Second Nature

by Ric Flair

  That first week I was back, all the girls were working out in the ring. We were learning how to do a move that uses the momentum from the ropes to get in the ring from the apron. I just couldn’t get it. It was especially frustrating because I usually got moves down after a few attempts. I just couldn’t get this. On the fifth try, I hit my face on the top rope. That was it—waterworks—I broke down and cried in front of the entire class. All the girls jumped on me and tried to make me feel better.

  That spring, the developmental program hosted a huge event in Kissimmee, Florida, to showcase new talent. Hunter, Michael Hayes, executives, producers, and writers all came to see trainees work. Superstars and Divas from WWE’s main roster were there. Dolph Ziggler and Briley Pierce were there too. AJ Lee and Big E were on the card, and Sasha and Summer Rae were featured in a tag team match against Emma and Paige.

  I wasn’t booked on the show to perform in a match. I was the ring announcer.

  In one of the meeting sessions we had, Michael Hayes said something profound. He said, “Not everyone here will make it. Who here has what it takes? Who here will be one of the few to be called up to the WWE main roster? Who here is going to grab the fuckin’ keys and drive the car?”

  I took that sentiment and combined it with my own emotions. It all came out of me during one of Dusty’s communication classes. We called it “promo class.”

  When I first arrived in FCW, the idea of having a class where you worked solely on interviews intimidated me. When your teacher is “the American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, student expectations are even higher. Dusty was the best. At the very least, Dusty was one of the best talkers in wrestling history. My dad used to say Dusty could “talk ’em into the building.” That meant that fans would buy a ticket to see Dusty at the next show because they were so captivated by what he’d said in his interview.

  I learned from playing sports that sometimes when all-time greats turn to coaching, it doesn’t work well. That person may not have the patience to teach people, especially someone like me who was starting from scratch. They might be better as a guest instructor or speaker or someone to give advice, but as a teacher I worked with every day, Dusty’s one of the best I ever had. Dream had this innate ability to bring something out of people that was a natural part of who they were and transform that into an integral part of their on-screen personas. He was also great at spotting talent.

  When we walked into class, Dusty always had country music playing. To grab our attention, he started every class with a story. He’d say something like, “What’s the dirt going around here? Who’s got some dirt for me?” Or he would ask us what movies were playing and what we liked and disliked about the movie we mentioned, just to get everyone talking.

  Before one of our classes, some of the guys were working out in the ring. I heard them call out some cheer phrases I’d say in practice and give high fives in an overly animated way. Maybe I was being too sensitive, but I thought it was obviously being done in a mocking way.

  In every sport I played, I was always a team leader. We always encouraged people on our team. Wrestling is a very individually focused endeavor, but at the same time, you’re only as good as the people you work with. I wanted to encourage people in practice. If someone looks good, then we all look good.

  Promo class was a great way for us to combine our frustrations in life or work or sometimes both on the microphone with creativity and passion. It took me a long time to become comfortable speaking in front of people.

  I took offense to that whole mocking thing and those overanimated high fives. When it was my turn to do an interview segment, or “cut a promo,” I used that real emotion and opened up. I used that as an opportunity to explain who I was, where I came from, and why I was doing what I was doing.

  I brought up the incident and said, “Maybe I am masking what I feel when I walk through the doors of the Performance Center every morning. The smile on my face and the high fives to my fellow coworkers are much harder to do because of the pain I feel and what I am going through every day. None of you could handle that on your best day. You couldn’t walk ten feet in my shoes, let alone a day in my life with what I’ve been through. I will continue to be me, continue to cheer on my class, because that’s who I am and where I come from.”

  That was a turning point for me. I was able to harness something very real and channel it in a specific way through my character. I didn’t see any more of those high fives again.

  That summer, I had difficulty balancing work and coping with Reider’s passing. I was grateful for Tom. I felt bad for him because he met my family for the first time when he drove me to Charlotte for Reider’s funeral. He didn’t shy away from that. He helped everyone as much as he could with kind words, a hug, or getting them something to eat or drink. Tom stayed at my side the entire time.

  I thought of my brother every second of the day. I was consumed with guilt. Was I there enough for him? Why didn’t I go home for the holidays like he wanted me to? Would that have changed anything? Reider tried to reach out to me so many times …

  I didn’t know it until now: all Reider wanted was my approval. He wanted to know I was proud of him. I wish I would’ve told him that more. I wish I would’ve posted about him on social media more often so he could have seen how proud I was of him. I felt like I betrayed him. I was happy for the first time in my life, and I was engrossed in what I was doing. I was selfish.

  Did Reider know how proud I was of him? Did he know how much I loved him? Did he know how grateful I was that he pushed me to try wrestling? Could he see what I’m doing?

  He’d appear in my dreams, and I’d always try to save him, and then I’d wake up in the middle of the night.

  I had to stay focused. A major change happened at work: we moved to the brand-new WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

  Since I was so new to the sports-entertainment industry and didn’t spend that much time in FCW, the significant changes going from Tampa to NXT in Orlando didn’t have much of an impact on me.

