Wrestling legend Ric Flair appeared on Busted Open to discuss his daughter Charlotte Flair’s 2025 Royal Rumble victory, WWE’s direction under Triple H, and who he believes should break his championship record.

Charlotte Flair’s Confidence and Growth

Flair couldn’t be prouder of Charlotte’s evolution as a performer, emphasizing her confidence and work ethic.

“She just oozes confidence,” Flair said. “She knows she’s got it. She can sit there, think about it, and then go out there and knock it out.”

Despite WWE positioning her as a babyface, Charlotte was met with a mixed reaction on RAW. Rather than resisting it, she leaned into the moment.

“That is a confident human being,” Flair noted. “She can change it up and give the crowd whatever they want. That comes with time, but she’s got it now.”

Who Should Break Ric Flair’s Record?

Flair holds the record for most world title reigns at 16, a mark John Cena has tied. When asked who he’d prefer to break it, his answer was clear.

“I’d like it to be one of three people—Randy, Charlotte, or John,” Flair said. “My first pick would be Charlotte.”

Though he admires Cena, he admitted he isn’t rooting for him to take the top spot.

“I don’t want Cena at 17,” he admitted. “But I have so much time for John. He’s truly one of the greats.”

Flair on Triple H’s Leadership

Since Triple H took over WWE’s creative direction, the backstage atmosphere has shifted for the better, according to Flair.

“I haven’t heard one negative thing about him,” Flair said. “He’s much better at delegating authority. Vince had to see every vignette and pre-tape, but Hunter trusts the people around him. That’s made a huge difference.”

With record-breaking ticket sales and a rejuvenated roster, Flair believes WWE is in a great place under Triple H’s guidance.

“They’re running as smooth as I’ve ever seen,” he said.

With Charlotte back in the title picture and WrestleMania on the horizon, the Nature Boy is more excited than ever about what’s next for WWE.

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair offered candid thoughts on the women’s division during a recent appearance on Gabby AF, placing his daughter Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley in a class of their own.

“She’s so much better than… and that’s not to say the other girls aren’t good, but she and Rhea right now are the two best in the business,” Flair stated, highlighting Charlotte’s elite status.

While acknowledging former WWE star Sasha Banks (now Mercedes Moné), Flair maintained that with her departure, Charlotte and Rhea have emerged as the division’s clear standouts.

A two-time Royal Rumble winner and decorated champion, Charlotte made her return to WWE in January after recovering from injury. Flair revealed he watched her comeback match from a sports bar, overcome with emotion at seeing his daughter back in action.

Ric Flair Shocked to Learn He Suffered a Recent Heart Attack

“The Match to Make”

The Nature Boy particularly praised Charlotte’s WrestleMania 39 encounter with Ripley, declaring:

“They haven’t had a match like that in the women’s division that I’ve seen on TV anywhere since that match.”

Looking ahead to WrestleMania 41, Flair advocates for another Charlotte-Rhea confrontation, calling it “the match to make.” He also expressed interest in potential matchups with Bianca Belair and the long-anticipated showdown with Becky Lynch.

As WWE’s premier event approaches, the question remains whether the company will capitalize on Charlotte and Rhea’s proven in-ring chemistry.

Wrestling legend Ric Flair has opened up about a previously unknown health scare that may have contributed to his quiet departure from AEW last summer. Speaking on Gabby AF, the 16-time world champion revealed he recently discovered he had suffered a heart attack—without realizing it.

“I went in for a test, and the doctor told me, ‘You’ve had a heart attack in the last two years.’ I didn’t even know,” Flair admitted.

The revelation came after Flair underwent a calcium test on his heart, which detected past damage. The Nature Boy, who famously survived a life-threatening medical crisis in 2017 that led to multiple heart surgeries, was shocked by the news but remains defiant about his health.

“For some reason, I don’t hurt anywhere… I could wrestle again, but I won’t,” he said.

Ric Flair’s Exit from AEW

Flair also confirmed that his time with AEW has officially ended, clarifying that he is no longer under contract following the collapse of his Wooooo! Energy drink sponsorship in mid-2024.

While many assumed his exit was tied to creative direction, Flair indicated that his health was also a factor.

“There really isn’t anything for me to do there right now,” he said, adding that AEW owner Tony Khan “didn’t realize I was on blood thinners” when initially bringing him in.

Flair’s last AEW appearance was at Revolution 2024, where he was part of Sting’s retirement match. He recalled that Khan was adamant about him avoiding any in-ring physicality, repeatedly warning him against blading.

Now, with AEW in the rearview, Flair is focused on staying healthy—though he admits the wrestling bug never truly leaves. WrestleMania 41 is fast approaching and Charlotte Flair is primed for a top match on the biggest show of the year. WWE find a way to bring The Dirtiest Player in the Game back for another moment in the spotlight?

Ric Flair has reassured fans that he has no intention of stepping back into the wrestling ring for another match. While recently appearing on the Five Star Podcast, Flair was asked whether he thought he could still compete in a match. His confident response—“Hell yeah, I do”—sparked speculation about a possible return.

The comments caught the attention of WWE Superstar Bronson Reed, who jokingly questioned people wanting to see him hit his finishing move, the Tsunami, on Flair, implying it could be life-threatening for the wrestling legend. In response, Flair took to social media to put the rumors to rest and clarify his stance:

“No Return To The Ring Ever! Thankful For The Great Health And The Conditioning That Would Allow Me To. Bronson Reed Couldn’t Tsunami Me On His Best Day!”

