Charlotte Flair believes she has earned the right to voice her opinions about WWE creative decisions—and she does not think doing so makes her difficult to work with.
During an appearance on Power Hour with Olympic rugby medalist Ilona Maher, Flair discussed the challenge of reconciling her competitive instincts with the predetermined nature of professional wrestling.
Flair acknowledged that she does not always agree with the direction presented to her. When asked how frequently she pushes back against creative ideas, she estimated that it happens approximately half the time.
Part of that response comes from Flair’s athletic background. She explained that competitive sports trained her to measure success through victories, making it difficult to separate her emotions from whether she was booked to win or lose. Flair also believes female performers can be labeled negatively for expressing the same convictions that might be accepted from their male counterparts.
“No, I’m not difficult. I have an opinion,” Flair said. “I’ve done this for a long time. I deserve to have it.”
At the same time, Flair said experience has taught her that professional wrestling requires performers to set aside their athletic egos. The purpose is to tell stories and create emotional reactions, meaning a loss can sometimes be more valuable to the overall program than another victory.
Flair admitted that she previously attached too much importance to winning. Over the past year, she has learned to view on-screen defeats differently, recognizing that losing a match can strengthen a storyline, elevate another performer and ultimately increase her value as a businesswoman.
That realization does not mean Flair has stopped advocating for herself. It has instead helped her distinguish between having a legitimate creative opinion and allowing her competitive nature to prevent her from serving the story.
Flair also revealed that WWE has given her considerable freedom to construct her matches for several years. Producers may determine the winner and occasionally specify whether the finish should involve a pinfall or submission, but Flair and her opponent generally decide how the match unfolds.
For Flair, that creative involvement gives her an opportunity to contribute beyond the final result. Winning and losing remain part of the presentation, but she now considers the story told between the opening bell and the finish a more meaningful measure of success.
