Ric Flair On His Post-WWE Career: ‘I’m Going Out To Pursue The Things I Want’
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Ric Flair has entered the next chapter of his legendary career, and many fans are excited to see what the two-time WWE Hall of Famer does next. Flair now has the freedom to practically whatever he wants, a luxury that he didn’t have during his run with WWE.
In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Flair reflected on his departure from WWE and made it clear that he respects the company, but it was simply time for him to go. “The Nature Boy” emphasized his goal to follow his vision for the future, and his in-ring involvement at TripleMania XXIX was just one taste of that.
“I have the greatest fondest memories from my time with WWE,” said Flair. “Vince [McMahon] has helped me become the man I am. And it’s not just Vince, it’s also Hunter [Paul “Triple H” Levesque] and Stephanie [McMahon]. I have so many friends there. They’ve been so good to me. But it was time. I simply wanted to be able to do more. They have a vision for their company, which they should have. And they were respectful enough for me to have a vision for my future, too.
“Look at what I did this past weekend with Andrade and Kenny Omega. They never could have let me do that, which I understand. I keep thinking back to all the times Hunter said to me, ‘Ric, remember who you are.’ So I’m going out to pursue the things I want. “
Speaking of TripleMania, Flair looked back on sharing the ring with his future son-in-law, Andrade El Idolo and Kenny Omega. He praised both performers and called this night an unforgettable moment.
“I’ve only met Kenny Omega a couple times, but he’s one of the best,” said Flair. “You can tell very quickly he is so damn good and full of passion. He and Andrade really put on a show. And it was so much fun. I think people were surprised to see me put on the figure-four, but that’s something I’ll never forget. I could do that any time of day.”
Now that Flair is a free agent, he can appear anywhere he wants because his WWE release didn’t have a no-compete clause attached to it. As a result, it’ll be interesting to see what’s next for Flair, beyond his scheduled appearance ar NWA 73 on August 29.