Flair wrestled his final match on July 31, 2022, teaming with his son-in-law, Andrade El Idolo, to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. The bout, promoted as Flair’s retirement match, drew concern from fans due to his age and his health condition, which includes having a pacemaker.

Flair’s performance in the match appeared hindered at times, and he later attributed his struggles to dehydration caused by his strict diet and weight management during training. Despite his confidence in his current health and conditioning, Flair has made it clear that his days in the squared circle are over.

Ric Flair made his name in wrestling with his legendary hour-long matches, but the WWE Hall of Famer believes practicing is a problem in the industry. Speaking on the Five Star Podcast, Flair made clear he prefers matches to have a more spontaneous feel, without any preconceived plans going in.

“Never practice. I’ve had no practice. You can never guarantee how the crowd is going to react. You can have a match all set up, and the crowd says, ‘I don’t think so. I like him today.’”

While Flair is opposed to practices and rehearsals, WWE does use practices from time to time. WWE has often held practices inside the Elimination Chamber, giving talent the opportunity to rehearse spots and mitigate the danger inside the iconic structure. Ahead of WrestleMania 40, The Rock competed in some practice matches with NXT’s Gallus, preparing WWE’s Final Boss for his long-awaited return to the ring.

Ric Flair’s Last Match… Again?

In 2022, Flair competed in what was promoted as his last match, though his performance in the tag-team contest left fans concerned for his safety and health. Shortly after, Flair teased returning to the ring again, but also shared that he was confident he was done in the ring.

Earlier this month, Flair again teased one more match, saying he definitely believes he has one last contest left in him. Whether Flair steps in the ring as a competitor one more time or not, fans shouldn’t expect the Nature Boy to practice any moves or sequences, even if it benefits the overall performance.

Ric Flair was originally scheduled to make a cameo appearance at this Saturday’s AEW Collision event at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC. However, according to a report by PWInsider.com, those plans have changed, and Flair is no longer expected to attend.

Instead, AEW has tapped local wrestling legends Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, better known as The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, to appear at the event. The report also noted that the duo is slated to make additional appearances at future AEW events in the coming weeks.

Flair joined AEW in 2023, debuting as Tony Khan’s surprise gift to Sting ahead of Sting’s retirement at the Revolution pay-per-view. His appearances in AEW have been tied to a sponsorship deal with Wooooo Energy, which funded his involvement. This arrangement mirrors a similar sponsorship model used by WCW with Randy Savage in the 1990s. Since Revolution, Flair has not been featured on AEW programming.

Card for Saturday’s AEW Collision:

• TNT Championship: Daniel Garcia (c) vs. Mark Briscoe
• AEW Tag Team Championship: Private Party (Brother Zay & Marq Quen) (c) vs. Lio Rush & Action Andretti
• Toni Storm vs. Deonna Purrazzo
• Rated FTR (Cope, Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. The Learning Tree (Chris Jericho, Big Bill & Bryan Keith)
• Jeff Jarrett in action
• The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express to appear

Although Flair’s cameo has been removed from the lineup, the inclusion of The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express continues the show’s nod to wrestling history, especially given Charlotte’s deep wrestling roots.

Ric Flair wrestled his final match on July 31, 2022, teaming up with his son-in-law, Andrade El Idolo, to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. The bout, billed as Flair’s retirement match, drew concern from fans due to Flair’s age and his health condition, including the presence of a pacemaker. These concerns intensified during the match, as Flair’s performance appeared to be hindered.

Flair later attributed his struggles in the match to dehydration caused by a strict diet and weight management routine during his preparation. Despite this, Flair remains confident in his ability to step back into the ring. Appearing on the Five Star Podcast, Flair was asked whether he thought he could still compete in a match. His response: “Hell yeah, I do.”

Flair joined AEW in 2023, debuting as Tony Khan’s surprise gift to Sting ahead of Sting’s retirement at the Revolution pay-per-view. Flair expressed that he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to join AEW and be part of Sting’s farewell journey.

Since the Revolution event, Flair has not appeared on AEW programming. According to Tony Khan, Flair’s appearances were tied to a sponsorship deal with Wooooo Energy, a brand that has paid AEW for each of Flair’s appearances. This arrangement echoes a similar deal Randy Savage had with WCW in the mid-1990s, leveraging sponsorship to fund his participation in the promotion.

While Flair’s in-ring career appears to have concluded, his presence in AEW highlights his enduring connection to the wrestling world and his ability to draw attention and excitement, even in a non-wrestling capacity.

Ric Flair has named the two stars he considers to be the best in-ring workers of all time.

The 16-time World Champion recently appeared on Busted Open Radio. He discussed things such as Charlotte Flair potentially breaking his world title record, wrestling in Japan, his relationship with other members of the four horsemen and more.

Talking about his own career, Flair remembered his matches with Ricky Steamboat and named Steamboat and Shawn Michaels as the two greatest workers he’s ever shared the ring with:

“Ricky Steamboat, I mean the two greatest workers I’ve ever been in the ring with and are the best workers I’ve ever known are Shawn Michaels and Ricky Steamboat. Ricky never worked heel, you know it’s kind of like trying to make Jack Brisco a heal but Steamboat and Shawn to me are the two best I’ve ever been in the ring with.

I’m not taking away from anybody else but I mean it’s hard to argue against Steamboat. And of course, Shawn Michaels I think is recognized universally as probably the best worker in the business. When you’re still considered the best worker in a business 10 years after you’ve been retired, then you must have been pretty damn good.”

