During the 2025 WWE Elimination Chamber PLE, John Cena shocked the world by turning heel against Cody Rhodes and aligning himself with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. This move set the stage for a major shake-up in WWE, especially as Cena eyes a record-breaking 17th world championship reign.
Following the event, wrestling legend Ric Flair took to Twitter/X to state that Cena would have to go through him if he wanted to surpass the 16-time World Champion record. Flair has since been vocal about not wanting Cena to defeat Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title at WrestleMania 41, as it would break the historic tie between himself and Cena.
However, former WWE/WCW/TNA creative writer Vince Russo criticized Flair’s involvement on his “BroDown” podcast, claiming that the Nature Boy was trying to insert himself into the storyline for relevance. Russo stated:
“God, [Ric] Flair is throwing so much bait out there to be a part of this. Come on, there’s gotta’ be a cut-off point when we move on from people. And 80 is probably a good point. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but 80 is probably the point where we need to move on from people. But I would not be the least bit surprised if we saw him.”
Flair quickly fired back on social media, addressing Russo’s remarks and making it clear that his current focus is on his commitments with AEW and his family. He wrote:
“Please @THEVinceRusso, I Thought We Agreed That You Wouldn’t Use My Name To Get A Rating! I Work For My GREAT Friend And Employer @TonyKhan, Who Allows Me To Do Things With My Daughter And Understands The Importance Of Me Being In Attendance At Events Like The Hall Of Fame!”
With WrestleMania 41 fast approaching, Flair’s comments add another layer of intrigue to Cena’s new villainous run. While Russo believes Flair is trying to stay in the spotlight, the WWE Hall of Famer seems determined to ensure that history is not rewritten at his expense.
Please @THEVinceRusso, I Thought We Agreed That You Wouldn’t Use My Name To Get A Rating! I Work For My GREAT Friend And Employer @TonyKhan, Who Allows Me To Do Things With My Daughter And Understands The Importance Of Me Being In Attendance At Events Like The Hall Of Fame! pic.twitter.com/v0lcWNoykt
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) March 9, 2025
