Royal that was won by Zoe Lucas. Morgan would also make her Shimmer debut the same week and make quite a splash as she beat Mercedes Martinez at Shimmer 110, and was able to win a tag team match against The Blue Nation (Charli Evans & Jessica Troy) when Morgan teamed with Kris Wolf. As her future seemed bright, this is when her career took a very unfortunate turn.
During her first ever tour of the United States, Morgan suffered an ankle injury after landing wrong. Morgan would be out of action since March 31st, and would regularly post photos and videos of herself training and walking around in a walking boot. When I saw her posting videos of her training and working out, I thought that maybe she would be returning to the ring soon. Would it be in the WWE as a part of NXT UK? Or perhaps she would continue to wrestle on the UK Independent scene? But the news was shocking. Charlie Morgan would appear at Pro Wrestling EVE on June 30th, 2019 during their Wrestle Queendom 2 show and announce that due to her injuries, she would be retiring from in ring competition. She is being forced to hang up her boots at only 27 years old. It’s very unfortunate that she will no longer be competing in the ring, but her own health should come first.
During her first ever tour of the United States, Morgan suffered an ankle injury after landing wrong. Morgan would be out of action since March 31st, and would regularly post photos and videos of herself training and walking around in a walking boot. When I saw her posting videos of her training and working out, I thought that maybe she would be returning to the ring soon. Would it be in the WWE as a part of NXT UK? Or perhaps she would continue to wrestle on the UK Independent scene? But the news was shocking. Charlie Morgan would appear at Pro Wrestling EVE on June 30th, 2019 during their Wrestle Queendom 2 show and announce that due to her injuries, she would be retiring from in ring competition. She is being forced to hang up her boots at only 27 years old. It’s very unfortunate that she will no longer be competing in the ring, but her own health should come first.
I can’t think of a really good way to end this article, but I think that there is something important to take away from Charlie Morgan retiring at such a young age due to injury. These athletes are out there performing for us and putting their body and more importantly their health and life on the line for our entertainment. We should cherish and love seeing these wrestlers go out there and do what they do in the ring. We don’t know just how long they will be able to do it. It was a fun career to follow Charlie, it’s going to be weird to not see you in the ring again. Hope you find success wherever your life takes you. Whether it’s a new role in pro wrestling or if it’s in a different profession, we all hope you find success. We’re all rooting for you Charlie Morgan.
