WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair believes Shane McMahon’s departure from WWE is legitimate and not part of a wrestling storyline.

The Nature Boy spoke about Shane’s falling out with WWE on the latest episode of his Wooooo Nation podcast.

Shane McMahon’s surprise return at the Royal Rumble was short-lived. There were plans for Shane to be part of WWE storylines through WrestleMania, but all of that was scrapped after he exhibited what many observers called unprofessional behavior backstage at the Rumble event.

Ric Flair says he’s very fond of the entire McMahon family and thinks the whole situation is very unfortunate.

“I like Shane McMahon as a person, he has always been great to me my whole life,” said Flair. “Of course, I do not have enough good things to say about Vince. It’s a very uncomfortable topic and situation for me to discuss because I just do not know enough about it.”

When asked if WWE sending Shane McMahon home was a work, Flair says he hopes so, but he doubts it.

“No, but I really do not see Shane being put through this brief period of humiliation for it to be something that’s not real either,” he continued. “If your family is as closely knit as they are, why would you let that be the top subject in WWE news for two weeks? I hope it’s a work.”

Flair added that he does not expect Shane McMahon to join All Elite Wrestling (AEW), despite speculation that he could be the mystery surprise advertised for Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.

Listen to the latest episode of Ric Flair’s Wooooo Nation podcast here:

Ric Flair believes that CM Punk would benefit from not giving his opponents a lot of offense in the midst of a program.

Punk is currently feuding with MJF on AEW TV. The two have traded barbs for weeks but the match doesn’t have an official date.

Some have questioned the booking of Punk’s matches in AEW. He’s given a lot of offense to his opposition, something MJF has used in storyline claiming Punk is struggling against guys he should be dominating.

Many were critical of Punk’s match with MJF’s bodyguard Wardlow on the Jan. 12 episode of Dynamite. Wardlow basically dismantled Punk before being pinned by a fluke roll-up.

At the end of the match, the attention was more on Wardlow than it was on Punk, who still hasn’t had his match with MJF.

Ric Flair On CM Punk Giving Too Much

Taking to his WOOOOO Nation UNCENSORED podcast, Ric Flair expressed his belief that CM Punk shouldn’t be as generous in his matches when he needs to build a feud.

“If Punk is arguably their top star, I would always just keep him — he’s already proved that he can work his ass off, right?

“I would always keep him in matches on TV where he took more of the match going into an angle like he is right now with the other guy. Considering that he’s gonna have to get up, make a promo with MJF and all that I just would’ve shortened it up.

“I think he’s being overgenerous. That doesn’t make him a bad guy. That would’ve been my style forever too but I just think he’s going into this big program he doesn’t need to be quite as generous.”

Wardlow splitting from MJF has been a story that’s been brewing for quite a while. While many feel Wardlow is destined to be a star, many also believe the momentum of Punk vs. MJF has been squandered.

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

During a recent episode of his podcast, Ric Flair spoke about why he is a fan of AEW’s Young Bucks. Co-host Mark Madden expressed surprise that Flair would be a fan of theirs considering the new-school and high-spot focussed style they have wrestled over the years. Flair, however, listed several reasons why he likes Matt & Nick Jackson.

“I can identify somebody being able to do something I couldn’t have done. I can honestly tell ya, I could have learned how to do a moonsault, I could have learned how to do a couple of things the kids can do but the stuff they do, I could have never done,” Flair said.

“I was a division 1 athlete but the things those guys do, similar to the Usos and the bumps they take, I can’t help but respect them. Plus, they are really nice, respectable kids. I know that word respect is probably used too much by me, but when you’ve got my respect, you’ve got me.”

Ric Flair’s comments regarding the Young Bucks begin about 2 minutes into the below video.

If you use any of the above transcriptions please credit Ric Flair’s podcast with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.

Ric Flair doesn’t like the idea of AEW talents getting some downtime on a regular basis.

AEW often rotates talent in order to keep things fresh on television. Some have criticized WWE for booking the same matches on a weekly basis and having the same stars on TV.

Ric Flair has a different take and actually believes WWE having the same stars as they did five years ago is beneficial.

Ric Flair Sounds Off

On an episode of Wooooo Nation UNCENSORED, Ric Flair said he thinks AEW should strike while the iron is hot and refrain from rotating its stars too often.

“Well, you can become a star for a short period of time but to me, especially if you’ve just lost a big match, you need to be back on it the next day.

“Unfortunately, I think today some of the kids when they get to a match where it’s a big finale they want time off. I don’t agree with that either.

