During a conversation on Casuals with Katie Nolan, Charlotte Flair was asked when she needs to start thinking about things like when she’s going to retire, does she want to go out fighting or take a step back and reassess, and what her mindset is right now. Her response was definitive:
“None of that. It’s unfortunate that those sentences happen because I feel like in our industry, or my industry, men don’t reach their prime until 40. So, why… I guess I never… because I started late. I didn’t win my first
title until I was 30. Where the girls are now, which is awesome, a lot of people are in their younger 20s but I graduated, had the awkward 20s of not knowing what to do, and then wrestling came later in life. But, saying that the men don’t hit their prime until 40, why am I not hitting my prime now?
“Why is it… I don’t look at it as, yes, I realize that I think it would be easier for people to label me in that box, but I’m not gonna let anyone put me in that box. And I hope women in any profession who are about to turn 40 don’t think that is a slowdown or an endgame. But if anything if this is whatever industry that you’re in and sport like Lindsey Vonn did, it’s whatever you are capable of and are willing to do and put in the time. I started out… I’m very fortunate. I started out on top, so it might seem like my career is longer but I just have had the opportunity to be at the top of the game. And now I’m not gonna say sorry anymore for, like, winning. Like, I’m not gonna age out of my career. I’m gonna quit when I want to quit.”
She also made sure to say that will not be anytime soon, putting a stamp on her view that she doesn’t need to think about the end just yet. She just turned 40 on April 5 but her work in the ring is as good or better than it’s ever been, and there’s no reason to think she’ll slow down from the standard she has set.
She’ll be wrestling in yet another title match at WrestleMania 42 next weekend. Why stop now?
