While some would consider her a nepo baby, WWE icon Charlotte Flair hasn't always had it easy. For the first time in what feels like forever, fans began cheering for her in 2025, a decade into her main roster run.
Was it because of her triumphant return to action at the Royal Rumble after suffering a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus? Or perhaps it was due to the reports of her divorce from former Superstar Andrade, which prompted Flair to write a heartfelt piece for The Players' Tribune.
It may have been a combination of both, with her odd-couple pairing with Alexa Bliss also playing a role in fans' acceptance of Flair. For the first time, Flair was “vulnerable” with the WWE Universe, and being so has resulted in a big year of growth for her. Speaking with ClutchPoints over Zoom right before Thanksgiving — which she was spending with her father, Ric Flair, and mother, Elizabeth, for the first time in about two decades — Flair detailed her year.
“I think for so long, I focused on just being perfect, when really, it's your flaws that make you special,” Flair reflected. “Open up and being vulnerable, writing the Players' Tribune piece and being open about that journey, I think I've really connected with fans on a level I never had before.”
How Charlotte Flair embraced her “vulnerability” ahead of her 40th birthday
Previously, Flair thought it wasn't okay to be flawed (she is “The Queen,” after all), but now, she recognizes that “nothing is a weakness,” and that “my vulnerability [is] my strength.”
Heading into 2026, Flair is getting ready for her 40th birthday. She has been wrestling for over two decades, and she has more to give.
Her focus going into the new year is getting “bigger, faster, stronger.” Flair views age as “just a number,” and it's more about “your aura, your glow, your energy.”
What she is not focusing on is her age.
“If anything, I have learned so much in the last year — I've learned more in the last year than I have in the last couple,” she conceded. “Consistency has always been key. And if you have that mentality that nothing can stop you, I think the world is your oyster.”
Her WWE partnership with Alexa Bliss
It's no secret that since joining forces with Bliss, Flair has received a warmer reception from WWE fans. Flair called the partnership a “perfect storm.”
The partnership came about around the same time that Flair wrote her piece for The Players' Tribune. It couldn't have come at a better time, and Flair “couldn't have planned it better.”
This saved Flair from a year of being directionless. Following her WrestleMania 41 loss to Tiffany Stratton in a match for the Women's Championship, Flair knew she didn't have anything coming imminently. Ironically, Bliss — who also returned at the 2025 Royal Rumble after a long hiatus, was similarly in danger of having no creative direction after WrestleMania 41 — was the one who pitched it.
“I wrote the essay, and then Lexi [Alexa Bliss] had been pitching to partner with me,” Flair recalled, “and I had been such an isolated character for so long. And then Evolution happened. I couldn't have planned it better.
“I had just gotten to a point where they had no creative for me after WrestleMania. What was next was to, I don't know, rebuild. And like [John] Cena said, ‘Don't be perfect, be you.'”
In 2025, fans know WWE is scripted, and that the Superstars are characters. Charlotte Flair's real name is Ashley Fliehr, but she's “The Queen” in WWE.
Given her royal status as the daughter of Ric Flair, fans had a hard time differentiating Charlotte and Ashley. This was something Flair acknowledged she “struggled with.”
“We really do play characters, but my character was so guarded and isolated that I think people had a really hard time distinguishing between the character and the person.”
Will they remain together in 2026?
After beating Judgment Day's Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez for the Women's Tag Team Championship at SummerSlam in August, Flair and Bliss lost the titles to the Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) during the Nov. 10, 2025, edition of Monday Night RAW after a 100-day reign.
This could have served as a natural endpoint for their partnership. However, as of now, Flair and Bliss remain a tag team. They are on the Friday Night SmackDown brand, and they are currently feuding with recent NXT call-up Lash Legend and her mentor, Nia Jax.
Some odd-couple pairings, like Randy Orton and Matt Riddle, end up going longer than initially expected. Flair noted that Bliss pitched the partnership, and like RK-Bro, their tag team wasn't supposed to be together this long. Once the reactions were loud enough, it made it hard to disband them.
“We just got to a point where it was like, This feels really good, and it would feel really bad if we break them up, because it's one thing to have odd couples, but I also think there was a little bit of hesitation because she [Bliss] is so beloved, whereas my character, at that point, was not,” Flair explained. “It was like, Will this even work or translate? And it did. I think our real-life chemistry was able to shine on-camera, and then as we were connecting, it's like, Why would we break them up?”
The long road to recovery from her injuries
Flair was inactive from December 2023 to February 2025 due to her injuries. This was certainly a challenging time, as Flair remembered being “devastated” when the injuries occurred.
The injuries happened in a freak accident. She was sitting on the top rope during a match against Asuka. They were getting ready for a spot when Flair seemingly slipped off the top turnbuckle, landing hard on the top rope.