“I think they need to be on TV, the stars that want to be the players. It’s the same ten people right now in WWE that it was five years ago. It’s good, that’s how you build your brand.”

Of course, when it comes to injuries these things simply can’t be helped. For example, there’s was concern about Miro being off TV for too long but as it turns out he’s been going through a hamstring injury as reported by Fightful Select.

What do you think? Do you agree with Ric Flair and feel AEW is rotating its talent off TV too often? Do you side with AEW and believe it’s a good way to keep things fresh? Let us know in the comments!

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any quotes from this article

Ric Flair spent some time on his Wooo Nation podcast recently speaking about Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Some comparisons were made between MJF and Roddy Piper during the show. According to Flair, however, he sees more of himself in Friedman than Piper.

“I’m not taking away from Roddy, Roddy didn’t brag about his clothes and stuff like that,” Flair said. “This kid, what makes him different is he’s talking about the material things and he implies that he has the material things that other people don’t have and that really pisses people off, especially when it’s true.”

Flair continued to praise MJF’s work as a heel. He noted that being a “bad guy” in the way MJF is means not signing autographs for fans. It also means keeping up the character in public.

“If I saw that kid signing an autograph at the parking lot of the building, I’d never talk to him again,” Flair continued. “He’s so damn good at what he’s doing and it really catches my attention but I’ve seen so many guys in this business who go out and be a heel on TV, then they’re out in the parking lot signing autographs.”

“I used to walk through the airport with Hunter and we would say ‘Bad guys don’t sign.’ Standard answer: ‘bad boys don’t sign.’ “

MJF headlined last week’s edition of AEW Dynamite. The show took place in one of Flair’s old stomping grounds, the Greensboro Coliseum. MJF’s team with FTR was defeated by Sting, CM Punk, and Darby Allin.

The full podcast can be viewed in the player below:

H/T To Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions.

Kevin Owens is one of the most beloved professional wrestlers among his peers. He has received praise from a number of wrestling personalities and now Ric Flair has joined the list. The Nature Boy talked about the former Universal champion re-signing with WWE on the latest episode of his Woo Nation Uncensored podcast.

During the discussion, Flair explained that Owens is one of the most respectful and nice guys he has ever met. He mentioned how Kevin asked Stone Cold for his permission before he started using the stunner:

“I think the world of Kevin Owens, not a more respectful nice guy I ever met, unlimited talent, he’s got a hell of an interview. The word respect, I told you this story before but before he ever used the Stunner, he called [Stone Cold] Steve [Austin] and asked him. That’s respect.”

• Ric Flair On If He Has One More Match Left In Him

Ric Flair recalled how Kevin Owens was very respectful towards him during a segment they worked together on. He then praised the former NXT champion’s work ethics:

“Kevin wants to be at work, there are some guys getting paid that don’t care if they’re at work or not. Kevin wants to be at work, he wants to be on top and he wants to be thought of in that light and he’s very close to it.

Give me another year of watching him but he can be anything he wants to be, But most of all, he’s a very respectful man.”

Apart from this, Ric Flair also talked about things such as the comparison between WWE and AEW and explained why he thinks WWE is still the best wrestling company in the world.

Thanks to WrestlingInc for the transcribed quotes

Ric Flair recently spent some time on his podcast talking about AEW’s Darby Allin. Flair had nothing but praise for the 28-year-old.

“There’s nothing you can say but good,” Flair said. “He’s a kamikaze pilot! When I watched him do that thing and dive off the rope backwards with his hands at his side, the first time I saw him do it I came out of my chair.”

Flair and Mark Madden continued to talk about the angle Darby Allin and Sting did with the Gunn Club.

“The thing I thought last week with Sting and Darby Allin and Billy Gunn and his boys, I thought it was fantastic. How proud do you think Billy Gunn is of those two boys, huh? And Billy looks like he’s 35 years old.”

“And he’s a very, very nice guy. Very humble,” Flair continued to say about Darby Allin.

Flair continued to mention that he hopes Darby Allin doesn’t suffer any injuries or mobility problems as a result of his in-ring style, however. He also noted that he once felt the same way about Mick Foley.

“I just hope that when he’s 35-years-old he can walk. That’s what I used to tell [Mick] Foley.”

Flair’s comments can be heard in the player below:

Ric Flair watched the AEW Dynamite “Winter Is Coming” on Wednesday night and came away impressed by the championship match.

The 16-time world champion took to Twitter to praise both AEW World Champion “Hangman” Adam Page and challenger Bryan Danielson for their efforts.

