Facts About Charlotte Flair That Only Hardcore Fans Know
Charlotte Flair is one of the most accomplished and well-known professional wrestlers in the world today. The 13-time champion has helped revolutionize women's wrestling through the use of her superior athletic ability and strong personality. During her 10-year career, Charlotte has grown into a dominant and fearsome competitor. Flair is always close to championship contention if not wearing the belt. Flair is a natural heel, confident and swaggering, but able to back up her big talk with in-ring ability. Adding to Charlotte's innate ability to draw the ire, or cheer, of the crowd is her legendary pedigree. The daughter of perhaps the most famous wrestler in the history of the sport in Ric Flair, Charlotte has some big boots to fill and thus far has done so more than admirably. The 36-year-old Flair is still one of the top draws in all of WWE and may become even more decorated than her dad once she wrestles her last match.
Charlotte's career accolades are well-known, but her personal life is more guarded than other WWE superstars. Growing up as the daughter of Ric Flair, Charlotte had some exposure to the wrestling business, but never considered herself an insider. Flair's life has some interesting parallels to her in-ring career, as well as some major highs and devastating lows.
She Didn't See Herself As A WWE Superstar
As the daughter of one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, most would assume that Charlotte Flair prepared her whole life to become a WWE superstar. This is not the case, as Flair explained in her Broken Skull Session interview with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Flair told Austin that she did not see herself in the same way as the glamorous Diva-era wrestlers like Melina and Trish Stratus and that she was intimidated by them while visiting backstage with Ric.
Growing up and into her college years, Charlotte had very little interest in the wrestling business, and when she eventually joined the WWE, she had little knowledge of the backstage protocol that is so important to many in the industry. When Flair finally showed up to WWE developmental, she was much more green than her contemporaries. Unlike Flair, her contemporaries and fellow Horsewomen Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Becky Lynch all had years of wrestling experience before joining NXT. Of course, the four would eventually grow and learn by competing against one another and become a once-in-a-generation driving force in the sport.
Charlotte Appeared On An Episode of WCW
Long before Charlotte's first match in NXT, her first wrestling television appearance came on one of WWE's biggest competitors. On the May 15, 2000, episode of WCW Nitro, a young Ashley/Charlotte was part of a vignette shot at the Flair family. In the video, David Flair, Daffney, and Vince Russo invaded Ric's home, while David lambasts his father and family. The young Flair complained that Ric did not treat David the same as the rest of the family, and that The Nature Boy only really cared about himself and his money. Ric watched the segment from the ring, growing more and more frustrated by his son's jabs.
At the end of the video, a baby-faced Charlotte appeared with her younger brother Reid and mother Elizabeth. A short argument between the family and Russo ensued, and the trio of David, Daffney, and Vince left the home. The hostile glare that Ashley gives Russo is downright nasty. Even at a young age, Charlotte displayed a natural talent for conveying anger by just the look on her face, an expression she still utilizes to this day.
She Did Not Have A Good Relationship With Ric During Childhood
The father-daughter relationship can be a challenging one for both sides, made even more difficult when the father is expected to travel the world year after year. As Ric writes about in he and Charlotte's book, "Second Nature: The Legacy of Ric Flair and the Rise of Charlotte," he struggled during Charlotte's childhood. Ric's busy schedule meant that he did not see his daughter as much as either would have liked. The separation of Ric and Charlotte's mother Elizabeth was another strain on the father-daughter pair. Elizabeth and Ric were married in 1983, and Charlotte was born three years later in 1986. Charlotte's parents were together for 23 years and divorced in 2006, the longest of Ric's four marriages. Heading into adulthood and seeing your parents go through a divorce is a relatable situation for many people and one that is extremely difficult to navigate emotionally. Still, through their hardships, Charlotte told Stone Cold that she always felt the support and love from her father, including once she decided to become a pro wrestler.
Never wanting to be "The Nature Girl," Charlotte sought to blaze her trail once joining NXT. Flair was warned by Triple H and Dusty Rhodes that she would not receive preferential treatment because of her lineage, which is just how the ultra-competitive Charlotte wanted it. Of course, the bond between the two Flairs would grow stronger throughout the years, as Ric was influential in helping Charlotte's career both on-screen and off.
In her early years on the main roster, Ric was a huge benefit in regards to getting heat on Charlotte, as he would distract and cheat for his daughter's benefit. Charlotte still feels support from her father, but has risen to a level of confidence that she feels that she can operate completely on her own.