These were Flair's first major injuries, and all she worried about was not being at the same level whenever she returned. That fear has since been silenced, but it's understandable given how isolating her recovery was.
Even if being injured isn't ever a good thing, Flair called it “one of the best things to happen to me.” Why? “I had to reset, make a bunch of life choices, and I think I'm better off because of it, because I learned so much,” Flair optimistically said.
How the “life choices” upped Charlotte Flair's game
As a result of these “life choices,” Flair is “better” than ever: “I think my game has improved in different ways since coming back. No one likes to be injured, but I definitely struggled mentally when I first got injured because everything gets taken away [from] you so fast.”
This was especially hard for Flair, one of WWE's most athletic Superstars.
“I relied so much on my physical athletic ability, and to have that hindered was like, Am I ever gonna be good enough for the fans again? That just kept replaying in my head over and over.”
Coming off an injury, it'd be understandable if it took a while for Flair to feel fully acclimated again. Flair has been soldiering on, but she needed catharsis by facing Asuka to fully get over the hump.
They faced during the Nov. 28, 2025, edition of SmackDown (which was pre-taped on Nov. 21). Flair called that match, which she won, a “milestone,” and it was a much-needed one at that.
Charlotte Flair reflects on her WWE Royal Rumble return after her injuries
After over a year away from WWE, Flair returned to action at the 2025 Royal Rumble on Feb. 1 in Indianapolis. She received a special entrance, even receiving pyro as she headed into the battle royal.
She entered in the lucky #27 spot, winning the Royal Rumble for a second time by last eliminating Perez. This time around, she received a warm response from the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Despite this reaction, the fans' reception was the last thing on Flair's mind. Once her music hit, Flair instantly felt comfortable being back in the ring.
“Being off for a year, not having to be in the zone, be ‘The Queen,' I don't know if the stadium was 60 [or] 70,000 people, [but] if I had any kind of doubt about coming back or fear that they would see that when I walked out, the minute my music hit, I was like, Oh, yeah. This is what it feels like. It just came back naturally.”
Winning the Royal Rumble match was nice, but Flair had bigger things on her mind. The win was a reminder of why she worked so hard in rehab to get back in the ring. Once she was back, it was on to the next one.
“I wasn't necessarily focused on the win as much as I was [focused on], Okay, I'm back, and this is what I worked for every second, every minute of every day to get back to where I was when I got hurt,” Flair articulated. “So, it was more, I made it. I did it. And it's go time.”
Her infamous promo with Tiffany Stratton before WWE WrestleMania 41
Despite the warm response Flair got for winning the 2025 Royal Rumble, her match against then-Women's Champion Stratton was not.
The build was rough, most notably during the Apr. 4, 2025, edition of SmackDown. They had a heated promo, and Flair's divorce was brought up by Stratton in what appeared to be a cheap shot.
“When it's all said and done, you're going to be just like you are outside the ring…alone,” Stratton said during the promo. “What is that record like? 0-3?”
Of course, the crowd erupted when Stratton took a personal dig at Flair. “The Queen” responded by throwing shade at Stratton's boyfriend at the time, Ludwig Kaiser, saying, “Hey Tiffany, is that why Kaiser is in my DMs?”
Flair has since discussed the exchange in her Players' Tribune essay, and their feud was chronicled in the behind-the-scenes Netflix series, WWE: Unreal.
Without getting into specifics, Flair acknowledged the promo as a “learning lesson.” However, she is taking a positive approach to it, even with seven months of hindsight.
“I look at every positive and negative that has happened in my career, and I try to learn from [them], try to grow from [them]. And I think I have since then. [I] took it as a stepping stone to grow and learn.”
The WrestleMania 41 match
About two weeks after their promo, Flair and Stratton faced at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas. It was a noticeably stiff match, at least to the naked eye.
Still, it appears Flair and Stratton remained professional in the ring. Professional wrestling is a dance; you have to trust your partner. If one person messes up, it can have dire consequences on both competitors.
So, Flair and Stratton were able to put their personal feelings aside and do their job. It's much like anyone in the workplace, as Flair claimed.
“I think [we put aside personal feelings the same] way any person would at a job. I've never doubted her or me being professional,” Flair reasoned. “[The task is to] put on the best show that you can on the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All.'
Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley is a WrestleMania classic
Conversely, one of Flair's most-acclaimed matches came two years earlier at WrestleMania 39. Flair, who was the SmackDown Women's Champion at the time, lost the belt to Rhea Ripley, who was on the rise at the time.