Flair wrote, “I’ve Done So Many Hour Draws, Some Great, Some Average! Tonight, You Gentlemen Set A New Bar!! The Wrestling World Can Learn From @theAdamPage & @bryandanielson! CONGRATULATIONS! WOOOOO!”

Flair was hardly the only legend and outside observer to praise the bout; the match is already being talked about as perhaps the greatest singles match in the brief history of AEW. It seems to be at least on par in fan’s eyes with the great Danielson vs. Kenny Omega draw that occurred at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Dynamite back in September.

AEW announcer Jim Ross, who is currently off television as he receives cancer treatment, also had high praise for the match.

Flair Walking Back Earlier Comments?

Earlier Wednesday, Flair made headlines as he criticized Bryan Danielson’s work to some degree, saying “it’s okay.”

On his Wooooo Nation Uncensored podcast, Flair explained his thoughts.

“I didn’t say he wasn’t a good worker. When Hunter put him over at [WrestleMania 30], that made him,” Flair said. “He’s a very talented kid, don’t misunderstand me, but you have to have one match, one place, one day, somewhere that makes you who you are. Hunter, who only wrestles once in a while, came out and the match started off slow but they ended up having a world-class match.

“He’s a hell of a performer, I don’t see him as being Kenny Omega. As a babyface, he’s not Ricky Steamboat. As a heel, he’s not me. If that pisses people off, they have to live with history.”

Flair continued his assessment of Bryan by talking about WrestleMania 30.

“They (Triple H and Danielson) tore the joint down,” Flair said. “That is the night that made Bryan. I like him a lot personally. He’s got a style…he’s not AJ Styles by any means. He’s a little bit smaller than AJ. He’s not AJ Styles.”

“That is the night that made Bryan.”

Ric Flair on WrestleMania 30

Flair continued, “I like his conditioning, he works hard, he’ll do anything and sacrifice his body at all odds. He’ll throw himself around and take incredible bumps. He’s a hell of a hand. You’re asking me who is good and who is great. He’s very good. As a babyface, it’s more believable. He can sell his ass off so when he’s making a comeback, it’s more fun to watch him make a comeback against bigger guys. It’s harder for me to believe he’s going to hold someone down. As a babyface, who is just average size but loaded with talent, I much prefer to see him fighting from underneath.”

• Ric Flair on Jeff Hardy to AEW: “You Know Right Away He’s Already Got a Job”

What do you think? Was Flair attempting to walk back his earlier comments following the great match on AEW Dynamite? Let us know in the comments section below.

Check out the Top Rope Nation wrestling podcast for your weekly dose of pro wrestling talk featuring interviews, analysis and exclusive news: Apple – Spotify – YouTube.

H/T to Fightful for the podcast transcript.

Ric Flair says Jeff Hardy can do “anything he wants” with the next chapter of his career. He’s known Matt and Jeff for a long time and says Jeff has “already got a job” waiting for him in AEW, if he wants it.

The Nature Boy addressed Jeff Hardy’s situation on the latest episode of his WOOOOO Nation Uncensored podcast.

Co-host Mark Madden asked Flair what he thinks is in store for Jeff Hardy’s future.

“Anything he wants,” said Flair. “I think he knows he made a mistake. I don’t know any more than that. But I know Jeff Hardy is such a great talent. He does have the money, as you mentioned, he probably doesn’t need to work. But Like all of us that want to work, for different reasons, it’s hard to walk away.”

Jeff Hardy in AEW?

Ric Flair has known the Hardy family for many years. He has great respect for them and feels Jeff is in control of his destiny.

“I’ve known those boys since they were young kids,” Flair continued. “They came to see me in Fayetteville, Raleigh, with their dad. I’ve known their dad. Matt and Jeff are two of the greatest guys in my lifetime, that I’ve had an immense amount of fun with and have an immense amount of respect for. So Jeff can do whatever he wants to do.”

Will we see Jeff Hardy join Matt in AEW? Flair began, “If Tony Khan doesn’t hire him…” and is convinced Jeff could be All Elite if that’s what he wants to do.

“You know right away he’s already got a job.”

– Ric Flair on Jeff Hardy in AEW

As a publicly traded company, WWE is held to a different standard when it comes to dealing with ‘problematic’ talent.

“I’m not defending the WWE here, but you have to remember, they’re a publicly traded company,” said Flair. “They get looked at and scrutinized at a whole different level than once that’s not [publicly traded].