Charlotte Had An Excellent Volleyball Career In High School And College
Before ever stepping into the ring, Ashley Fliehr made a name for herself as a dominant volleyball player. During her high school career, Flair was one of the best volley players in all of North Carolina and received many accolades, a level of success that would serve as a precursor to her prestigious wrestling career. Charlotte won two state championships in 2002 and 2004 and was named the Conference 4A Player of the Year in 2004. Following her success in high school, Flair joined the Appalachian State Mountaineers volleyball team. Flair played for the Mountaineers for several seasons before her transfer to North Carolina State.
A gifted all-around athlete, Charlotte also played basketball and was a competitive cheerleader in her youth. This level of coordination and skill has helped Charlotte during her WWE career, as has her unrelenting competitive spirit. As said by her Appalachian State coach Chad Callihan in Charlotte's recruitment announcement, "her greatest strength may be her competitive desire. She will push herself and this team to reach their potential." Sounds pretty familiar to those who have followed Charlotte's career. The athlete mentality of trying to become the best possible version of yourself is a valuable trait for any professional wrestler, and Flair undoubtedly possesses that mindset.
She Graduated With A College Degree In Public Relations
After splitting her college career at Appalachian State and North Carolina State, Flair graduated with a degree in Public Relations. Like many recent college grads, Flair was unsure what to do with her career and life after receiving her degree. After college, Flair began working as a personal trainer at a gym, as she wondered what to do during her newly started adult life.
Not sure what she wanted to do with her career, Flair finished school just to finish, and felt that she was waiting for someone to tell her what to do next. Flair said in Broken Skull Sessions interview that she had "no direction" in life before deciding to join FCW/NXT and that she had little understanding of the business. Luckily for her and fans, Charlotte was able gain the knowledge she needed to become the star that she now is.
Charlotte Has Two Tattoos Honoring Reid Flair
Charlotte was convinced by her late brother Reid to join the business. A promising young wrestler in his own right, Reid had aspirations to follow in his father's footsteps. Charlotte and Reid were born only two years apart and had an extremely close relationship. Then on March 29, 2013, the Flair family received the heart-breaking news: Reid had passed away due to a drug overdose. In an interview with Corey Graves, Charlotte discussed her ink and the meaning of two special tattoos dedicated to Reid. One of the tributes is a large cross that has the years of his life 1988-2013 and "Reider" written across it. Despite Ric's protest of his children getting ink, Reid had a similar tattoo with the Guns N Roses style cross with the family name Flair written across the middle. The love of the band was held by both Charlotte and Reid, which led to Charlotte's second tattoo in remembrance of her brother. In lovely lowercase letters on her wrist is the lyric "A little patience," a reference to the Guns N Roses song 'Patience.' The relationship between brother and sister is still incredibly special to Charlotte, who says that she would not be in the position that she is without the encouragement given to her by Reid.
Besides the two touching tributes, Charlotte has several other tattoos. Flair's most prominent ink is a quote across her ribs, which reads "Guard your heart above all else, for it will determine the course of your life." Charlotte explained that she and her sister Megan got matching tattoos of the Bible quote during a period when both were going through a divorce.
She Has An Arrest Record
Flair was arrested in 2008 after a physical altercation also involving Ric and Charlotte's then-husband Riki Johnson. The incident involved a fight between the three parties, over an unknown argument. According to an ABC 11 report, Ric was bloodied and bruised during the fight, and Charlotte resisted arrest by kicking at a police officer. Charlotte's non-cooperation is the reason she was formally arrested on charges of assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. She was also tased during the incident. Ric was the most injured in the fight but did not press charges against Johnson.
In "Second Nature," Charlotte's book co-written with Ric and Brian Fields, Charlotte says her marriage with Johnson was filled with verbal and physical abuse. Johnson would later sue the Flairs and the WWE for $5.5 million claiming defamation in the Flair's book. The lawsuit against the Flairs and WWE was settled out of court. The two separated and were divorced in 2011 after one year of marriage.
Flair Has Real Life Animosity With Former Friend Becky Lynch
Two friends torn apart by success is a common story line in wrestling, but for Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, the story is real life. Coming up in NXT, Charlotte and fellow Horsewoman Becky Lynch had an extremely close friendship. As time went on, the two grew into mega-stars and experienced a series of life changes. That separation and desire to climb even higher than one another led to a change in the relationship between Becky and Charlotte. The pair's friendship soured in 2021. All Four Horsewomen have been competitive friends for years, but Becky and Charlotte feel that they are competing to be the best.
Charlotte explained to Steve Austin that she and Becky don't always "see eye to eye" anymore as times have changed for both, but they do have mutual respect for one another. The broken friendship was used in the story line during the build to the Flair vs. Lynch champion vs. champion match at Survivor Series 2021. The match was extremely physical, adding to the bad feelings between the two champions. Lynch and Flair will almost certainly cross paths again, and the evolving story and their fascinating relationship will be in the spotlight.
