Charlotte Flair recently appeared on Renee Paquette’s podcast Oral Sessions. On the show, they talked about her relationship with AEW Andrade and travelling to Mexico to support her partner. They also discussed dream matches, her relationship with Becky Lynch and more. The recap can be found below:
On supporting her partner Andrade:
“Just seeing Manni [Andrade, who is Charlotte’s Fiancé]… He said to me ‘TripleMania is my WrestleMania.’ To see him go back to Mexico, be proud of himself and be confident in himself. He is able to be the superstar that he is, especially in his own country. I am not missing this for the world. So I actually took off 2 and a half months ago from live evnets. I have never asked for a live event off. So I took off and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. With my dad being gone, I asked him on Wednesday ‘Hey what are you doing this weekend?’ He goes ‘Nothing honey. Why?’ I’m like ‘Do you want to go to Mexico?’ He replies ‘What Cancun? Don’t you have to work?’ I’m like ‘No dad I’m not going to the beach. It’s Mani vs. Kenny [Omega].’ He’s like ‘Oh I would love to watch that with you.’ I say ‘No dad. Will you walk Mani to the ring?’ He’s like ‘You want me to walk Mani to the ring.’ I’m like ‘Yes.’ He’s then like ‘Oh my God yes please.’ He’s so excited and he goes ‘What colour is Mani wearing? I’ll get matching suits!’ I’m like I don’t know, can we just get you there first.”
“When Mani asked me back in March… He felt deflated and said to me ‘What should I do? Tell me.’ I’m like ‘I can’t tell you what to do. And I can’t beg you to stay, even though are life is together on the road, becasue you’ll resent me. You need to spread your wings and do what you do. If you want to come back I’m always going to be here and I’m always going to support you.’ It was the best thing for him. My dad said yes to coming to Mexico. He wasn’t able to get his white suit ready in time though.”
“So my dad met me in Pittsburgh to fly to Mexico, but all of his flights were delayed to get from Atlanta to Pittsburgh. So he rented a jet just to get to Pittsburgh. That’s how much it meant to be by Mani in AAA. It was so amazing.”
On some fan backlash from attending the event:
“I actually thought people were going to be more like ‘Wow that’s how much the relationship means to her.’ People are thinking that I am ruining my career, part of my career is who I am in my real life. Part of my career is Mani helping me and pushing me to do all these different experiences in my life. That helps me grow as a performer. I don’t know if you guys have seen but I have grown in front of you all over the years. But I was really surprised. But people weren’t surprised about my dad. He’s going to be chopping and figure four-ing anywhere. But you could see how genuinely proud my dad was to be out there. That’s how much Mani means to him and I think my dad knows that Mani is going to be the one to take care of me when he is gone. It’s like the passing of the torch.”
On how she met Andrade:
“So I met Mani on a European tour. When we came back to the states, we had RAW that night. It was actually the RAW before Survivor Series, but my dad happened to be at TV that night. I happen to walk into talent relations, Mani and I kind of knew each other, kind of didn’t, we had fun on tour. [crowd cheers] That means exactly what it means. We ate in catering, we had a few drinks and got to know each other. We used a phone translator. When Mani walked into talent relations I was sitting there. He walked in and my dad gets right up and he’s like ‘Hey, hell of a match.’ Mani texted me and said ‘Did you tell your dad that we are friends.’ I’m like ‘ No, he just watches.’ It was the most awkward moment. But it grew over time.”
On growing her confidence:
“Growing up I played volleyball and sports, but there was nothing that I was super passionate about. There wasn’t something that I dreamed of doing, it was always my brothers that wanted to be in the business. When I found wrestling in 2012, for so long I was like do I fit in or nit? I’m Ric Flair’s daughter, I’m good at sports, I’ve always felt kind of awkward. Yes I am a bit more polished now, but it took me until I was 35. So many people think that becasue I am Ric Flair’s daughter that I had the same lifestyle. Yes, I did not go without. But having a dream changes your life. Having something that you think about every minute of every day that you want to get better at, you as a person grow with that. That’s what happened when I joined NXT. I went from being scared at public speaking and shy to just OK I fit in with these kids, then in NXT this is what it is like wearing makeup. Getting your hair done and figuring out what works. Then just growing with it and enjoying the process. Then it’s focusing on the aspects, whether it’s media or whether it’s presentation. I never want to stop growing, becasue I started so late in life. I started when I was 27 and right now Rhea Ripley is 23. I can’t imagine having my life figured out then.”