“So, I don’t think they had a choice but to tell Jeff he could go. Not because they don’t want Jeff Hardy there, but because there’s just some things that being publicly traded allows you to do and not do.”

Please H/T SEScoops with a link if you use any of the quotes transcribed in this article.

Ric Flair Flair recently spent some time on his Wooo Nation Uncensored podcast talking about if he has one more match left in him. This summer, Flair got physical during Andrade’s match at AAA’s TripleMania event. Mark Madden asked him about this during the show.

“I can do anything,” Flair said. “WWE won’t let me do anything.”

Flair continued to talk about his efforts to get WWE to let him be physical in the ring before his departure from the company.

“I totally understand, they’ve got so much liability. I told them I’d sign anything. Nobody wants me to die on their watch, if that makes sense. I’d rather die in the ring.”

Madden responded that he’d rather Flair didn’t die at all. “No, but I meant if I have to go,” Flair answered him.

“I’d rather not spend another 31 days in the ICU on life support, does that make sense?” Flair continued.

“It took me 3 years to get back to my feet after that. I did not just snap up.”

He continued to talk about how his wife Wendy supported him and took a class on how to best help him.

“I can never, ever, thank her enough,” he said of Wendy.

Flair’s comments can be heard in the player below:

If you use any of the above quotes please credit Ric Flair’s YouTube channel and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.

Ric Flair recently spent some time on his podcast speaking about the CM Punk and MJF promo battle that took place in Chicago on Dynamite. During the conversation, Flair praised Maxwell Jacob Friedman.

“I’m a big fan of MJF,” Flair said. “The kid can talk and more than that, he carries himself like a pro, he dresses [like a pro]. I can’t emphasize enough how important in my estimation it is to look professional and that kid always looks sharp and I’ll leave it like that.”

Mark Madden was insistent that Punk should not have mentioned The Miz during the promo and shouldn’t have mentioned the other company at all.

“There was an interview between CM Punk and MJF who are both great on the mic and I thought it was a great segment,” Madden said on the show. “But CM Punk called MJF a ‘less famous Miz.’ I don’t get that, I don’t get invoking a guy from the other show especially when you came over from that show not too long ago.”

Madden continued, “It kind of tells people that the other show is the real show when you say their guy is better than our guy. I just didn’t get the wisdom of that. I thought the segment was so damn good I didn’t really track that part of it, you know? But you’re right, why ever bring up the other company?” Flair responded.

Ric Flair and Mark Madden discussing the CM Punk – MJF segment can be viewed in the video below:

If you use any of the above quotes please credit SEScoops for the transcriptions.

Wrestling great turned Hollywood kingpin Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson says Ric Flair will always be, “The Man.”

Earlier this week, The Rock named his Mount Rushmore of professional wrestling. The People’s Champ named Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and Ric Flair, with The Undertaker, Pat Patterson and Jackie Fargo in a 3-way tie for the 4th and final spot.

Ric Flair’s public image has taken a beating in recent months ever since the Plane Ride from Hell episode of Dark Side of the Ring. The Rock is a well-respected figure, so an endorsement from him goes a long way.

Flair tweeted a photo of himself with a young Rock from 1984 to show his appreciation. He wrote, “There’s no bigger word in the world than the word respect! You looked up to me as a kid, and I continuously look up to you! WOOOOOO!”

The Rock says he’ll always have respect for Ric Flair, who has been one of his heroes for decades. He added that Flair was “The Man” back in 1984 and always will be.

• Becky Lynch Buries “Sad” Ric Flair

The Rock and Ric Flair crossed paths a few times in WWE, including this rare match from the July 29, 2002 episode of WWE Raw:

Ric Flair doesn’t believe Seth Rollins held his own in the midst of a fan attack.

On the Nov. 22 episode of Monday Night Raw, Seth was in for an unpleasant surprise. A fan, who has been identified as 24-year-old Elisah Spencer, hopped the barricade and tackled Seth on the ramp.

Seth had a guillotine choke position but he lost it before security grabbed a hold of Spencer. The fan was escorted out of the Barclays Center and arrested by the NYPD for attempted assault and attempted violation of arts and cultural affairs.

Ric Flair Talks Seth Rollins-Fan Incident

During an episode of the Wooooo Nation Uncensored podcast, Ric Flair said he’s seen a lot of fan incidents with wrestlers but he’s never seen the fan get a clear upper hand the way he feels Spencer did on Seth Rollins.

