Ric Flair Will Overshadow Everyone In AEW Says Jim Cornette

Tony Khan presented Ric Flair to Sting as his retirement gift but now Jim Cornette has questioned just how valuable Flair can be in AEW.

Sting announced when he was calling time on his career recently, revealing that his final match will come at Revolution in 2024. In response, Tony Khan promised to give Sting a gift on Dynamite and revealed The Icon’s old rival Ric Flair, who made his debut in the company.

Flair told Sting he was there to ride out this last chapter of his career with him and Sting has noted Ric Flair’s involvement in AEW changed his original retirement plans.

However, Ric Flair is now signed to an AEW deal that will run long past Sting’s final match and many are wondering just what Tony Khan’s plans are for the WWE Hall of Famer.

Jim Cornette Says Ric Flair Can’t & Shouldn’t Wrestle In AEW

Speaking on his Drive Thru podcast, Jim Cornette questioned the wisdom of signing Ric Flair to a long-term deal and thinks The Nature Boy’s profile will overshadow almost anyone else in AEW that he has to work with:

The thing is that, again, we’re in a situation where the most well-known biggest stars, biggest celebrities, and mainstream names in the wrestling industry that work for AEW have always continued to be behind the scenes or backstage or in a non-wrestling role.

You know it’s hard for the young guys to get over when everybody sees these older guys as the big stars. And especially when the guys are too old to be able to work with these young guys and put them over. So then you start creating the dissension in the locker room where the young guys are going, ‘Oh, geez, these guys, all they got to do is show up and plug their energy drink or do commentary or don’t even have to show up, they all get paid. And, you know, we actually got to take bumps and get hurt.’

But you know that again, I’m not knocking Ric, I’m glad he’s got his deal because I can’t imagine why Tony gave him a long-term deal just to get Ric to make appearances for Sting’s retirement. What is he going to do afterwards? They don’t listen to any legends that have any opinions anyway, and I don’t honestly know that Ric has been paying enough attention in the wrestling business over the past few years to have a goddamn opinion or give a sh*t.

I know that he was the only one when he was the booker in ’89 and early ’90 in WCW that got the ratings back up and got the pay-per-views back up and got the quality of the show back up. But that’s when he was in the middle of it. And he as we mentioned, he was the big picture guy that put things together, and then me and Kevin did the details, the paperwork.

I don’t think in 35 years, he suddenly decided I want to do all this sh*t by myself. ‘I’ll take over the book, Tony.’ So he can’t and shouldn’t wrestle. He overshadows anybody he manages or appears with unless it’s like Sting where they got the history.

What the longer-term story of Ric Flair in AEW is remains to be seen. His son-in-law Andrade El Idolo could be on the lookout for a manager, however, as he has promised to give CJ Perry an answer after she has been chasing him as a client on AEW television.

If you use any quotes from this article please credit original source and then h/t with a link back to TJR Wrestling for the transcription.