Wrestling legend Ric Flair talks WWE, AEW, Starrcast II, Charlotte, lifestyle et al Media Man Int

Wrestling legend Ric Flair talks WWE, AEW, Starrcast II, Charlotte, lifestyle et al - April 2019

Profiles

Australia Wrestling Bitcoin Business Entertainment Sports Streaming Pop Culture

Ric Flair (World Championship Wrestling). 1994.

by Greg Tingle

Wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair, has been doing the media rounds again.

''The Nature Boy' recently spoke with CBS Sports to help promote his upcoming "Roast of Ric Flair" that will headline the hotly anticipated Starrcast II convention that will take place in "Sin City" Las Vegas in late May.

Flair talked on a range of subjects including daughter Charlotte being in the Triple Threat main event of WrestleMania 35 and got into the details of how she arrived at MetLife Stadium in a helicopter for her entrance, which was likely inspired by Flair's own entrance at the 1985 WCW Great American Bash pay-per-view in Charlotte, NC. Flair said he is thankful to the McMahon Family for the way his daughter has been utilized in the promotion.

"I probably cried the whole week, I've been crying since it first came about," Flair said. "I'm so thankful to WWE, from Vince [McMahon] to Hunter [Triple H] and Stephanie [McMahon] and all the powers-that-be who put that together and taking that step forward with the woman. For me, I've used the expression about passing the torch, but my daughter just took the torch from me years ago. She is so good but she is just getting going. She has only been in the business for six years, which is hard to believe. The thing about her that separates her from a lot of people is that she's never satisfied with a performance. I was really proud and I'm proud of WWE for taking that step forward because they deserve it."

WrestleMania 35 also saw Flair get involved in Triple H's No Holds Barred win over Batista when he brought a sledgehammer out to The Game. Flair indicated that WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, who was on commentary for the match, didn't know he was coming out.

"Oh, I had a blade on [me]! " Flair joked when asked if he would have taken a bump or bladed at age 70 if asked. "Just kidding. But you know what Shawn Michaels said to me? They thought another mark was hitting the ring like the night before with Bret Hart [at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony]. Shawn almost had to superkick me from the announce table."

Regarding pro wrestling start-up promotion, All Elite Wrestling, Flair advised he has plenty of respect for what AEW is trying to do to the world of professional wrestling. Flair mentioned that AEW shouldn't focus on competing with WWE. He also spoke highly of AEW management including Tony Khan, who is an accomplished sports and entertainment promoter and businessman.

"I'm old school, so I think anytime there is an opportunity for guys to work who are qualified and have been trained properly in a position to be somewhat successful in their attempt to work for either company, I'm all about that," Flair said. "I think that's great. I don't think [AEW] should focus on the competition [with WWE] as much as just developing their own product. Their success will come from that.

"The word competition is great. People love that part of time in the world, but this will be the first time someone with the kind of money that [Jacksonville Jaguars co-owner] Tony [Khan] brings. You know who Tony Khan is? Tony Khan is a sophisticated, intelligent, well-bred 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair with money. Tony Khan is the limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, bringing the hottest chick to every party that I go to with him, son of a gun. Now that he has the joint over in England [as co-owner of the Premier League team Fulham FC], I'm sure he has kissed girls all over the world and made them cry. If I had Tony's bankroll in the '80s, who knows where I would have been."

WWE top brass Vince McMahon is known to put out his thoughts of various aspects of the pro wrestling aka sports entertainment business via his wrestler's media appearances, so its great to learn that Vince McMahon respects AEW, even though both promotions are looking to sign some of the same talent to contracts.

The Media Man agency agrees with Flair and other pro wrestling commentators in that part of AEW's success will be derived from being different to the WWE and being a true alternative.

To quote WWE's Triple H, "Everything (in entertainment) is competition to the WWE."

In the past number of months the WWE has further given fans and the public at large a deeper peak behind the curtain of the professional wrestling business, and by all accounts readers can expect more insightful commentary from WWE legends, current performers and management in the near future. See you at the matches.

Charlotte Flair

Ric Flair. Art of Rob Schamberger

Ric Flair and Greg Tingle. Sydney, Australia

Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat. One of the greatest pro wrestling matches of all time. (Credit: Pro Wrestling Illustrated)

News

All Elite Wrestling poised to become game-changer - 26th January 2019