Ric Flair Says He Didn’t Know Charlotte Was Returning, Left The Arena Before She Won The Title

On the December 30 episode of WWE SmackDown, Charlotte Flair made her return to the promotion, challenging Ronda Rousey for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Title. Rousey agreed to put the title on the line, and Flair was victorious in the bout, making her a 14-time women’s champion. 

Ric Flair, Charlotte’s father, was in the building for WWE SmackDown as the show took place in Tampa, FL, but he had left before Charlotte returned. 

“I was in the building and left and didn’t know it. It was the first time in so many years that nobody knew. I was in the building, I went and saw Roman (Reigns) and John (Cena), it was the greatest time and I really felt like part of the family again. I had a ball, but I didn’t even know. I left and went to American Social [sports bar in Tampa, FL], and then I got word that she was there. I had a couple of drinks with the hockey players. Hockey players on the Lightning like to drink. I wasn’t going to go back to the building. I watched it and they put it on every TV for me. It was amazing. That was old-school kayfabe,” Flair said on his To Be The Man podcast about WWE keeping Charlotte’s return a secret. 

Ric joked that Charlotte didn’t tell him about her return because she knew he would tell everyone. 

Ric said that SmackDown was the first show he’s been to since “that bullshit” with Dark Side of the Ring where he was accused of sexual assault. 

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