6 Things We Learned About WWE Legend Ric Flair

    The 16-time world champion talked to BuzzFeed via phone about NXT, the state of women's wrestling, and Roman Reigns.

    Norberto Briceño
    by Norberto Briceño

    BuzzFeed Staff

    So, this is "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair:

    Mark Dadswell / Getty Images

    While there are many great names in the world of professional wrestling, few hold the legendary status of Ric Flair. With a successful wrestling career that has lasted more than 40 years, Flair has wrestled all over the world and in almost every major wrestling company in the United States including World Championship Wrestling, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and WWE. He's a 16-time world champion and a WWE Hall of Famer. This man is, without question, a wrestling legend.

    On Tuesday, Flair talked to BuzzFeed over the phone and gave his thoughts on what's happening in the world of WWE.

    Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

    Flair speaks at the Delta Passport to Madison Square Garden event in New York City, on behalf of WWE to commemorate the entertainment landmark.

    Here are six things we learned:

    1. He believes that Roman Reigns is "most definitely" the right guy to headline WrestleMania:

    Facebook: karanveer.bhora.58

    "I think he's awesome. He's a very classy kid, a great athlete, great amateur background; he played [football] for Georgia Tech, I mean, give me a break. He's a great kid. He comes from a great [wrestling] family … I couldn't be prouder to know somebody [like him]. I think he's going to be a great asset to the WWE for a long time."

    2. Flair would like to see the Divas (WWE speak for female wrestlers) get more ring time:

    Facebook: TheWWEDivas
    Facebook: DivaOfTomorrow

    "They got some beautiful girls. They're all gifted athletes. If I had one wish for the girls who work on the main roster, is that they have more time in the ring, the matches ... It's pretty hard to go in the ring, and get everybody's stuff in, and you got five or six minutes to do it. But the girls are fabulous. They're an important asset and a big part of the show."

    3. Flair is impressed by what he's seen in NXT (WWE's "developmental" territory):

    Sasha Banks
    Facebook: OfficialWWENXT

    Sasha Banks

    Bayley
    Facebook: OfficialWWENXT

    Bayley

    Adrian Neville
    Facebook: OfficialWWENXT

    Adrian Neville

    "I mean, they're all good. In our business right now, it's about being at the right place and the right time. But I do think Sasha Banks is really good. I think Bayley is good. Adrian Neville … I think he's pretty good. They work hard to develop their skills and they've all been successful. It's just been a very competitive moment in time, because of the main roster. If they don't aspire to get to the main roster, they're never going to get there."

    4. Flair had "mixed feelings" about his daughter and current NXT superstar Charlotte pursuing a career in professional wrestling.

    Facebook: OfficialWWENXT
    Facebook: OfficialWWENXT

    "I had mixed feelings at first because I didn't even know she liked it ... I knew that if she took it seriously, which she did from day one, she'd be really good at it and, you know, everything proved to be true. She's the best girl wrestler I've ever seen in my life. But I'm not the only one who says that either. She's really good.

    "I'm not worried about her ... She's the most gifted athlete I know. And I'm really proud of her."

    5. Flair disagrees with Triple H's comment on the Stone Cold Podcast saying that "kayfabe" (the portrayal of staged wrestling events as real) is dead:

    WWE Network

    "I don't think kayfabe is dead. I disagree with that. I think that there are some things that are open to the public and there are some things that shouldn't be. It doesn't mean I'm right. I just come from a different generation where we treated it entirely differently. I think it puts a lot of pressure on the [wrestlers] that they don't need. That's just my opinion."

    6. However, he doesn't fault Triple H for saying what he did:

    Facebook: tripleh

    "From a management standpoint, which [Triple H] is in right now, that's pretty much the answer he has to have because it is... More [fans] know what's going on right now in the business than I do, and I'm in it."

    "I respect the fans' opinions. It's the [wrestlers] who have to make up their mind if they want to listen to it or not... That's just the nature of the business."

    So, yeah. Flair has spoken!

    WWE