“In all fairness, I could say a lot of cute things, but I’m not going to. Every time I say something, I have to involve other people and they have to endure the consequences, so I’m just going to say this. I’ve seen that happen, but I’ve never seen it where I recall the mark, the fan, clearly was getting the better of the individual.”

Flair went on to say that he feels Seth didn’t exactly make himself look good by telling TMZ that he was “terrified” of the situation.

“My problem with Seth is if you’re a top guy in this business, and you know anything about the psychology of what the fans think and feel, which they really do, you never, ever, ever, get off an airplane in L.A.and say, ‘I was terrified.’ Terrified of what? Terrifying is being in an airplane crash. You were terrified or horrified by a wrestling fan? Come on man.”

Flair went on to say that Rollins essentially admitted to getting his “ass kicked.” He was also dismissive of the notion that Seth wanted to avoid legal troubles, which was suggested by WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray.

It’s been said that the crazed fan had been catfished by a Seth Rollins impersonator. The impersonator allegedly scammed Spencer into buying Amazon gift cards.

H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the quotes.

Ric Flair released a new episode of his Woo Nation podcast today. During the discussion, Flair mentioned he believes AEW should sign Bray Wyatt.

Mark Madden asked Flair if AEW was signing too many wrestlers and Flair took the opportunity to mention his belief that the promotion should sign Wyatt.

“I most definitely would hire Bray Wyatt,” Flair said. “I’m a huge fan of his. The kid can work and talk and he comes up with some incredible ideas. I know you aren’t crazy about those gimmicks but when you think that he put the time and effort, those were his thought process. Plus, he’s legit, he’s a tough kid, he’s an amateur wrestler, played football at Troy.”

“I’m just a big fan of his. I like his brother a lot too. You couldn’t find a handsomer more athletic guy. I think if I’m going to hire one more guy, I’d hire Bray Wyatt.”

“The last guy I would have fired if I were Vince would have been Bray Wyatt. So, there must have been something there that I’m missing.”

Regarding Bray Wyatt’s free agency, it was recently noted by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful that he is absolutely not going to Impact Wrestling.

The full podcast with Flair can be viewed in the player below:

Ric Flair says a wrestling promoter based out of Israel offered him a chance to get back in the ring against Sammy Guevara.

During the latest episode of his WOOOOO! Nation Uncensored podcast, the Nature Boy says he’s open to lacing up the boots once again.

However, he doesn’t work cheap. Flair told his co-host Mark Madden his asking price is a hundred grand.

“$100,000 and two first-class tickets, I’m there.”

– Ric Flair

Ric Flair isn’t flying halfway around the world on a handshake. He would also require 50% of the payday up-front. He added, “50-percent down, 50-percent after I beat Sammy.”

Flair called Sammy Guevara a “great” talent who could carry him to a 15-20 minute match. He’s still in the gym training, just in case.

Ric Flair’s In-Ring Future

A few weeks ago, the 72-year-old Flair said WWE is preventing him from “doing anything” at the moment.

“WWE won’t let me do anything, even though I’m released,” he said. “I understand, they have so much liability and I told them I would sign anything, but nobody wants me to die on their watch. I’d rather die in the ring. If I have to go. I’d rather not jump off the 19th floor or spend another 31 days in the ICU.”

Flair tweeted the following on Monday morning that if he’s going to die, it’s going to be “next to his hot wife” or in the ring next to Sammy Guevara.

The reigning AEW TNT Champion replied, “Wrestling God vs. Spanish God”

Listen to Ric Flair talking about receiving an offer to wrestle Sammy Guevara:

Ric Flair wants to see his daughter Charlotte mix it up with reigning AEW Women’s World Champion, Britt Baker.

On the latest episode of his Wooooo Nation Uncensored podcast, Flair hyped up this potential dream match.

“Britt Baker is definitely a very nice person but, you know, I wish her nothing but the best,” said Flair. “However, I would love to see her facing Charlotte.”

As for if we will ever see that match, Flair says it all comes down to business.

Charlotte & Britt Baker

We’ll have to see if Charlotte Flair ever leaves WWE for AEW. However, if that were to happen, Charlotte vs. Britt Baker would be a no brainer.

Britt Baker recently named Charlotte as one of the people who inspired her to get into pro wrestling, along with Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Bayley.

Charlotte Flair also aware that many fans are clamoring for this dream match. During a live podcast with Renee Paquette that took place over the summer, Charlotte was showered with “DMD” chants. You can see how she reacted below:

Ric Flair Done With WWE

Flair has been making a lot of headlines with comments he’s made on the new podcast. Flair lashed out at the treatment he received towards the end of his latest WWE run.

