When WWE legend thought Roman Reigns lost respect for him in real life

Roman Reigns appears to be widely respected by his fellow WWE Superstars. Like Andre the Giant and The Undertaker in past generations, The Tribal Chief is viewed by many as a modern-day locker room leader.

Another one of WWE's top stars, Becky Lynch, is usually at the center of good publicity, except when Ric Flair is involved. The Nature Boy has repeatedly criticized Lynch ever since she began referring to herself as The Man – a nickname Flair also uses.

In 2021, Flair said during an interview with Conrad Thompson that he was worried about Reigns' opinion of him after he took multiple digs at Lynch:

"I was concerned that I had lost the respect of Roman Reigns. Because when that whole 'Man' thing went upside down and all that and I had to file the trademark, whatever transpired, it means nothing now. I think people, I heard that he… and I walked right up to him. I said, 'Can I have a minute of your time?' and I said, 'Hey, it means a lot to me.'"

Flair did not elaborate on what Reigns thought of his back-and-forth remarks about Lynch. However, they seem to be on good terms based on the two-time Hall of Famer's frequent praise of Reigns' WWE work.

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Why Ric Flair was concerned about Roman Reigns' opinion

When the nickname dispute started, Ric Flair was still under contract with WWE. He attended many of the company's shows, particularly during the Performance Center era of RAW, and often spoke to talents backstage.

The 16-time world champion did not want his feud with Becky Lynch to make himself or his daughter Charlotte Flair look bad:

"I mean, you want the kids [current WWE Superstars] to look forward to you coming, not, 'Oh man, here he comes again.' Does that make sense? Especially when you have a daughter who is at the most elite position she could be in."

In January 2022, Flair confirmed that his trademark dispute with WWE over Lynch's use of The Man was finally over. The wrestling legend said he had been "silenced on the issue," and he did not plan to mention it again.

Do you think Roman Reigns had a right to lose respect for Ric Flair? Let us know in the comments section below.