  I knew that the WWE Performance Center was amazing. Nothing from FCW compared to it. Because of my time playing competitive sports and being around professional sports teams, I knew how impressive a place like this was and the type of investment it was from WWE’s standpoint.

  When I walked through it for the first time, I marveled at what I saw: a full weight training facility, medical rooms, physical rehabilitation rooms, seven rings, an interview studio that we called the mirror room, a video-editing studio, a lecture hall with stadium seating and video screens. In my heart, knowing where I was, I realized, We’re professional athletes now.

  Because of my background in sports, this might’ve been one of the few times when I felt more comfortable than some of the other trainees. To me, the WWE Performance Center was what a premier, professional sports team would have as its practice facility.1 I knew that expectations were also going to be much higher.2 We all did.

  There was a professional sports franchise structure to the Performance Center and NXT. I was comfortable with that too. We had a dress code. For company events and appearances, cutoff T-shirts and tops for women that showed cleavage and exposed midriffs were not allowed. Sleeves on a button-down shirt had to stay down—no rolling them up. Coach Suzie, Coach Brubaker, and Coach Bell would be proud!

  I trained at the Performance Center Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. NXT ran shows Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We had training sessions before the shows. Setup and teardown was the same as FCW: get to the venue, set up the chairs and guardrails; unload the ring truck; and set up the ring. After the show, we’d tear everything down, drive back to the Performance Center to drop everything off, and be back the next day to do it all again. Sunday was my day off.

  My training regimen continued outside of the Performance Center. Tom was not sure about his wrestling future, but he stayed in shape. We trained together every day. Tom got me back to loving weight training again, which was perfect given the work I did ever
y day at the Performance Center.

  On Sundays, after going to the gym, Tom and I always did something fun. We loved going to the theme parks in Orlando. We’d plan that day as our cheat-meal day. We’d eat all day and watch movies when we got home. Sunday sushi dates were another favorite. We made a life for ourselves in Orlando. It felt good to be with someone who truly cared for me and treated me well. Tom was happy for me and what I was doing. He encouraged me to do things and expand my horizons.

  From that spring until the fall, I worked with two women who were standouts in the ring from the first day they were in the developmental program.

  Sasha Banks made her name around the Boston-area independents. She wanted to be a WWE Superstar from the time she was a child. Her mom used to force her to turn off the TV. She started training for wrestling as a teenager. Sasha was a phenomenal athlete and excellent in the ring. We were both at WrestleMania XXIV. I was there for my dad; she was there with her cousin Snoop Dogg, who went out to the ring after my dad’s match. We were both backstage at the same time. Sasha loved wrestling, and it showed. She idolized Eddie Guerrero. Sasha worked hard in every aspect of her training.

  From the first time we locked up during practice, Coach Sara said, “That was a really good lockup.” Sasha and I had an instant chemistry. We worked together as opponents in singles matches and were tag team partners. Sasha and I were a generic “good guy” team. We could’ve been any two girls from anywhere. One time we were in a tag match against Emma and Bayley. The crowd started booing Sasha and me and cheered our opponents, the villains. That was certainly a growing pain.

  From the time she was a child in Northern California, Bayley was a huge WWE fan. She started wrestling throughout her home state when she was eighteen. Bayley credited Randy “Macho Man” Savage as the person who influenced her love of wrestling. Bayley was very versatile as a performer and was trained in the Mexican style of lucha libre. She was the best at forming a real connection with the audience; her fans loved her from day one. They felt Bayley was one of them. She was also knowledgeable and passionate about the industry.

  I worked with Sasha and Bayley in a variety of singles, tag team, and six-person matches. These were during non-televised NXT live events. My debut on NXT programming was right around the corner.

  My NXT debut was against Bayley on July 18, 2013. Her character was a “super fan” turned NXT Diva who had an “attitude of gratitude.” Before the match, my dad came to the ring and addressed the crowd. Then he introduced me to the Full Sail audience.

  Since I was with my dad, it was okay I started the match with a signature Flair “WOOOOO!” Bayley did a great job leading me through. To make sure I had a strong debut showing for my debut, I used my athleticism and gymnastics background to perform maneuvers I did well and that looked good for the audience. And Bayley was the perfect opponent; she could do anything in the ring. My finishing move was to drive my opponent’s face into the mat with a cutter-like position like Randy Orton’s RKO, but when they were kneeling on the mat, I flipped over them rather than standing up like Randy’s finisher. Bayley made sure she was right where she needed to be. I landed the move, and the referee counted one, two, three. It was special to have my dad in my corner for my first NXT match for TV and victory. I never thought I’d strut across the ring with my dad like I did with Reider when we were kids.

  What I thought of the entire day leading up to the match with Bayley and the rest of the day after was simple: Did Reider see my match? I hope he did, because I felt like I was on my way.

  That summer, I continued to gain experience working in matches with Sasha, Bayley, Paige, and Summer Rae in venues all over Florida. I turned on Bayley in a tag match against Sasha and Summer Rae and joined my first faction: the BFFs—the Beautiful Fierce Females.

  When it came time to watch the heroes and villains of NXT, I had to understand what I was seeing. I studied so I could learn what made something good and what made something bad. Most important was the psychology the performers used to elicit the specific response they needed from the crowd. Training with my coaches and learning from the girls in the ring really helped me understand what went into putting a match together.