• Ric Flair Says “Learn To Love It!” After Donald Trump’s Victory

Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat worked extensively with each other during their careers. The two stars had more than 100 singles matches while competing for various NWA territories as well as WCW. In comparison, Flair only wrestled Michaels a handful of times, having only 20 singles matches with HBK.

Apart from this, the Nature Boy also talked about Mercedes Mone’s current run noting that Mone works with the mindset that she can do whatever she wants. Ric expressed the belief that Mercedes will end up back in WWE sooner or later.

• Ric Flair Sets Record Straight On John Cena Comments

Ric Flair believes Charlotte Flair should break his 16 world championship record.

With 14 world title wins in her career, The Queen is tied with Randy Orton for the second most world title wins, behind only her father and John Cena. With the Cenation Leader announcing his retirement from in-ring competition for 2025, Ric believes it should be Charlotte who breaks his record.

The 2-time WWE Hall of Famer gave his opinion on the matter during a recent appearance on Busted Open. He mentioned that John Cena has transitioned to Hollywood and he is not interested in the accolade:

“It’s time. John Cena doesn’t want to break the record, he doesn’t given a shit about that. John is in a different world now. Wrestling will always be his passion, but he doesn’t care about beating (the record).”

• Ric Flair Says “Learn To Love It!” After Donald Trump’s Victory

A Real Game Changer: Ric Flair

Per the wrestling veteran, Charlotte breaking his record will be the biggest thing in the business because she’s the best women’s wrestler alive:

“I still think the biggest thing in the business, when it happens, it’ll be a real game changer, just like she is in real life, is her breaking the title record or even tying it. I believe it’s in the cards. I can look at the show and watch. It’s a woman’s world now and she’s the best women’s wrestler alive.”

Ric Flair also talked about Charlotte’s injury that has kept her out of action for over a year and claimed that her return match will be the highest-rated women’s match in a long time. You can check out the latest update on the female star’s return here.

• Ric Flair Rips “Bull***” ‘Who Killed WCW’ Docuseries Produced By The Rock

Those opposed to Donald Trump will just have to “learn to love it” according to Ric Flair, following Trump’s re-election to President of the United States. The 78-year-old billionaire bested Democratic nominee Kamala Harris earlier this week, winning both the Electoral College and the popular vote.

On X, Flair shared his clear support for Trump and gave some advice to those not on board the Trump Train.

Flair isn’t the only wrestling personality backing Trump, as Hulk Hogan has repeatedly endorsed the Republican party leader. Jake Hager also shared several comments supporting Trump on election night, in addition to claiming Tony Khan is a “communist” who threatened to fire him for supporting the President-Elect. Hager has deleted several of his tweets and has yet to provide proof of his claims.

The election news comes as a crushing blow to many in the wrestling world, with Trevor Lee saying he’s disappointed in the U.S. for electing its first convicted felon President. Mick Foley and Dave Bautista had endorsed Harris ahead of this year’s election, while Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson endorsed the Biden/Harris ticket that defeated Trump and then-Vice President Mike Pence in 2020.

Clearly, this election didn’t go the way many had hoped, though Flair, Trump, and others in wrestling could not be happier. It remains to be seen what awaits the United States in Trump’s second term, which will see Linda McMahon play a crucial role in the transition.

Ric Flair has announced his separation from his wife, Wendy. Flair acknowledged that, like all couples, they had faced their share of ups and downs. He emphasized that the separation was mutual and respectful.

Flair expressed deep gratitude for Wendy’s unwavering support during his severe health crisis in 2017, noting that she never left his side throughout the ordeal. He also mentioned that both he and Wendy are now focused on different projects, making it difficult to maintain their relationship due to conflicting schedules.

While this separation marks the end of Flair’s fifth marriage, he wished Wendy the best in her future endeavors:

“Wendy and I enjoyed 13 great years. As with every couple, we have experienced our ups and downs. I think it’s important for everyone to know right now that we have decided to part ways respectfully. I’ll never ever be able to thank her enough for standing by my side through my terrible health crisis in 2017. She never left my side! And for that I will always be grateful! We both are working on different projects at the current time and it becomes difficult with my schedule and her schedule to make this work. I wish her the best of luck with her projects, and I know that she supports mine!”

It’s fitting that Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns began the weekend confronting one another on a football field in their memorable “cinema” exchange on SmackDown because the NFL is always full of “cinema” week in and week out.

Starting this week for the rest of the NFL season, I’ll be doing a pro football/pro wrestling round-up – how the two worlds collide with one another during the NFL season.

Week 3 of the NFL had its fair share of upsets and defining Ws for certain teams, but pro wrestling was in full force on the gridiron. Stars from WWE and AEW were not just attending the games themselves, but players also took opportunity express their pro wrestling fandom.

Seth Rollins Gets “Royal Rumbled” By Star Colts WR!

Seth Rollins is unabashed in his fandom for the Chicago Bears and wears his emotions on his sleeve whether his team wins or loses. In near signature fashion, Rollins will typically wallow in a Bears loss by posting “I hate football” on X or will celebrate by writing “I love football” instead.

Rollins’ actions spoke louder than his words this week as the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion was actually in attendance for the game as the Bears played in Indianapolis. Rollins was clearly the heel in enemy territory and a babyface TY Hilton, longtime Colts wide receiver, “tossed” Rollins “over the top” and onto the field as the Bears took the loss, dropping to 1-2 currently on the season.

