The now-viral promo segment between Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton on WWE SmackDown continues to spark conversation—especially after the two stars went off-script, trading deeply personal jabs in a fiery face-to-face exchange.
Stratton told Flair she would always come second to her father, Ric Flair, before hitting her with the line:
“When it’s all said and done, you’re gonna be just like you are outside of the ring — alone.”
She followed it up by referencing Flair’s past marriages:
“What is that record? 0-3?”
Charlotte fired back with a pointed retort of her own:
“Is that why Kaiser’s in my DMs?”
Following the segment, WWE edited out the final lines from their social media and YouTube uploads, although the USA Network’s channels preserved the unedited footage. Dave Meltzer later reported there had been real-life tension between the two stars for at least two weeks leading up to the promo.
Now, Ric Flair himself has responded to the segment during an appearance on Busted Open Radio, offering a measured but emotional reaction.
“I have an opinion, but I don’t really want to voice it. I can say this—it’s very sensitive. I didn’t like it, but wrestling is wrestling,” Flair admitted. “I hate when they use me, but Charlotte said it right: ‘You think that’s the first time hearing my name?’”
Flair continued by defending Charlotte’s in-ring legacy and physical ability:
“She is ten times the athlete that I am. So much better of a worker than I ever was. I can’t do half the things that she does. It’s not like she’s 5’2” and 103 pounds. She’s 5’11 and weighs 145 pounds. She works so hard. Undertaker said it best: ‘The Queen came back and regained her crown.’ She deserves it. She’ll be the best worker in the business, female, until the day she decides to retire.”
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer also reflected on the unspoken rules of promo battles in his era—particularly with rivals like Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes:
“Family was always off-limits. In my own experience, crossing that line in a promo—never happened.”
When asked whether Charlotte had approved the personal shots beforehand, Ric was unsure:
“I don’t know if there was a conversation beforehand, but I would assume there wasn’t.”
With WrestleMania 41 approaching, it’s unclear whether this real-life tension will be used to further the storyline—or if WWE will scale back on shoot-style promos. One thing’s for certain: this segment—and the fallout—won’t be forgotten any time soon.
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