Last week, The Inquisitr reported that Ric Flair had filed a trademark application for “The Man” nickname, which is currently being used in WWE by the Raw Women’s Champion, Becky Lynch. The plot appears to have thickened, however, as he’s now threatening to sue the company over it.
During an interview with TMZ Sports , “The Nature Boy” revealed that he and WWE have been trying to negotiate a financial agreement that will allow Lynch to keep using the moniker. According to Flair, though, they’ve been unable to settle on a deal at the time of this writing.
Flair also told TMZ that he’s happy for Lynch to keep using the name — as long as he’s compensated for it. Until now, he’s been trying to settle the issue amicably behind the scenes, revealing that he reached out to Triple H — who now serves as a WWE executive — only to have the company keep blowing him off.
Flair has been using the name since 1981 along with his “Nature Boy” persona. His catchphrase, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man” is synonymous with his character, which means that he probably has good grounds for a case should the current situation escalate further.
Lynch began calling herself “The Man” last year during a feud with Charlotte Flair, Ric’s actual daughter. Since then, she’s become one of the biggest stars in the entire industry, having gone on to make history in a winning effort against Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey in the WrestleMania 35 main event.
Ric Flair Declares War On WWE Over ‘The Man,’ You Need To Pay Me!!! https://t.co/z2QwGaYf0A
— TMZ (@TMZ) September 5, 2019
Flair claims that he has no personal issues with Lynch and he supports women’s wrestling. His motivations are purely business related, as he’s been battling health issues in recent years and wants to make sure his family — mainly his wife Wendy Barlow — are looked after when he’s no longer around to provide for them.
“When I almost died two years ago, one person stayed by me [Wendy]. The whole time — 31 days in the ICU, 12 days while I was dying on a respirator — and I’m gonna take care of her, and her family, and my family that has taken care of me no matter what.”
Flair also believes that WWE has “lost respect” for him, even though he still acknowledges that he’s loved by many within the company and its fan base. During the interview, he also stated that the ongoing situation has caused a rift between Charlotte and him, so hopefully this legal drama is settled soon.