The Nature Boy so offended by the way he was treated by WWE President Nick Khan that he’s vowed to never work with the company again.

“I could never work for Nick Khan in my entire life,” said Flair. “Vince McMahon, I could work for. Nick Khan [is] the guy who orchestrated taking me off the show. I’ve got my facts together, orchestrated taking the ‘wooo’ off – never in a million years.”

Ric Flair stated on the latest edition of his Wooo Nation podcast that he will never work for WWE again. Flair says he has stated this to Vince McMahon himself. He also said he’s not currently involved in discussions with any wrestling promotion.

“I have not talked to Tony, haven’t heard a word from him,” Flair said about not being in discussions with AEW.

“Yes, I would go to work for Tony Khan, I will never go back to WWE,” Flair continued.

Flair continued to say that WWE is erasing his legacy and he’s upset about being removed from the opening of the show.

“If you take me off the opening of the show, and take the ‘wooo’ which I own – thank god, cause they’ll never get it back – and replace me with the Ultimate Warrior, a guy that sued the company, held them up for money, I guess the next thing they’re going to do with me is make a DVD with so many people saying how bad I was, like they did with the Warrior.”

Flair continued to say that he would never want to work with WWE President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan.

“I could never work for Nick Khan in my entire life. Vince McMahon I could work for. Nick Khan – who is the guy who orchestrated taking me off the show, I’ve got my facts together, orchestrated taking the ‘wooo’ off, never in a million years.”

“I talk to Vince now. I’ve got no problems with Vince. He just knows I won’t come back,” Flair said.

Flair also spoke about his trademark “The Man” being used by WWE, his relationship with Tony Khan, Becky vs. Charlotte at Survivor Series and more.

Ric Flair – Wooo Nation Uncensored

The full podcast with Flair can be viewed in the player below:

If you use any of the above quotes please credit the Woooo Nation podcast with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcriptions.

Ric Flair has spent the majority of his life in and around the squared circle and the Hall Of Famer is willing to end it inside it as well. The 72-year-old talked about the potential of one more match on the latest episode of his Wooo Nation Uncensored podcast.

He was asked if he thinks he can get inside the ring one more time. Replying to it Flair claimed that he is in better shape now than he was during his final match for WCW on the March 26, 2001 episode of Nitro:

“Most assuredly, and a lot of conversation. That talk hasn’t happened, but could I do it? Absolutely. I’m in better shape now than I was when Sting and I wrestled the last match on Nitro.”

• Ric Flair unsure what CM Punk & Bryan Danielson have done for AEW

Ric Flair Would Rather Die In The Ring

Flair previously teased getting physical in WWE before the 2019 Crown Jewel event. Though the spot ended up getting nixed by Vince McMahon and a team of superstars represented him instead. Talking about it, Ric Flair said that he understands why the company didn’t let him do anything, but claimed that he would rather die in the ring:

“WWE won’t let me do anything, even though I’m released. I understand, they have so much liability and I told them I would sign anything, but nobody wants me to die on their watch. I’d rather die in the ring. If I have to go. I’d rather not jump off the 19th floor or spend another 31 days in the ICU.”

Ric Flair hasn’t wrestled a full match for a decade. His last match coincidentally was also against Sting which took place during an episode of Impact Wrestling in September 2011. With him being out of his WWE contract now, it would be interesting to see if the wrestling veteran tries to pursue one final in-ring encounter before calling it a career.

Ric Flair says that WWE is erasing his legacy. He also says that the company has not returned two title belts which belong to him.

Flair says he’s asked the company twice to return the belts but his requests have apparently fallen on deaf ears. He wrote on Instagram,

“Speaking Of Legacies, WWE Has Decided To Erase Mine. That’s All Good, However, These Two Belts Are My Legacy, And I Would Like Them Returned! I’ve Asked Twice, Apparently Falling On Deaf Ears! I’m Assuming That Next Week On Ric Flair WOOOOO Nation Uncensored I’ll Have To Explain In Detail! WOOOOO!”

Ric Flair Fired Up

Flair put out the following Tweet recently regarding the upcoming match at Survivor Series between his daughter Charlotte and Becky Lynch.

Lync then responded to Flair while appearing on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.

“It’s really sad, because this is a legend at one point, Ric Flair is now jealous of me, it’s cool for me, he’s now using me to get clout to promote whatever he has going on because he’s dug himself into a hole with other things,” Lynch said.

