Ric Flair recently spoke to FanHouse.com about TNA, Shawn Michaels and more. Here are the highlights…
On Product Awareness: "I'm actually not involved in that equation. Obviously, I hear conversations and people talking about it. But it's going to take a year or two and it takes effort from Spike as much as from the wrestlers. The biggest problem is one key word: it's called awareness. I hear more and more about TNA every day but when I first started six months ago, people had no idea I was even wrestling again. It's just an awareness issue. It's no fault of the promotion. It's no fault of lack of work or work ethic. It's just the budget is different there and they've got to earn their stripes as they go but they got marching orders and the guys are working hard. It's just a matter of time. I think it's a year away."
Does Foutune Hurt The Legacy Of The Four Horsemen?: "No, I've only done it twice. Of course, I did it the other time with the WWE. The quality of the guys and who I'm with ... if I couldn't have control I wouldn't consider doing it. The fact that they asked for my input on that and pretty much let me get to know the guys that I'm working with and to be happy with them. Of course, I loved being with Dave (Batista) and Randy (Orton) and Hunter. That was a great time up there but I don't know if anything will ever follow the Four Horsemen just because we were together for so long. These guys are just tremendous athletes and they're really the tops in the business right now. I'm having a great time. I'm living my life vicariously through them!"
Does He Believe That Shawn Michaels' Retirement Will Last?: "I do because ... I'm not saying he won't wrestle again but he's got young kids and he's been able to make money. He made money before the kids were born and he enjoys the things that I didn't get to enjoy in regards to my first family. I did get to enjoy more with my second set of kids but at that point in time I really didn't get to do much with them until the time they were about 12 or 13. His kids are like 6 and 3 or 6 and 4, maybe 7 and 4. He's enjoying that day to day stuff that you don't get to do as a wrestler working full-time because you're gone every weekend."
Was he Going To Wrestle Shane Douglas At Hardcore Justice?: "I never was approached. That is all a figment of his imagination. He wishes. He's a clerk at Wal-Mart for christ's sake. How could he be a wrestler?"
