On a recent edition of his “Hall of Fame” podcast, Booker T discussed the future of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair in pro wrestling.
As we’ve been reporting here on eWn, AEW’s deal with Woooo Energy has concluded, which has impacted Flair’s status as the beverage company had been paying for The Nature Boy to appear on AEW television.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On there being a role for Flair in AEW: “You don’t think [there’s] a role for Ric Flair on the show? You don’t see like, GM or anything like that? Maybe Tony should relegate that job to someone else… I mean, there is a part for Ric Flair to play on AEW. What is that part that Ric Flair can play? My thing is this. I’m sure there’s a lot of young talent around that could benefit from Ric Flair. But the thing is, do the young talent in AEW look to Ric Flair to want advice from? I really feel like those guys are so so far past the way of Ric Flair and the way he went out and operated from in ring perspective, as well as out of ring perspective. Because just say for instance, the promos aren’t the same, we’re not yelling and screaming like Ric Flair would do back in the day or whatnot.
“But I just feel like, from an ambassador standpoint, there’s definitely a role for Ric Flair to play. I mean, being able to go out and you know, bring in more eyes. I’m sure people are going to know who Ric Flair is. And look here, dissing anybody on that show. I don’t even want anybody to think that, or quote that from me, or anything like that, that I’m looking down on anybody on that show. But, you could agree to disagree with me on this, I think Ric Flair’s name is bigger than everybody on that show.”
On Flair bringing value to AEW: “So I think there’s some value for Ric Flair to be on that show. I don’t know what. And there’s another caveat, as far as I don’t know how much money they were paying Ric Flair. I know at one point they said that Woooo Energy pretty much paid for Ric Flair’s appearances on AEW. I don’t know how that worked.”
On who AEW has created: “I will say they created Darby Allin. Because Darby was an indie guy. He was a straight-up indie guy before he came to AEW. No one knew Darby Allin. And I think Tony Khan going out on a limb and giving this kid a shot, and putting him in a highlighted position — I feel like AEW, I wouldn’t say created, but they gave that kid the rub to become a star. Britt Baker as well. You gotta throw him in there as well (MJF).”