Flair then responded to Lynch’s comments by noting that he gave up his trademark claim on “The Man” so that WWE could allow Lynch to use it.

More information on that story is available in the link below:

Ric Flair isn’t sold on the idea that CM Punk and Bryan Danielson have done much for AEW thus far.

The Nature Boy has a new podcast launching this week, Ric Flair Wooooo Nation Uncensored. Each week, Flair and former WCW commentator Mark Madden will take a deep dive into his career and current events in the world of pro wrestling.

In a teaser clip to promote the premiere episode, Flair and Madden discuss Punk and Danielson’s impact on AEW business since joining the company in August/September.

Madden acknowledges that Punk and Danielson certainly stars by any definition of the word. However, he asked Flair, what have they contributed to AEW?

“Well, if I’m looking at the ratings, I don’t know what they’ve contributed.”

– Ric Flair on CM Punk and Bryan Danielson’s impact on AEW

It’s a television business

Pro wrestling is business largely driven by television ratings and rights fees. Flair says Punk and Bryan have had successful careers, but so far, they’ve failed to deliver for AEW where it counts.

“Well, if I’m looking at the ratings, I don’t know what they’ve contributed,” said Flair. “Yeah, certainly, as you said, they’re both big stars in the business. Both have had a lot of success, but I don’t know how to answer that question, because all you can do, as we do with football or any other show, is look at the ratings.”

Flair continued, “To me, that show should never do less than 1.1 million. If they get there once, and bring in all this talent, and go back, then there’s something wrong.”

Tony Khan’s Take

AEW viewership has been sliding in recent weeks. After a nice stretch of time with Dynamite drawing over 1 million viewers in the overnight numbers, the show has been below that level for the past several weeks. The dip coincides with Dynamite being preempted several times in October.

Despite television viewership faltering, Tony Khan has been adamant that CM Punk and Bryan Danielson have made a significant impact on AEW’s business.

During an interview with Robbie Fox for Barstool Sports last month, Khan revealed AEW has seen half a dozen metrics increase since Punk and Danielson’s arrivals.

“I’d say since Punk came in, before Bryan, and now with Bryan, we’ve seen at least six business metrics go up,” said Khan. “We’ve had our all-time record for pay-per-view. Those digital numbers, live event attendance – all-time highs. We were already, before the pandemic, the number one attended wrestling company in the world.”

Ric Flair appears to be “stylin’ and profilin'” his way to a Donald Trump political fundraiser.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution political reporter Greg Bluestein has made mention on Twitter that former POTUS Trump will be running a fundraiser for former NFL star Herschel Walker. Walker will be running for the U.S. Senate in Georgia.

Among the attendees will be former MLB starting pitcher Tom Glavine, former NFL Quarterback Doug Flutie, and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. The political fundraiser will be taking place in Florida.

Flair has found himself in hot water as of late. During an episode of Dark Side of the Ring, Heidi Doyle, a former flight attendant who served on the infamous “Plane Ride From Hell,” made some serious accusations towards Flair. She claims Ric Flair exposed himself and forced her to touch his privates.

Flair has denied those accusations. Despite the denial, Flair was removed from a CarShield advertising campaign at least temporarily.

WWE also removed any mention of Ric Flair and has yanked him from being featured in their opening video package. While WWE and Flair parted ways back in August, the removal wasn’t made until the accusations resurfaced. All of Flair’s merchandise has also been pulled from WWE Shop.

Last night’s episode of Dark Side of the Ring focussed on the life and career of Chris Kanyon. In 2006, Chris Kanyon was on the Howard Stern Show and stated his belief that he was let go from WWE due to his sexuality. Ric Flair called into the show and said the reason WWE let him go was that he was not good enough.

The Dark Side of the Ring episode featured interviews with friends of Kanyon who noted how hard he took this conversation with Flair on the Howard Stern show. Flair released a statement last night before the episode went to air.

“Breaks my heart to hear later on that he took this so hard. Calling into guests that were seen as “hostile” to WWE was part of the job then. I should not have said that nobody had ‘ever’ been released; there’s no way I could have known that for sure,” Flair wrote.

“I was holding the company line,” Flair continued. “Love is love is love is love and everyone should be able to love whoever and however they choose without fear of reprisal. I wasn’t a huge Kanyon fan as a worker; but Chris Klucsarits was a hell of a good guy.”

On September 20th, Flair released a statement regarding allegations made against him on the Dark Side of the Ring episode on the Plane Ride From Hell. His statement is available in the below Tweet:

Days after Vice TV’s Dark Side of the Ring episode covering “The Plane Ride From Hell,” Ric Flair broke his silence on the allegations made against him. 