Ric Flair Sees Similarities Between Aaron Rodgers and Arn Anderson

With Tom Brady retiring two seasons ago, Aaron Rodgers is currently the oldest active player in the NFL. Even with Brady, the New York Jets’ QB is one of the purest top talents to ever enter the league. It’s no surprise that before the Jets played the New England Patriots this past Thursday that Ric Flair took to social media to put a picture-by-picture comparison of Rodgers next to his Four Horsemen compatriot, Arn Anderson, one of the purest pro wrestlers to ever step foot in the ring.

Rodgers infamously tore his Achilles tendon to start the 2023 season, taking him out for the whole year, but much like Arn, Rodgers didn’t appear to age on Thursday as he ripped the Patriots apart, going 27 for 35 with 281 passing yards, two touchdowns and a 118.9 passer rating. The Jets are now 2-1 after handing their division rival one hefty loss.

Sheamus Revs Up The Tennessee Titan Fans (Almost)

Sheamus may be Irish, but The Celtic Warrior packs quite the presence in Nashville, TN. Sunday was no exception as Sheamus took to Nissan Stadium to amp up the crowd ahead of the Titans playing the Packers. However, all that was “White Noise” as Will Levis and the Titans fell to the Green Bay Packers 30-14.

Jamaal Williams Believes In Joe Hendry

Many wrestling fans “believe” in Joe Hendry, but some NFL players do too. Jamaal Williams, running back for the New Orleans Saints, is one of them. Heading into warm-ups before his team played the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend, Williams hit up the Saints social media team to sing the Joe Hendry theme for the viewers.

Williams may now have channel Journey with “Don’t Stop Believing” as the Saints fell to the Eagles 15-12.

AEW & WWE Stars Reunite For The 49ers vs. The Rams

There was quite the pro wrestling reunion in Los Angeles this weekend as AEW stars joined up with WWE stars to celebrate their San Francisco 49ers. Bayley, Leila Gray, Mercedes Mone, Tamina Snuka and Naomi all met up to cheer on the Brock Purdy-led red and gold. However, much like Giovanni Vinci this past Friday with Apollo Crews, the Los Angeles Rams has the Niners’ number, rolling up for an upset win with a game-winning field goal.

Wrestling Related Games Win-Loss Record

It’s a rough start to the season for wrestling and football related news as the team tied with pro wrestling went 1-4 for the week.

The wrestling world lost a master storyteller and booker in Kevin Sullivan, who sadly passed away at 74.

Florida wrestling personality Barry Rose confirmed the news, “With the heaviest of hearts, we are devastated to have to report the passing of the legendary Kevin Sullivan. May he RIP and his family, friends and fans find comfort in how much he was loved.”

The legend’s heath took a turn for the worse as he developed sepsis and encephalitis while hospitialized. Ric Flair took to social media last night sending out prayers and well wishes to his long-time colleague.

Sullivan transcended pro wrestling by shocking the Championship Wrestling from Florida territory by leaning into the “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s. He’d notoriously go to the grocery store in Kayfabe attire to make residents feel uncomfortable. Sullivan would also go on to form the cult-like varsity club that featured Mike Rotunda and Rick Steiner.

“The Taskmaster” remained an active wrestler in the heyday of WCW and was vital in the formation and development of the NWO. While never apart of the faction, Sullivan notoriously quarantined Hulk Hogan until it was time for him to turn heel at Bash At The Beach 1996. Kevin Nash also greatly credits Sullivan for his ability to book and helped to make NWO one of the hottest acts in pro wrestling history.

Before his health took an unfortunate decline following a car accident earlier this year, Sullivan was an active podcast voice on “The Taskmaster Talks” with Jon Pozarowski and “Tuesdays With The Taskmaster” on AdFreeShows.com. He also appeared as a priest in recent vignettes shot by Karrion Kross.

Fans and wrestlers alike came to the aid of Sullivan after he remained hospitalized as they raised over $20,000 to help pay for his expenses.

We at SEScoops would like to send our prayers, thoughts and condolences to Sullivan, his family, friends and fans at this time.

RELATED: Wrestling Community Raises Over $20K For Kevin Sullivan GoFundMe

Steve McMichael has finally been inducted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame and the city his was most known to terrorize the gridiron for made sure he saw and heard everything.

McMichael joined fellow other Chicago Bears as Canton’s Hall Of Fame class for 2024, but due to his battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease, the NFL legend turned pro wrestler was unable to physically be at the ceremony. Mongo’s wife Misty was there in attendance and got to see the bust of her husband revealed to the fans.

However, the beautiful aspect about it all during such battle was that Chicago brought the Hall Of Fame to Mongo. Several other Hall Of Famers like Mike Singletary, Richard Dent and Jim Covert all came to McMichael’s home, who also donned a gold jacket as he was presented with his bust in person. Jarret Payton, son of the late Walter Payton (who Mongo handpicked to induct him), welcomed McMichael into Canton where he rightfully belongs.

Ric Flair, who has constantly visited McMichael during his ALS battle, went to social media to wish a big congratulations to one of his closest friends.

“He’s In!! Congratulations My Great Friend Steve “Mongo” McMichael. You Made It! So Well Deserved! What A Beautiful Ceremony! And Needless To Say, You Would Always Want Me To Say WOOOOO!”

RELATED: Ric Flair Congratulates Cody Rhodes On “Living Your Dad’s Dream”

Mongo’s former boss, Eric Bischoff, was brought to tears when he saw the city of Chicago brought a bagpipe band to play outside of his home when his induction occurred.

