WWE has confirmed that Ric Flair has indeed been released. However, its standard-issue statement reads a little different.
Reports surfaced on Monday that Ric Flair had been released by WWE. Those reports have now been confirmed to be true by WWE. The company tweeted the news and issued a statement on Tuesday morning. However, the standard-issue statement was notably different from the usual one that accompanies the news that a WWE Superstar has been let go.
WWE Confirms Flair's Release
First of all, the tweet includes today's date, something WWE doesn't tend to include in its short and not-so-sweet release statements. Especially since the tweet and the article itself are both dated as standard. It is also a lot shorter, and a lot less sweet, than the usual boilerplate statements that accompany a release as it does not wish Flair well in his future endeavors.
The date element may well be WWE hammering home that it isn't happy news of Flair's release leaked out before it wanted it to be made public. As for the lack of wishing The Nature Boy well in the future, that suggests all is not well between the two parties. It also lends credence to the reports and rumors surrounding why exactly Flair has decided to seek out pastures new at the age of 72.
Charlotte's Booking Could Be What's Causing All This
According to Wrestling Observer Live, Flair did not request to be let go from his contract. That is what most have assumed until now. Dave Meltzer's sources claim Flair sent Vince McMahon a message regarding Charlotte Flair's booking and that he was unhappy about it. That is apparently what ultimately resulted in Ric being let go. A McMahon decision, not one made by Flair himself.
Whatever has happened behind the scenes, it likely spells more disruption for Charlotte. While her loss to Nikki ASH on Raw this week might have been planned before Ric was released, it also might have been a reaction to it considering how late McMahon usually leaves it to book Raw. Also, if the message element of all this is true, a text to your boss from your dad complaining about your booking probably isn't going to sit well.