The episode featured an interview from Heidi Doyle, former a flight attendant, who alleged that he exposed himself to her while wearing a robe and forced her to touch his penis.

Flair took to Twitter to issue the following statement regarding the allegations: 

“Every person that I’ve worked with, from my lawyer to my publicist to my wife has said not to post a response; but I’ve never run from past behaviors before and I’m not going to start now.

I want to clarify a few things:

About four years ago, I gave ESPN full access to my life for a “30 for 30? special. They covered taxes, financial issues, adultery, divorces, the passing of my child and drinking/partying AT LENGTH.”

Rory Kampf, desperate to matter for another 15 minutes, did an interview about it this morning. When Rory’s lips are moving, he’s typically lying, but one part of what he said was the God’s honest truth:

“I’d never heard that he had forced someone to touch his genitals,” Karpf admitted. “Everything with Ric that was construed as negative I tried to address in the 30 for 30. His drinking, his philandering, his adultery, his money problems, there’s quite a bit, but never, at least in the people that I spoke to, no one ever brought up that he would force himself on somebody.”

I allowed my personal life and the lives of my wife and children to be turned upside down for one reason: Whether it’s good or bad, even the really bad, the truth has to matter. Even in wrestling.

My issues have been well documented over my 40+ year career. The impact of drinking too much (which nearly killed me 5 years ago) has been told time and time and time again. The reason Rory (or anyone else for that matter) never heard stories of me forcing myself on ANYONE is simple: it never happened.”

As a result of the allegations, CarShield decided to pause their commercials featuring Flair.

The fallout from Thursday’s Dark Side of the Ring episode on 2002’s Plane Ride From Hell has been swift. A national advertising campaign for Carshield featuring Ric Flair has now been paused due to the allegations made against Flair in the episode.

According to PWInsider, the ad campaign has been paused “pending additional investigation and decisions.”

Intermedia, the ad agency that runs the campaign issued the following statement addressing their decision to put Flair on ice:

“We take these matters very seriously. As of right now, we are pausing the campaign and we will do our due diligence.”

– Intermedia

Ric Flair has yet to release a public statement since the Plane Ride From Hell episode of Dark Side of the Ring aired Thursday night. However, he did speak with Renee Paquette about the situation on a recent episode of her Oral Sessions podcast.

“We’ll see how it plays out, because I was there and I don’t care whose name I gotta drop if the heat falls on me. I know who was where and what and who and what took place. I know the whole story,” Flair said on the podcast.

Ric Flair is not the only person facing negative ramifications this week. Tommy Dreamer has been suspended from Impact Wrestling as a result of his comments on the episode defending Flair’s actions.

Eric Bischoff believes AEW can benefit from signing Ric Flair.

Flair is a legend in the wrestling business. He has won world titles in NWA, WCW, and WWE. “The Nature Boy” saw his run with WWE come to an end citing creative differences. Flair appeared for AAA, accompanying Andrade “El Idolo” to the ring for his match with Kenny Omega at Triplemania.

During the latest episode of the 83 Weeks Podcast, Bischoff discussed Flair potentially making his way to AEW and why it would be good for both parties.

“I’m not sure if that’s going to happen or not. I did spend quite a bit of time with Ric both Friday night and Saturday night, and we talked a lot about AEW. I didn’t ask Ric specifically if he was going to go. I figured if Ric wanted to share that information, he’d volunteer it. I didn’t want to ask. I know Ric. I’ve known Ric a long time, 25-30 years, and Ric loves the business today as much as he did 20 years ago. I think if there’s an opportunity there, I would be surprised if Ric didn’t jump on board. I’d be equally as surprised if Tony Khan and the folks over at AEW didn’t find a reason to not extend an offer to him. Ric is a very valuable asset.

“I said this to Kevin Nash and Scott Hall and they both agreed with me. From where we sit, which is on the outside for the most part, but all of us pay pretty close attention and have a decent feel for things. We all agreed without hesitation that, in many respects, Ric Flair is as over today as he’s ever been. I’d go as far as to say Ric Flair is more over today than he’s ever been as a personality.”

During the Sept. 10 episode of AEW Rampage, Andrade defeated PAC. After the match, Andrade nailed Chavo Guerrero, who had been serving as his manager for a few weeks. This has led many to speculate that Andrade will bring in Ric Flair to be his new manager. Of course, nothing has been made official at this time.