The segment between Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair on Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown quickly captured attention online after the two stars appeared to step outside of the script and exchanged personal jabs.

During the exchange, Stratton did not hold back, telling Charlotte, “You will always come second to your father, Ric Flair,” before delivering another stinging line: “When it’s all said and done, you’re gonna be just like you are outside of the ring — alone.” Stratton then turned the focus toward Charlotte’s personal life and asked, “What is that record? 0-3?” Charlotte fired back with a sharp response of her own: “Is that why Kaiser’s in my DMs?”

WWE later edited the segment for their digital recaps, removing the more controversial lines. This comes amid reports of tension between the two stars, with Dave Meltzer noting backstage issues over the past two weeks.

In the days that followed, Ric Flair was asked about the situation during an appearance on Busted Open Radio. While choosing his words carefully, the Hall of Famer made it clear he was not a fan of what transpired.

“I have an opinion, but I do not really want to voice it. I can say this, it is very sensitive. I did not like it, but wrestling is wrestling. I hate when they use me, but Charlotte said it right, you think that is the first time hearing my name? I want to clarify this. She is ten times the athlete that I am. So much better of a worker than I ever was. I cannot do half the things that she does. It is not like she is 5’2” and 103 pounds. She is 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 will be the best worker in the business, female, until the day she decides to retire,” Flair said.

Ric also touched on the unwritten code among veteran performers, noting that when he worked with names like Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes, family was always considered off-limits in promos. “It never happened,” he said, referring to crossing that personal line.

When asked whether there was any prior discussion about the nature of the comments made during the promo, Ric said he did not know for sure but assumed there was not.

⚡ Bully Ray Says Charlotte Flair “Got Murdered” by Hostile Chicago Crowd

Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton’s recent “SmackDown” segment has taken center stage in the wrestling world, overshado [...]

— Ben Kerin Apr 08, 2025 03:07PM