On being the daughter of Ric Flair:
“I know the stigma that comes with my last name. One day I want to go down not just as Ric Flair’s daughter like it says on the graphic. I want to go down as the greatest of all time. I don’t take for granted all of the opportunities. Yes I have main evented WrestleMania, RAW and SmackDown. But I didn’t come this far to come this far. Even when I came back after WrestleMania, I’m here to stay. I want more. The men want more, why can’t the women?”
On getting into great shape:
“Actually I’ve always loved the gym, but I’ve never had the diet part down. I thought I knew what I was doing, but I really didn’t. Mani actually was really involved in bodybuilding when he was young. So I met with who his nutritionist, and this is all through translation as well. My diets come in Spanish, and I have to Google translate things. I just switched up my diet and really followed a plan. So moderation. Just following a diet and learning it’s OK to have glass of wine at night. I was so, so strict and would take it so far that I would eat 3 days of pizza and ice cream. It was like a roller coaster, but now I am on a system. I substituted my potatoes for tortillas and my broccoli for cactus.”
On being annoyed at the crowd at Money in the Bank:
“After the match I was walking to Gorilla and I was like oh yeah I gave them the bird. They [the crowd] p*ssed me off. Hear me out. I’ve got Rhea Ripley, first big pay per view with me, and I get it, everyone is excited to have Becky Lynch back. I’m excited to have Becky back. But you guys went from chanting ‘Becky’ to ‘This is awesome.’ If you know what I am capable of, show some respect upfront. I’m usually so cookie cutter and black and white. But I was just like let me steal the show with Rhea Ripley becasue she is that good. Don’t disrespect her, I can take the beating.”
On her relationship with Becky Lynch:
“She’s a mom, and she’s so happy. To see the career that she has and the ride that she had. To ride the wave, go off and have a baby. For me on the outside, to see that and go OK you can have it all. You can do it all, you can be a mom and main event and come back. I look at Bex and go that’s inspiration if I want to step away to have little Mani’s. But that’s our relationship, there’s so much respect there. I know what it takes to be in her spot and she knows what it takes to be in my spot. Are we driving around together eating omelettes? No.”
On why they grew apart:
“I think that her and I depended on each other so much as best friends. It was easy, she was my ride or die, my go to. But I met Mani, she met Seth [Rollins], her career took off. I always say the fans booing me when I was supposed to be a good guy is the greatest thing to happen to me as a performer. Why was I like ‘Please cheer me!’ No don’t be apologetic, be Charlotte Flair. You are that good. I was like ‘Cheer me I’m good.’ I was pandering to the crowd instead of being the Ferrari. It took me to wrestle Ronda and think well this sucks. It’s a 3 day build, I’m wrestling Ronda Rousey, this wasn’t supposed to happen. So what do I do? I show the world how good I am. And I did that. So had I felt that confidence during the feud, the fans would have seen that badass that beat Ronda with a kendo stick. But instead they saw this girl that was ‘No you like me.’ Why did I care so much?”
On women getting opportunities on TV:
“When we came back from COVID my storyline and the ladies main evented RAW 4 weeks in a row. I would say those fire storylines are when the people are most engaged. It’s more about just pushing the envelope with that. there’s multiple storylines on RAW with the women, but I believe the best stories should be the focus or the main event. Unless you find that story then it is what it is.”
On becoming a 17 time champion:
“I think I want to. Becasue I don’t know what it means. Is Ric then Charlotte’s dad? I want to be a 17 time champion one day. Cena better not beat me before!”
Featured image: WWE
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