Ric Flair Says Cody Rhodes Should’ve Beaten Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39

Wrestling legend Ric Flair recently appeared on SiriusXM Fight Nation’s “Busted Open,” where he discussed his Sports Emmy nomination, reflected on his enduring legacy in professional wrestling, and shared his thoughts on several WWE storylines.

Speaking with Dave LaGreca, Bully Ray, and Mark Henry, Flair explained why he believed Cody Rhodes should have defeated Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 and discussed the placement of Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley’s championship match on the card.

Ric Flair Reflects on His Sports Emmy Nomination

After the hosts congratulated Flair on his Sports Emmy nomination, he expressed his excitement and discussed what the recognition meant for him and for professional wrestling. He noted that honors like this are rare for the industry and thanked those involved with the ESPN documentary, including Stephen A. Smith.

“The Rock has never been nominated for an Emmy, and he’s the biggest star in Hollywood. So it’s a big deal,” Flair said. “I’m excited, and I never anticipated this when I started the project, but it’s fine… I’ll just have to wait and see.”

The conversation then turned to Flair’s lasting popularity. LaGreca remarked that Flair’s influence extends well beyond the height of his NWA championship run, and Flair agreed, saying he believes he’s even more recognizable today than he was during the 1980s.

LaGreca added, “I always say you’re the greatest of all time, and I was having fights with kids back in the day when they would mention Hulk Hogan. I said, ‘I guess you never saw Ric Flair wrestle.'”

Ric Flair Thought Cody Rhodes Should Have Won

The conversation eventually shifted to WrestleMania 39 and WWE’s biggest storylines.

Flair said he was shocked when Cody Rhodes came up short against Roman Reigns in the night’s main event, adding that he believed Rhodes should have won the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. He also praised Rhodes’ trilogy of matches with Seth Rollins, calling them some of his best work.

“[Cody is] performing at a different level… the two matches with Seth Rollins were off the hook,” Flair said. “I was in shock when [Cody] didn’t win it, but nobody knows what’s going on there and who was making the decisions.”

Flair also shared his disappointment with where Charlotte Flair’s SmackDown Women’s Championship match against Rhea Ripley was placed on the WrestleMania card, arguing that world championship matches should receive greater prominence.