WWE Divas Champion Charlotte recently spoke with The Tennessean. Below are the highlights:
Charlotte on her working relationship with her father Ric:
My dad’s my biggest fan (laughs). It’s a mixed blessing because I don’t look at it like I’m working with dad. It just adds to the pressure. I’m walking onstage with Ric Flair every night. That’s kind of a lot to handle.
Does she think she has a lot to live up to, or feel she is in his shadow?
No one will ever replace Ric Flair. I just want my dad to be proud of me, so every time I get the opportunity to step onstage with him, I just want to know that I’ve prepared for that moment and that I’m doing a good job. He’s the greatest of all time in my eyes, and just like any kid, I want to make my dad proud. … I know
what he means to this business and now I have to deliver as well.
What has changed at WWE to make Divas wrestling better and more appealing?
I think everything is in waves and right now the audience is looking at females in WWE more as women wrestlers than divas. It’s kind of been the year of women with Ronda Rousey, Serena Williams and the U.S. women’s soccer team. The fans don’t want eye candy. They want athletes. The talent for the last 15 years here has been amazing. I just think there is a greater demand for it now.
Charlotte on how hard the women work to get over with the fans compared to the men:
I do think a female can have just as much success when given the opportunity, but it is twice as hard. … I think we do have to work harder for our spot and slowly but surely, the more we produce, the more the fans want to see us. The more they react to us, the harder we work, the more they get invested in characters like Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks. … They can relate to us and once you relate, you get invested in the characters. I think the hardest part about being a woman is finding who you are and being able to let the fans in and feel a connection with you. And to do that you need storylines and you need time and that’s what we’re getting right now.