“This brings tears to my eyes. Good on you CPD Pipes & Drums. Good on you.”

Other names also took to social media to send their love and congrats including Marc Mero & Blue Meanie.

We at SEScoops would like to congratulate Steve McMichael in well-deserved induction into Canton.

RELATED: AJ Francis Reveals Why Tom Brady Will Be Great Behind The NFL Broadcast Booth (Exclusive)

Pete Sanchez, a wrestler who spent much of his career making others look better, as enhancement talent has passed away, it has been confirmed. This unfortunate news was shared by Bill Apter who had been told that Sanchez had been dealing with an illness for “quite a while.” The veteran wrestling reporter spoke highly of Sanchez’s work as an enhancement talent and added that he was an incredibly “pleasant” person to work with.

Known as ‘Pistol’ Pete, Sanchez competed in the NWA, World Wrestling Council, and the WWE back when it was known as the WWWF. It was at a WWWF show in Madison Square Garden on March 1, 1976, that Sanchez did the honors for Ric Flair in what would be the Nature Boy’s first foray in a McMahon-endorsed ring. This match came mere months after the infamous plane crash from October 1975 after which Flair was told he would never wrestle again.

Flair is not the only notable name associated with Sanchez’s career. Over his tenure, he also worked with names like Bret Hart, Jake Roberts, the Big Boss Man, the Road Warriors. While he lost the vast majority of his matches, Sanchez picked up some wins including over Johnny Rodz and Kevin Sullivan.

We here at SE Scoops would like to share our deepest condolences to Sanchez’ family, friends, and fans at this awful time.

MJF believes he’s the true blue ‘Nature Boy’ while he thinks Will Ospreay watches too much tape of Simone Biles.

MJF just defeated Ospreay in a near 60-minute marathon to kick off last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite to become the new AEW International Champion and Maxwell Jacob Friedman is relishing every single minute of it.

In a new interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, MJF had some harsh words for his recent opponent all while putting over his own athletic efforts.

“I’m on the Stairmaster every day for two hours. That’s the difference between me and Will Ospreay. I’m a real athlete. He’s a f—— gymnast.”

RELATED: Will Ospreay Gifted 7-Year-Old Fan Who ‘Attacked’ MJF At AEW Dynamite 250

MJF was far from done as ‘The Scumbag’ also caught wind of Ric Flair’s praise. The two-time WWE Hall Of Famer happened to put a side-by-side photo of him and MJF hoisting up freshly won hardware. Max tipped the cap to ‘The Nature Boy’ but in natural heel form, put himself over at the same time.

“There’s a reason that after my match, Ric Flair posted a side-by-side comparison photo. I’m Ric Flair incarnated–and with all due respect to Ric, better.”

MJF certainly pulled from the page of ‘The Dirtiest Player In The Game’ in how he defeated Ospreay on Wednesday. Will’s conscience got the better of him nearing the end of the bout as he hesitated to hit his self-banned Tiger Driver and MJF took advantage, hitting him with the Dynamite Diamond Ring. We’ll more than likely hear from both stars this week on a stacked episode of AEW Dynamite that features a big Blood & Guts bout.

RELATED: MJF Heading to CMLL After “Easiest Match of My Life” with Will Ospreay

Ric Flair may be a 16-time World Champion, but the Nature Boy is fuming that he hasn’t made the rankings of ESPN’s top 100 athletes of the 21st century.

The list in question features athletes across various sports and is compiled based on votes from experts. Despite his impressive wrestling career, Ric doesn’t appear on the list, and took to Twitter to address being snubbed.

How In The Hell On God’s Green Earth Is Ric Flair Not Considered To Be One Of The Top 100 Athletes In The World??? I Should Actually Be In The Top 10. 16 World Titles, Actually 22. 1,200 Hour Matches, 15 Years Without A Day Off; A Cultural Icon & Worldwide Sensation. Good Lord, So Many People Have Lost Sight Of What Greatness Truly Is! I Never Pulled Out With A Calf Muscle Strain. Oh How The Times Have Changed! What A Bunch Of Bitches! I Get Tom Brady And All That, But Come On Let’s Get Serious!

Ric isn’t the only name in professional wrestling that feels he should have made the list. On his show (which airs on ESPN), Raw commentator Pat McAfee shared that he feels the Nature Boy should have made the rankings. It’s important to remember though that ESPN’s rankings cover athletes in the 21st Century, and therefore the vast majority of Flair’s career should not be taken into consideration.

The 21st Century saw Flair capture his 16th World Champion after being awarded the gold by Kevin Nash in 2000. Once WCW went out of business, Flair returned to WWE in November 2001 and competed for years until losing to Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24. He would later wrestle a handful of matches in TNA before his final match in 2022 saw himself and Andrade defeat Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.

Related: Ric Flair Fell Asleep During His Final Wrestling Match

At 75 years old, it certainly appears that Flair’s days in the ring are officially behind him, despite showing interest in one final, final match. Until that day comes, Flair will continue to have an incredible legacy, albeit not one enough to get him in ESPN’s Top 100 list.

Ric Flair has a preference when it comes to who breaks his longstanding 16-time world champion streak, but would be more than honored if it was John Cena to eclipse him.

Cena made a surprise appearance at WWE Money In The Bank to announce that he’d be retiring in 2025, but not before he makes the most of the whole year. Cena aims to be at Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania before he hangs up the jorts and sneakers which could open the door for a lot of big matches for the future Hall Of Fame.

