wrestling / News

Charlotte Flair on Andrade’s Post-WWE Career, Triple H’s Women’s Division Comments

June 17, 2021 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas

Charlotte Flair recently discussed Andrade’s moves since his WWE release, having to miss WrestleMania 37 and more. Flair spoke with the New York Post for a new interview, and you can check out the highlights below:

On her character displaying more of a mean streak since she returned: “(Laughs) I think it’s really just wanting to bring that intensity and frustration to the table. I think it’s the frustration of being misunderstood as a character, wanting more layers, wanting that gear change, wanting to grow even though … people often say, ‘Well you’ve got everything, you’ve got it all.’ But to me, you never want to stop getting better, right? Or evolving? It’s not even a mean streak, it’s just trying to pick a side. Yes, I am the bad guy, not the good guy.”

On the change in her ring gear: “I felt like I was in such a box for so many years, especially with the feathers and my dad’s robes. I always said I want this robe to look like this one, I want this one to look like this one. And then now at this point, it’s like hey, the Disney princesses or the evil characters in Marvel or just any character that has stuck out in the past, not specific where it’s Disney, Marvel, DC Comics. I was like, ‘Why don’t I just start taking the bad guys that I kind of looked at quotes from and do my gears off the queens and the princesses and the superheroes?’ That’s all it was. And then Cruella, I just loved the movie so I think I’ll go with that. I have one created for this weekend (at Hell in a Cell) as well. (Laughs) I’m excited. Another surprise.”

On her current feud with Rhea Ripley compared to their 2020 feud: “I feel like Rhea and I are getting more of an opportunity to highlight a story versus the last time. I felt like the intention was there last time, but it never played out. This is actually getting the platform to play out and we haven’t even gone back to our prior story and what happened at WrestleMania, what happened at NXT and winning the (Royal) Rumble. We haven’t even discussed that in this storyline. I feel like there is so much stuff to pull from.”

On Nikki Cross’ involvement in the feud: “I love adding wrinkles and I adore Nikki Cross. I have for many years, prior to her being added to this storyline. It just gives it another person who could be in the title picture against Rhea that is a player and see her grow. I’m not sure where it’s gonna go. I think the one-upmanship is I’m saying that Rhea isn’t mature enough and at the same time it’s my own ego that always seems to get in the way. So who really is the mature one? (Laughs).”

On missing WrestleMania: “Oh man, it was really tough. But then again, it’s like when I came back, I came back in the best shape of my career. I came back wanting to even, whether it was changing my curly hair to my straight hair or having fun changing my gear and not needing to feel like, ‘OK I need it to look like this.’ Having a little more fun and wanting to be like full-blown heel, being the bad guy. Saying things people wouldn’t necessarily say, not beating around the bush and having the promo after Mania saying, (I’m) the opportunity.

“But I think it was being taken out for COVID and not waiting for if I was going to be OK or not. And it was a perfect opportunity for Rhea. Even though it was really tough for me to miss Mania, I think missing it to come back stronger ultimately turned out to be the best thing for me, even though it was hard.

On the debate over WWE doing an all-women’s show: “I haven’t, to be honest, heard a lot about it, but I’ve always said this: I want to wrestle on a show with men. I want to be the best of that night, regardless man or woman. So, did I have a blast at Evolution? One hundred percent. Do I think an all-women’s show is great? Yes. Do I think that we need an all-women’s show to have that platform to highlight and showcase what we can do? No. Just go out there on a Raw or a SmackDown or NXT and show that you’re the best no matter gender. Do I think it’s great? Yes. Would it be exciting? Yes. But do I think it’s something that has to be done? No, because I want to be on a card where there are eight, nine, 10 matches with men and women and go, ‘Heh, I’m the best that night.’

“The one thing that I did hear about was Triple H saying that WWE has the best women in the world and I saw that it might have upset some people. Do I think there is talent all over the world? Yes. But I do think wherever you are you should say you are the best? That’s like saying you’re going into a company saying, ‘Well, I don’t want to be the champion.’ Like, no, wherever you are you say you’re the best, you believe you’re the best and that’s what you go out and do every night.”

On Andrade starting his post-WWE career: “I’m so inspired and motivated by him. I can’t imagine. To be in WWE was his dream. But he just got there and was like, ‘I want more. I need more. I want to be better. I want to perform to show them who Andrade is.’ And to take that leap of faith and say, ‘I know I can go out there and do it,’ and prove it and show them and reinvent himself and be motivated, I’ve just been so inspired and in awe of him doing that. I know he’s gonna kill it [in AEW.] He’s so young too, like I know this is just the beginning and working on his English. I just support him 100 percent and I’m so proud of him.”