“Nature Boy” Ric Flair has departed WWE effective immediately, a news that both Fightful Wrestling and WrestlingInc confirmed today.
Flair was still under a deal and was last involved in a storyline featuring Lacey Evans. The storyline was dropped after Evans announced that she was pregnant in February and the feud was scrapped as Flair was siding with her in her battles against his daughter Charlotte. The two were rumored to be having a match at WrestleMania to end the feud.
The 16-time champ has been pretty much under some sort of a WWE deal since 2012, making countless of television appearances since then.
The relationship between Flair and WWE has been rocky sometimes, most recently when WWE gave Becky Lynch the nickname of The Man. Flair even threatened to open legal proceedings against WWE for use of his trademark but eventually came to an agreement to transfer the mark to WWE in May 2020 in return of compensation.
Flair signed a new WWE deal in May of last year and said at the time that while his contract is not for life, he hoped WWE continues to give him a new one. But the former 16-time world champion wanted out and WWE granted his wish.
In the past, Flair discussed his big friendship with Tony Khan, the President of AEW, but said that he wouldn’t go anywhere else if WWE didn’t renew his deal.