RELATED: Kevin Nash: ‘John Cena Is On The KISS Retirement Tour, He Deserves It’

With Cena simply stating that he plans to enter the Royal Rumble match, his intentions are made clear that he has his eyes on gold. Cena is notoriously tied with Ric Flair in the amount of world championship reigns he’s had with 16, but if he were to capture one more he’d be atop of the mountain alone.

Since Cena’s announcement, it makes sense that Flair would be asked about that possibility being back on the table of John usurping him in the record books. In a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, Flair said he’d have no problem with John Cena breaking his record, but in a perfect world it would be his daughter, Charlotte Flair.

However, Flair provided further clarity on his comments, taking to social media on July 17 to make clear he’s very happy for John or for anyone that would break the record.

“There Has Been Way Too Much Attention Brought To This. Let’s Just Set The Record Straight For The Final Time. My First Choice Would Obviously Be The Queen
Charlotte Flair. I Think The World Of My Friend John Cena, Who Is An Incredible Athlete & Genuine Person! I Will Be The First Person To Shake His Hand & Congratulate Him If He Breaks My Record As I Would For Anybody Who Would Break It. When That Day Comes, It Will Be An Honor! WOOOOO!”

While Charlotte and Cena are both in contention to pass up ‘The Nature Boy’ another name nipping at the heels is Randy Orton with 14 World Championship reigns. Flair also took note of ‘The Viper’ while on Busted Open Radio. It’s been greatly implied that Orton has been eyeing up Cody Rhodes’ gold despite him being brutally attacked by The Bloodline this past Friday on SmackDown.

RELATED: Ric Flair Stopped Kurt Angle From Going To WCW, Called Vince McMahon On The Spot

The world of professional wrestling has shown how they celebrated this year’s Fourth of July, with everything from fireworks to juggling.

On Twitter, WWE Women’s Champion Bayley showed off her red, white, and blue juggling skills while balancing a can of Stone Cold’s IPA.

Dave Bautista wished fans a Happy 4th of July with a throwback photo from WWE Tribute to the Troops.

WWE Hall of Famer John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield gave a unique depiction of what happened during the Revolutionary War.

Kurt Angle opted to give a Santa Claus-inspired message to his 1.3 million followers on Twitter as well as a very patriotic photo.

WWE legend AJ Lee reminded fans of the issues fireworks and loud noises have on pets and had a solution of her own in mind.

Matt Hardy made clear he’s grateful to be an American alongside some photos of himself and his family.

Ric Flair had one familiar word in mind to describe his excitement over this year’s July 4th celebrations.

AEW commentator Jim Ross had some words of advice for those celebrating.

Lex Luger shared a throwback to July 4, 1993, when he slammed Yokozuna in a moment that’d set up their WWF title match at that year’s SummerSlam.

Whatever way you celebrated, we at SE Scoops hope you had an enjoyable Fourth of July!

If it wasn’t for Ric Flair, we may have saw Kurt Angle show up on WCW Monday Nitro, but “The Nature Boy” knew the right place for an Olympic Hero was WWE.

Ric Flair was a styling and profiling guest on the 5/29 episode of “Busted Open Radio” and started talking about the array of stars during the Attitude Era. Flair then mentioned how he flat out told Kurt Angle, who was looking to get into pro wrestling to avoid WCW.

“I said, you don’t want to go to Atlanta, brother. You will get lost.”

Bully Ray asked Flair for clarification and Ric went into further detail about how the encounter happened.

“We were in a gym working out in Nashville, TN and I met Kurt several times and he walked over and said, ‘I’m thinking about getting into professional wrestling,’ he said ‘What do you think about me going to WCW?’

• Ric Flair Rips “Bull***” ‘Who Killed WCW’ Docuseries Produced By The Rock

Flair thought about it for a second, said “Give me a minute.”

“I went in the locker room, got my phone, came out, called Vince [McMahon], put him on the phone and he was working out with Dory Funk Jr. two weeks later.”

Flair said WCW would have greatly misused Angle at the time.

“Kurt when healthy, is absolutely one of the great ones.

“Kurt is a special kind of athlete and a special kind of guy and legitimately really tough.”

Flair covered a great deal of ground during his interview, talking about his daughter Charlotte, the unbridled star power of The Rock and how Ricky Steamboat is in the top two of the greatest all time wrestlers alongside Shawn Michaels.

Please credit Busted Open Radio and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker isn’t a fan of the idea of being roasted but has some names he’d love to see in the proverbial hot seat. 

The recent roast of NFL legend Tom Brady proved to be a huge talking point among sports fans, so it’s hardly a surprise that there’s speculation as to whether the Phenom could find himself on the receiving end of some light-hearted barbs. On his Six Feet Under podcast, the idea was brought up to The Undertaker who was not a fan. 

“Will you stop saying that?! [he said in response to his co-host Matt Lida talking about a potential roast.] You know WWE, they monitor this, right?… I’m telling you what, if this somehow miraculously happens, me and you, we’re going to have problems.”

While The Undertaker isn’t interested in being subject to a roast, he did have an idea as to which legends should be roasted.

“There are a lot of guys that come before I did that need to be roasted. Hulk Hogan… [Ric] Flair would be good, but he’s affiliated with the wrong [company.]” 

Lida put forward Tony Hinchcliffe as the Master of Ceremonies for a roast of the Phenom, following on from Lida’s success with the Tom Brady roast. This again was met with resistance from The Undertaker who stated “I don’t know.”

