Earlier this week, WWE legend Ric Flair confirmed that he’d signed a new contract with the company. This ends months of speculation about the Hall of Famer’s future, as he was previously embroiled in some drama with WWE over Becky Lynch’s use of “The Man” trademark. During that uncertain period, Flair also had talks with AEW, though the company reportedly didn’t want to sign the legendary performer.
Flair opened up about the matter in a recent interview with Wrestling Inc . According to the Hall of Famer, AEW wouldn’t even try to sign him if they wanted to because they know where his allegiances lie. At the same time, Flair also can’t guarantee that he has a long-term future with WWE.
“You never know but I’m obviously not gonna go anywhere else if they didn’t renew me. Tony [Khan] told me that he wouldn’t even ask me to come to work there because he knows how tight I am with [WWE]. Our friendship is one thing but he respects my loyalty to the company. That’s how much respect [Khan] has for me and my relationship with the company which speaks volumes to what kind of guy Tony is. The same would apply to my daughter and WWE.”
Flair’s words suggest that he’s on good terms with AEW, but also that the company understands that the “Nature Boy” isn’t interested in joining any wrestling promotions outside of WWE. The Hall of Famer also stated that Khan wouldn’t try to sign Charlotte Flair if she became available — but perhaps AEW would change their mind if she actually became available. Charlotte is one of the biggest superstars in WWE, and is also still active in the ring.
During the interview, Flair also revealed why it took so long for him to sign his new deal. According to Flair, the coronavirus has caused a lot of uncertainty, which caused some delays during the negotiation process between him and WWE officials. WWE has also released many superstars and employees recently, and Flair is one of the few alumni to be given a contract extension.
While Flair might not be going to AEW, his old friend Sting could be heading to the upstart promotion. As The Inquisitr reported this week, Sting’s WWE contract deal has expired, and there is reported interest from AEW. The company’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view is set to take place on Saturday, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Sting made an appearance.