  I learned a lot from my friend from FCW, Mike Dalton. In NXT, he created a character named Tyler Breeze who was a huge success. He explained the importance of certain character details, why a match was put together in a certain way, and what a particular ending is designed to do for the characters.

  From the beginning, there were certain people whose work I admired. I could watch Bo Dallas’s matches for hours. The way he’d take an opponent’s offense and come back from it was awesome. Bo was another standout in training sessions and was an excellent NXT Champion.

  C. J. Parker had great timing, humor, and personality all in one. He’s someone else I learned a lot from watching.

  The Vaudevillains were such a talented tag team. Gotch and English were meticulous in the way they approached their characters, created their move set, and told their stories in the ring.

  Sami Callihan had one of my favorites personas. The dark side of his character was especially captivating when he spoke and moved in the ring.

  Rusev was so intimidating and powerful. He could make the audience get behind any “good guy,” hoping they’d beat him. All Rusev had to do was appear on camera. I always felt he didn’t get enough credit for the charisma he had as the monster villain.

  I was privileged to see so many things: Rusev coming into his own with Lana; Ambrose, Rollins, and Reigns becoming the Shield; the early days of Bray Wyatt and the Wyatt Family; and Big E. I enjoyed watching them work. I didn’t fully appreciate having that opportunity until years later. It was an honor for me to see these performers progress in developmental and then go on to become huge stars on WWE’s main roster.

  * * *

  Two unexpected things happened in the fall. Tom asked me for my hand in marriage. I said, “Yes.” The year we were together was one of the happiest times of my life. We loved each other and were best friends.3 Tom and I got married in a private service. I was truly happy when I said, “I do,” in that small ceremony, compared to the terrible feeling I’d had when I married Riki in a wedding that had all the appearances of a perfect day.

  Shortly after I said, “I do,” to Tom, the doctor told me, “You can’t.” During a tag match with Sasha against Paige and Emma, my breast implant burst. I didn’t realize it until the next day. The doctor said it had to be replaced immediately. And the worst part was that I’d be out for two months.

  It was so difficult for me to be out because of an injury, especially for something like an implant popping, not a move I performed in the ring. It drove me crazy to have my activities restricted while I was recovering.

  I didn’t want to be on the sidelines anymore, in someone’s corner, booked for the occasional tag team or singles match. I made a promise to myself I would come back stronger and with a tangible goal: to become a prominent member of the NXT Women’s Division.

  While I was out, I started to piece together all the things I’d been learning. The principles of developing a persona, building that persona into a character, and then knowing who you are as a performer, making that character come alive and making it real …

  The facial expressions coupled with specific movements, the athletic component of our profession, which I had confidence in, they’re all important. But it’s one piece of a more intricate equation. It went beyond the concept of “good guy” versus “bad guy.”

  I couldn’t wait to get back to the Performance Center. The arena at Full Sail was a replica of what it would be like on WWE’s main roster. The stage, the ramp, the cameras, the lights, the ring—it was then I realized that once you walked through the curtain, the entire arena, not just the ring, is a performer’s stage. The entertainment aspect of sports entertainment was something I needed to continue to learn. How to walk, how to hit your mark, how to pose, which way to look for the camera, makeup, h
air, wardrobe—everything contributes to your performance.

  I started the new year cleared to return to the Performance Center. I was more dedicated to training than ever before. I noticed that my leaner build led to better mobility in the ring. By the end of January, I was awarded “Trainee of the Month.” I dedicated myself to learning my character, learning the psychology of what to do and when and why, and knowing how to be Ric Flair’s daughter.

  I continued to be told not to evoke images of my dad. I just wasn’t sure if fans expected it. Whether I was a villain or a hero, would fans expect Ric Flair’s child to have the strength behind a reverse knife-edge chop that could knock a door off its hinges? Would the fans expect me to lift my opponent into a standing vertical suplex and keep her hanging in the air so long it would feel like time stood still? What about the figure-four leg lock?

  I picked up where I’d left off with Sasha before I got injured. The BFFs were making a name for themselves in NXT and probably having a little too much fun doing it.

  My character formed into what it was supposed to be: a supervillain, a physically domineering machine who destroyed her opponents.

  Sasha and I became close friends away from the cameras. The BFFs worked very well because it was real. We were both disappointed with where we were in the developmental program. That frustration created a bond between us. We felt that if we didn’t do something, we’d be confined to being enhancement talent. We both wanted to be the best. We wanted to be the next Emma-versus-Paige rivalry.

  The villainous BFF duo acted out real emotions in front of the cameras. During this time, I was fortunate to work closely with Sasha. Sasha knew a lot about the wrestling business, and I learned a lot working with her. Sasha had loved wrestling since she was a kid, and she brought that drive with her to the Performance Center every day. Sasha pushed me to continue learning and to keep improving.

  One of the things Coach Sara said during her work in developmental was, “It’s not about being good for a girl. It’s about being good. And you don’t stop there.” On NXT’s first live special on the WWE Network, NXT ArRival, two women showed how good they were, and this was just the beginning.