With decades of stories in the wrestling business, a roast of The Undertaker would surely be an entertaining affair. But while the Hall of Famer has left kayfabe behind, the Deadman remains adamant that The Undertaker won’t be subject to a roast anytime soon. 

• The Undertaker: ‘Paul Bearer Would’ve Been Okay With WrestleMania 29 Angle‘

It’s time for the Daily Drop on May 9, 2024. There is a lot to unpack from all over the pro wrestling world, as always. This is why SEScoops has this daily round-up and update for you.

First off, it WWE RAW isn’t leaving USA Network this year. The red brand will start on Netflix in 2025, but there was a big question about where RAW will go when their deal is up at the end of October. Now, USA Network has secured the remaining months of 2024 with a $25 million deal, per TKO’s latest financial call. Many are seeing that as a steal for the USA Network’s part, but it is a small amount compared to the 5 billion Netflix is giving WWE as part of their 10-year deal that starts in January.

WWE:

WrestleMania 43 Proposal: The Detroit Sports Commission is drafting a proposal to host WrestleMania 43 in their city. This would be a big deal historically, as it would be 40 years after WrestleMania 3, and 20 years following Detroit’s last WrestleMania event.

WWE Isn’t Using GoD: SEScoops exclusively reported that WWE has no plan to use Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa’s Guerillas of Destiny name. Loa debuted at WWE Backlash as part of the Bloodline stable, but the GoD moniker isn’t coming with him, despite the fact that he is aligned with Tonga once again.

TKO Financial Update: In the first quarter of 2024, TKO reported earnings of $629.7 million but incurred a net loss of $249.5 million, primarily due to a $335 million settlement of an antitrust lawsuit. The lawsuit claimed that UFC functioned as an illegal monopsony, suppressing fighter wages and hindering rival promotions, with over 1,200 individuals involved. Meanwhile, UFC generated $313 million in revenue, slightly less than WWE’s $316.7 million. UFC’s highlight for the quarter was the UFC 300 event, which brought in $16.5 million at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

CM Punk Blocked Music Change: During a recent interview, Living Colour vocalist Corey Glover stated that WWE wanted to do a sound-alike song for “Cut of Personality,” but Punk blocked it. He wanted to use his actual song, which is what ended up happening thanks to the Second City Savior putting his foot down.

AEW:

Ric Flair Reacts: After his Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza blowup, The Nature Boy released a public statement on the matter. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer said that things “just escalated.”

AEW Fight Forever Update: AEW released the Fight Forever Season Pass 4 bundle, capturing attention worldwide. This release includes not just Samoa Joe but also two new arenas: the Japanese Shrine Arena and the Fright Forever Arena. Players can also access new characters Adam Copeland and Jay White. AEW Fight Forever is available on all consoles and PC, and fan reactions to this update will reveal how much AEW has improved its game and how it compares to 2k.

JOE! JOE! JOE! ?

Prepare for war as @SamoaJoe enters the #AEWFightForever ring in the World War Joe DLC Pack! The DLC also includes the all-new Japanese Shrine arena, two new attires, and 11 new moves including signature taunts!

World War Joe can be downloaded today on console… pic.twitter.com/QcjoLX7gRW

— AEW Games (@AEWGames) May 8, 2024

Kenny Omega’s Announcement: Although he is far from being medically cleared, Omega appeared on AEW Dynamite from a hospital bed, where he booked an Anarchy in the Arena match for Double or Nothing on May 26.

Current AEW Double or Nothing 2024 Card:

• Swerve Strickland (c), with Prince Nana, vs. Christian Cage with The Patriarchy for the AEW World Championship
• Mercedes Moné vs. Willow Nightingale (c), for the TBS Championship
• Will Ospreay Vs. Roderick Strong (c) for the International Championship
• ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm (c) vs. Serena Deeb
• Anarchy in the Arena match: The Elite vs. Team AEW.

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

• Saturday, May 25: King & Queen of the Ring (PLE)
• Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)
• Sunday, June 9: NXT Battleground (PLE)

Ric Flair’s blowup at Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza caused a chain reaction that resulted in video of the incident surfacing. Now, the Nature Boy is making no excuses for his behavior.

The 16x World Champion expressed regret about his recent outburst at a Gainesville pizza restaurant. He mentioned on “The MJ Morning Show on Q105” that he should have left the restaurant the moment things turned sour.

Flair admitted, “It just escalated, and I was wrong for getting mad, but I kind of felt like I was defending my position.” He also reconsidered his initial negative review of the restaurant, acknowledging that he had enjoyed his time and meal there before the conflict arose.

Despite his enjoyment, the incident escalated after Flair, who had taken pictures with customers and spent $1,500, was asked to leave following a disagreement with the kitchen manager about bathroom use. This disagreement led to a heated exchange, captured in a video that portrayed Flair negatively.

The incident, captured on video, showed Flair yelling at a Piesanos staffer following an alleged bathroom incident with the kitchen manager. A patron even suggested taking the argument outside.

The restaurant’s co-owner defended the decision to ask Flair to leave, supporting the staff’s actions. During the incident, Flair used strong language towards the manager and even challenged him to a physical altercation outside. He concluded the incident by offering a $1000 tip to a staff member.

Welcome to the Daily Drop for May 8, 2024. There is a lot to cover every day in the pro wrestling world, but this should get you up to speed.

Before we get going, Vince McMahon and WWE came up in an unlikely place yesterday. Daniels mentioned her initial interest in discussing professional wrestling when she first met Trump. She knew about the long-standing friendship between McMahon and Trump and wanted to explore that connection. She shared a conversation with Trump where he realized the similarities between adult film stars and professional wrestlers, noting both are like athletes. Daniels, who works in adult films, chuckled in court as she compared her industry to pro wrestling, describing it as “real but not real.”

