Ric Flair is considering suing WWE over the phrase ‘The Man’.
The veteran grappler has been calling himself The Man since 1981 and holds the trademark to the catchphrase "To be the man, you gotta beat the man", and so he is upset that one of wrestling’s biggest stars, Becky Lynch, has now adopted the nickname for herself.
According to Ric, he was trying to work out a private and amicable agreement with WWE and even spoke to one of their executives, Triple H, which would see the organisation pay him to allow Becky to use the name, but they couldn’t come to an agreement.
As a result, last month, the 70-year-old wrestler filed an application with the US Patent and Trademark office to own the term ‘The Man’ specifically as it relates to the sport, a move he claims has sparked the wrath of the WWE.
If the trademark is granted, Ric will still let Becky use it – so long as WWE pay him, and if they don’t, he will look into legal options to force them to pay up.
The ring legend admitted he wants the money to ensure his family, in particular his wife Wendy Barlow, are secure after he dies.
He told TMZ: "I want it to take care of my family.
"When I almost died two years ago, one person stayed by me [Wendy]. The whole time – 31 days in the ICU, 12 days while I was dying on a respirator – and I’m gonna take care of her, and her family, and my family that has taken care of me no matter what….
"I don’t care what the WWE thinks of me personally, I know they love me, but obviously they’ve lost respect for me."
However, he admitted his move has caused a rift with his daughter, current WWE star Charlotte Flair, though he stressed he supports the WWE women’s division and has no issue with Becky herself.
Ric Flair in row with WWE
