Ahead of defending her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 39, Charlotte Flair, in an interview with the Daily Mail, touched on a variety of subjects including her return to the ring, her connection with the fans, taking time off, her love for professional wrestling, a future acting career, accepting life as it comes, facing Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania again, Mercedes Mone branching out to Japan, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
Charlotte Flair on her return to the ring: “When you come back you don’t feel like you ever left because you get back into the daily grind so quickly, but it definitely gave me a refresh and the opportunity to come back with a new perspective because any time you step away from something and come back without the baggage, I feel a certain lightness when I’m out there. I don’t have to try to be good or bad, I can just be the star that I am.”
On her connection with the fans: “The one big difference is being able to interact with the kids around the ring after so many years of just always leaving after the match or not getting to engage or not wanting it. Yes, you always want to engage with the fans, but I never got to have that reception with them the way I have it now. It’s been so much fun and so rewarding and special, it’s awesome. I must have done something right all these years!”
Flair on taking time off: “I wasn’t planning on being gone as long as I was, but that was having medical complications with my mouth, so that’s why I was gone as long as I was. But after the “I Quit” match, I mentally needed a break. I had been going so hard for so long and I needed a refresh, I wanted to get married, I wanted to have that time with him [Andrade]…”
On her love for professional wrestling: “And then stepping away, it was kind of more realizing, is there anything I love as much as being inside the ring and performing for you guys, and that was kind of challenging because I don’t know what gives you that same feeling. I love performing, I love wrestling, I love storytelling.”
Charlotte Flair on branching out to acting in the future: “I’m set up with the right people so hopefully in the future I will be able to extend my performing from the ring, whether it’s a show or movie, I do want that in the future and trying to put all those pieces together, I did work on while I was off.”
On accepting life as it comes: “It seems like I’m where I’m supposed to be at the right time and with everyone’s trajectory and what happens, I don’t want to overthink it, if that makes any sense. If I was meant to be away that long, that was what it needed to be, and whatever that next project is, it’ll come when it’s supposed to. It’s like wrestling, I didn’t start wrestling until 28, would I have loved to have started wrestling younger? Yes. It would’ve given me more time, but trying not to force things.”
Charlotte on facing Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania again: “I’m excited. WrestleMania 36 exceeded expectations and that was just scratching the surface. That was literally, we found out we were first, we put the match together in three hours, maybe even two, then we had the match in front of no fans, and it was awesome, and we beat the bloody hell out of each other.”
Charlotte Flair on Mercedes Mone branching out to Japan: “I think it’s cool whenever someone follows their heart, and that’s inspiring. There will never be another group like the Four Horsewomen, ever.”