Now, let’s get into the Daily Drop!

WWE:

Announcer Call-Up: NXT ring announcer Alicia Taylor is on her way up to SmackDown. That will see female ring announcers on each WWE main roster brand for the first time in history, as Samantha Irvin still has RAW on lock.

Jacy Jayne Injured: During NXT this week, it was confirmed that Jacy Jayne suffered a broken nose during Spring Breakin’ week two. She needed surgery, and at this time there is no return time table for her return to the ring.

Sexyy Red Is For Trick: Popular rapper Sexyy Red was watching NXT this week, and she wasn’t happy about Noam Dar jumping Trick Williams. She posted on Twitter/X to say make it very clear that she was watching NXT this week.

Mannnn wtf I just watch on Supernova Sessions? MetaFour betta watch dey back cause Trick Williams gon be on dey ass now!! ??

— Sexyy Red (@SexyyRed314_) May 8, 2024

Randy Orton Auditions: While speaking to Adam’s Apple, Randy Orton opened up a bit about acting outside WWE. He does still do auditions from time to time, but in the end, he’s actually glad when he doesn’t land those roles.

”I was just talking to Cody Rhodes about this (venturing into acting) in Marcé, France and it’s… I really love what I’m doing now. I love watching movies. There’s a lot of work that goes into them. 10, 12 hours a day on set… and I do auditions. I’m with U.T.A. and I do turn in some auditions, I do some self-tapes here and there but, sometimes I’ll see these roles pop up a year or two later that I don’t get and I’ll see it and I’ll be like, ‘Man, I’m glad I didn’t get that role.’ I would’ve busted my ass.

AEW:

AEW Dynamite 5/8 Card:

• TNT Championship: Adam Copeland vs. Brody King
• Orange Cassidy vs. Trent Beretta
• Mariah May vs. Harley Cameron
• Swerve Strickland face-to-face with Christian Cage
• We’ll hear from Serena Deeb
• Kenny Omega will make an important announcement

RVD Is All Elite: Although he never inked a deal with AEW, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam stated that he is more than willing to go back to AEW for an extended run. So far, all of his appearances were handshake deals.

Hardy Boyz Want To Retire Together: In an interview with ComicBook, Matt Hardy discussed his retirement plans alongside Jeff Hardy. He mentioned that both he and Jeff aim to conclude their wrestling careers together, mirroring the way they started.

“That would definitely be our goal. It is very important to us to finish how we started. We started as two brothers on this journey. Our goal was to win the tag team titles of the world one time, and obviously we did that many times over. We do want to end that way. We’ve talked, and we’re both very aware of that. We want to end our careers together as a team.”

Ric Flair Footage: Tiktok user @bussines11.11 uploaded footage of Ric Flair’s incident at Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza in Gainesville, Florida. This was not the best look for the Nature Boy at all, as the footage captured him using strong language toward the manager by calling him a ‘dip****’ and challenging him to a fight outside the restaurant. Flair concluded the incident by offering a $1000 tip to a staff member.

Footage from the restaurant that Ric Flair says he was kicked out of

"I'm gonna give you a $1,000 tip just to say to him kiss my ass."pic.twitter.com/3nBngQHW2M

— Vick (@Vick_8122) May 7, 2024

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

• Saturday, May 25: King & Queen of the Ring (PLE)
• Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)
• Sunday, June 9: NXT Battleground (PLE)

Ric Flair has seen controversy follow him for decades, and things aren’t slowing down for the 75-year-old legend. The 16-time World Champion was recently involved in a controversy after criticizing Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza in Gainesville, Florida. He claimed he was treated disrespectfully, but a video of an incident he had with the staff paints a different picture.

Flair stated, “I graciously took 20 pictures with customers and staff,” after spending $1,500 at the restaurant. Despite this, he was asked to leave following a disagreement with the kitchen manager, which Flair attributed to the manager spending too much time in the bathroom. This led to a heated, profanity-laden exchange.

Here’s the footage, courtesy of Tiktok user @bussines11.11:

Footage from the restaurant that Ric Flair says he was kicked out of

"I'm gonna give you a $1,000 tip just to say to him kiss my ass."pic.twitter.com/3nBngQHW2M

— Vick (@Vick_8122) May 7, 2024

Flair advised people looking for a pleasant dining experience in Gainesville to avoid Piesanos. In response, the co-owner of the restaurant defended the decision to ask him to leave, supporting the staff’s actions during the incident.

The ‘Nature Boy’ is visibly frustrated, uses strong language towards the manager, calling him a ‘dip****’, and challenging him to a physical fight outside the restaurant. Flair ended the incident by offering a $1000 tip to one of the staff members.

Read more about this story, including previous statements from the restaurant owner and Flair:

Ric Flair’s Controversies

Flair has gotten his share of negative headlines in recent years.  His involvement in the infamous ‘Plane Ride From Hell’ carrying WWE executives and wrestlers was brought back to the public consciousness when it was documented on Vice’s Dark Side of the Ring two years ago. Flair was involved in an incident where he flashed two stewardesses and allegedly sexually assaulted them by backing one against the wall while only wearing his ring robe. 

Dark Side producers emphasized that the episode recounting these events is not mere mischief, but a dark and troubling account that highlights the severe impact on the flight crew forced to handle the aggressive behavior of intoxicated wrestlers.