To this day, some believe the match should have closed out Night 1 of WrestleMania 39. Speaking to Forbes ahead of the event, Flair said, “Well, one, she won the Royal Rumble, so that's guaranteed a main event spot at WrestleMania. Not solely relying on that, but I think you have two titans, two athletes who—regardless of their story or who have faced each other prior—are gonna put on a main event match solely on that, knowing that they're capable of the storytelling. And possibly me retaining or crowning a new SmackDown Women's Champion. I think when a main title is on the line, it's always main event worthy.”
They would not main event that night. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's reunion to face the Usos (Jey and Jimmy) for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship would close out the night instead.
The tag team match was also acclaimed, and it played directly into the main event the following night, which was Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Despite losing the championship to Ripley, Flair was visibly smiling after their match. This led to a lot of speculation about what the smile was about.
“It was more like, Follow that. That's how I felt,” Flair assuredly said with a grin. “I felt like Rhea and I [had] incredible chemistry, a lot of history, and that match, I was proud of both of us. She was probably thinking it too. Follow that. That was the smile.”
Was she sending a message to the main eventers like the Usos, Reigns, and Rhodes? To clarify, Flair said that “it was more like, Follow that of the weekend.”
Backstage, “everyone was so happy” following the match between Ripley and Flair. Almost three years later, they would team up inside WarGames. Flair and Bliss teamed up with Iyo Sky, Ripley, and the returning AJ Lee to face Becky Lynch, Legend, Jax, and the Kabuki Warriors.
Her “stacked” WarGames team included Rhea Ripley
“I'm excited,” Flair said of teaming with Ripley before Survivor Series: WarGames. “Also, because the good guy team is so diverse. [The] individuals are all superstars in their own right. It's a stacked team. AJ Lee coming back; I never in a million years thought I'd be teaming with her.”
Surprisingly, Flair and Lee never crossed paths in WWE. Lee retired from the ring in 2015, and she didn't rejoin WWE until September 2025.
“I don't think I [had] even [met her],” Flair said, trying to recall. “I maybe met her backstage once.”
She was, however, at the SmackDown taping when Lee came back on Sept. 5. Even still, Flair didn't get to meet Lee since WWE was keeping her return a secret, remembering that “they kept her hidden.”
Flair had heard the rumors that Lee was making a comeback, but still, she and other Superstars “like to be surprised” like the fans. So, Flair tried to keep her head in the sand until it was official that Lee had come back.
That's part of the business, especially with the dirt sheets spoiling surprises. While they don't bother Flair, she tries “not to read” them.
“They really are sometimes incredibly inaccurate,” Flair said. “So if sometimes they get it right, that's fine. It doesn't affect my job.”
Will Charlotte Flair jump to Hollywood?
We've seen WWE Superstars make the leap to Hollywood. Hulk Hogan was in the likes of Rocky III and No Holds Barred, and his rival, André the Giant, appeared in The Princess Bride in 1987.
Even more recently, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has become the biggest star in Hollywood. Dave Bautista, John Cena, and even Drew McIntyre have made the leap in recent years. Coming up, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns will appear in the upcoming Street Fighter movie.
So, the path is there, and Flair appears interested in following suit. She will appear in the horror movie You Lose You Die as Ms. Perfect, but that's her first major movie role. She found filming You Lose You Die “fun” but conceded that she's still waiting for future calls.
“I'm still waiting [for more roles],” said Flair. “I hope to one day cross over.”
When asked about what her dream role would be, Flair thought long and hard. She eventually landed on playing a villain in a Marvel or DC project. Another option is Maleficent, who was recently played by Angelina Jolie. Flair also named a female version of Thor as another role she'd be interested in.
She's not opposed to playing a different hero besides a female Thor, saying, “I'd absolutely love to play a strong female superhero,” but she's keeping all options open.
“I'm just as drawn to romantic comedies, drama, and anything that lets me stretch creatively,” Flair reasoned. “I'm not ruling out any role; I love exploring new characters and worlds.”
For now, fans can look forward to seeing her in You Lose You Die. Flair couldn't say much, but she confirmed she plays the villain. Plus, “[There was] lots of latex [with the] outfit,” she said, laughing.
How WWE differs from acting
There is overlap between being a WWE Superstar and an actor. For one, you are acting in both mediums. However, there are still differences, and Flair went as far as saying they're “very different” experiences.
“WWE is live, and you're consistently playing the same character in a soap opera for however [long],” she explained. “I mean, I've played the same character now for 10 years.”
Another change is the “instant gratification” that WWE provides and acting lacks. When doing a WWE show, thousands of fans are packed into an arena or stadium. They react to crazy spots and feisty roasts in promos. When filming a movie, you're on a set, and there is no paid audience in attendance.
“There's a lot of different cuts and takes [in acting], and you're not in front of an audience, so you don't have that instant gratification. It's very different, but I enjoy both in different ways.”
Does doing WWE for a decade help Flair as an actress? Despite their differences, you still have to hit your marks (like knowing where the hard camera is) and memorize lines, but it's still so different.