She Wants A Queen Versus Queen Dream Match Against Stephanie McMahon
Charlotte has accomplished almost everything possible during her time in the WWE but still has huge aspirations. With major matches against legendary competitors like Trish Stratus and Nikki Bella, era-defining feuds with Sasha Banks and Ronda Rousey, and capturing more champions than almost anyone else in WWE history Charlotte is already a no doubt WWE Hall of Famer. Despite her lengthy resume, Flair wants to accomplish more. In an interview with CraveOnline (h/t 411 Mania), Charlotte named new WWE CEO Stephanie McMahon as a dream match opponent.
The two daughters of wrestling royal families are powerful women inside the ring and out, and their confrontation could easily be the main event of any premium live event, even another WrestleMania headliner for Charlotte. The new big boss of the company, Stephanie has many new responsibilities that may keep her out of the ring initially, but a future showdown between another generation of Flair and McMahon would be a big money match sometime in the future.
Charlotte Was Married And Divorced Twice Before Andrade
Flair's first marriage was to Riki Johnson, and the two's short marriage was a traumatic time for Flair. Johnson was abusive towards Charlotte, which Flair revealed and wrote about in her book. In a 2017 interview with ESPN, Flair said, "Riki was the hardest to write about ... It was hard because I never dealt with it. I'm embarrassed and ashamed and why would I let myself go through something like that?" Not much is known of Johnson currently, as he faded from the public eye following his separation from Flair in 2011.
Flair's second marriage was to another pro wrestler: Thom Latimer. Latimer was an NXT prospect, where he went by the ring name Kenneth Cameron. Latimer was a member of the roster from 2010 to 2012, which is a similar period as Charlotte's beginning with the company. After leaving WWE, Latimer has gone on to work for TNA and is a member of the independent circuit as Bram. In 2019, Latimer joined NWA, where is he a one-time NWA World Tag Team champion with Royce Issacs. The marriage between Flair and Latimer ended in 2015. Latimer is now married to another NWA wrestling star: Kamille. After her two marriages ended in divorce, Charlotte is now married to current AEW wrestler Andrade. The two wrestlers tied the knot in 2022.
She Made Her Film Debut In 'Psych: The Movie'
The hit USA program "Psych" looked for some WWE crossover appeal by casting Flair in her first movie role, where she played the rough and tough Heather Rockrear in "Psych: The Movie." The villainous character is right in The Queen's profile, as she is the henchperson for the antagonist of the film played by Zachary Levi. Charlotte was also able to use her athleticism in the film during fight sequences, even pulling out a few moves that look very familiar to wrestling fans.
In the movie, Flair's character is dispatched to kill Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen) by her diabolical boss. Before Rockrear can complete her mission, Shawn (James Roday Rodriguez) and Gus (Dule Hill) use several chair shots to the head to take down Charlotte's character. "Psych" is known for its hilarious pop culture references, and having the main characters take down Flair with the ultimate wrestling weapon is comedic gold. Flair is not the only wrestler to appear on "Psych," as fellow WWE legend John Cena also made a cameo in the hit program. Flair has only appeared in one film thus far but could be in line for more Hollywood opportunities. According to Deadline, Flair could follow in the footsteps of The Rock, by starring in a remake of "Walking Tall" for USA/Peacock.
Charlotte Has Some Interesting Thoughts About WrestleMania 35 Main Event
One of Flair's most interesting matches booking-wise is the main event of WrestleMania 35 in 2019. In the build-up to the match, the trio of Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte were involved in a long-term revolving feud, that was set to feature Lynch vs. Rousey in a one-on-one match. Flair was infamously inserted into the scheduled match by the now retired Vince McMahon, and both the Smackdown and RAW Championships would be on the line. Lynch would go on to win the match, becoming Two Belts Becks and solidifying herself as a top star in a huge moment for her career, and an unforgettable moment.
Following the result, McMahon decided to turn Flair into a babyface character following Mania 35, an unpopular decision by fans and Flair herself. Main eventing Mania is a huge milestone in Charlotte's career, something Ric never accomplished as Charlotte was happy to tell Steve Austin, but Charlotte always looks back in hopes of improvement. Flair told Stone Cold that she wished that there was a clearer story line about her insertion into the match and that she could have played up the favored heel aspect to gain a ton of heat. As for Rousey and Lynch, Charlotte believes that their feud is far from over. Flair lost her Smackdown Women's Championship to Rousey at WrestleMania: Backlash 2022 in an I Quit Match and is likely eager to return for rematches with Lynch, Rousey and everyone else that thinks that they can claim Flair's throne as the Queen of the WWE.