Ric Flair may be one of the most iconic names in professional wrestling history, but fans shouldn’t expect to see “The Nature Boy” at WrestleMania 41, where the spotlight could shine on John Cena as he chases his record-breaking 17th World Title.
Flair, who joined AEW in 2023 as a special gift to Sting ahead of his retirement, confirmed on Busted Open Radio that he won’t be in attendance for WWE’s biggest event of the year.
“I wish I could say that I was, but I’m not, and I understand why, and I’m not mad about it by any means,” Flair said. “Every time they talk about the title, my name gets mentioned. They keep me relevant. It’s very cool. John is a great guy. Cody is a great guy.”
Flair addressed the elephant in the room when asked why WWE wouldn’t want him at WrestleMania.
“I work for another company. I’m sure I would be more than welcome. Absolutely, if I wasn’t working with Tony, I would absolutely be there. They couldn’t keep me out of the building.”
Flair’s AEW deal—reportedly structured similarly to Randy Savage’s WCW contract in the 1990s—was tied to his Wooooo Energy brand. AEW President Tony Khan confirmed that Wooooo Energy had been compensating AEW for Flair’s appearances. However, that partnership is believed to have ended around July 2024, and Flair has not appeared on AEW programming since Revolution.
While Flair remains proud of his legacy and the fact that his name is always part of the title conversation, his current affiliation with AEW appears to be keeping him from being physically present at one of the most anticipated moments in WWE history.