“I don't think [so], no,” Flair said of whether or not her WWE translated to acting. “[It depends] on the scene. What kind of scene are you in? I think with wrestling, because I have worked on this craft for so long, you are also projecting in a different way and playing to an audience, and the audience is all around you, [and] I'm working three different cameras in wrestling, where acting is very different.”
The nepo baby conversation
Inevitably, when talking about Charlotte Flair, it's almost impossible not to bring up Ric Flair. The 16-time WWE world champion is an icon, and it's impossible to ignore his impact on the sport.
Previously, Domink Mysterio, the son of Rey Mysterio, told me that he has embraced nepotism: “Hell yeah, I'm a nepo baby. Who cares, right?”
He can't change who his father is, and there's no use in running from it.
“What are you gonna do? Take it away from me? Good luck; I'm already in it,” said Mysterio. “Once you get your foot in the door, it's too late.”
Flair can relate to Mysterio, even if their circumstances are different. Rey Mysterio is still an active competitor in WWE, whereas Charlotte and Ric were never active competitors at the same time, at least in WWE.
His last WWE match was at WrestleMania 24, when he famously wrestled Shawn Michaels. While it was his first of several “last” matches, this was his WWE retirement match.
How being a nepo baby adds “pressure” to her career
At this point, Flair doesn't “know any different” than being the daughter of Ric Flair. She conceded that it's a “mixed blessing” and that being Ric Flair's daughter adds an extra “layer of pressure,” but she doesn't see that as a bad thing.
“I think it's a good pressure,” she optimistically said. “I think you either rise to the occasion or you don't; you find your own niche and path. I've had ups and downs with the last name, but I would never change anything.”
Ultimately, the term “nepo baby” is more of a buzz term, anyway. It's cheap heat in professional wrestling; an easy conversation point for Flair or Mysterio's opponents to throw around to get a reaction from the crowd.
“The term nepo baby can sometimes help storylines in terms of making people dislike you or [to] come across [as] dislikable like Dom. But I would never discredit any nepo baby that has had success in this industry because I know how hard it is, and it takes a lot.”
What is left for Charlotte Flair to accomplish in WWE?
After over a decade in WWE, it'd be easy to coast for the rest of her career. However, Flair still has things left to accomplish as she enters her 40s.
“I've never been in an Elimination Chamber[match],” Flair revealed, which could change as early as Feb. 28, 2026. “And I've never won Money in the Bank.”
Both matches can lead to a championship. Flair doesn't have a preference for winning either. Ultimately, it comes down to the story laid out for her.
“That's tough,” Flair said of deciding which of the matchtypes she'd rather participate in. “[It] depends on the storyline. They're so different.”
Similarly, Flair, a 14-time main roster world champion, is close to catching her father and John Cena in title reigns. Ric Flair and Cena were famously tied at 16 recognized world championship reigns — the most in WWE history — before Cena broke the tie at WrestleMania 41. He beat Rhodes to win the Undisputed WWE Championship and became the “Never Seen” 17-time world champion.
To be clear, her competition isn't with Cena. As much of a role model as he has been for her, Flair is chasing her dad, not Cena. She knows she's closing in, but she's leaving it to the powers that be.
“I'm so close,” Flair said of the record. “If the story is there, yes. But the competition was never with Cena, [it] is more with my dad.”
Still, she could kill two birds with one stone with a few more championship reigns.
Regardless of what happens, one thing is for sure — Flair is going to soak it all in. Going into her 11th year on the WWE main roster, Flair has only just started being “in the moment” over the last few years.
You might think being Ric Flair's daughter makes professional wrestling second nature. However, Flair said that only about “three years ago” — right before her knee injuries — did it all click.
“Nothing [goes through my mind while performing in WWE],” she revealed with a smile. “That's the best part. Now, I can really be in the moment.”
What's next for WWE legend Charlotte Flair?
Ultimately, in 2025, Flair “surrendered.” For the first time ever, she let the WWE Universe in, freeing herself from pretension. Once she became vulnerable, Flair hit her stride. Now, she wants to capitalize on it.
“2025 became special the moment I surrendered,” she admitted. “I stopped fearing what hadn't happened, owned my flaws, and took responsibility for every lesson along the way.
Heading into 2026, Flair promised that it's all about “momentum.” She's done with “chasing perfection,” opting to strive for “progress.”
She knows that her “best work is still ahead,” and after seeing her complete reinvention in 2025, it's hard to argue with her. The end is not near, as Flair has “no timeline” for her retirement, unlike Cena.
Regardless of what's to come, Flair is ready for “whatever the future holds for me.” Until it's time for her last match, Flair will continue trying to “leave my mark on the world of professional wrestling I love.”
