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Before Lacey Evans announced that she was actually pregnant, WWE spent a lot of time setting up a feud between Evans and Charlotte Flair based around Lacey’s on-screen relationship with Flair’s father, Ric.
The company thankfully never implied the baby might be a kayfabe Nature Boy or Girl. They spent enough time before that hinting that the 72 year old either was or was trying to sleep with his 31 year old associate that it left a lot of people feeling uncomfortable, though.
Among those who did like it? The Flairs.
Ric explained the thinking behind the storyline, and his and his daughter’s feelings on it, in an interview with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani last week:
“In this instance, I didn’t [feel comfortable]. The one thing I’ve learned is you’re not going to win a war when someone’s got their mind made up. She most definitely didn’t like it, but the one thing that I can say about me is I always said yes. I didn’t want to be that guy that was always going ‘Oh, that isn’t perfect for me.’ I’ve been buried in the desert by [Vince] Russo, I’ve had my head shaved – I’ve done everything. When that was all over, I was mad but now I just look back and say it wasn’t it. This was something that when I got to TV, Mr. McMahon wasn’t there to argue the point with and he had stuff going on. I don’t like to put the pressure on someone if I can’t talk to him. He just made up his mind.
“I think a lot of it was because [Lacey] was a marine. God only knows we cannot give enough back to the people that serve in the military, and I think he wanted her to be successful and the way to get successful sometimes is to take two people that are doing really well and give them the rub. She’s a really nice girl and all that, but it didn’t fit this time. We made the best of it, but ultimately, she’s pregnant with her husband now. It was never anything personal. I barely know her, and her whole life is her husband and her daughter. So, I didn’t like that one.”
Naitch goes on to explain that, in addition to thinking it would take Evans to the next level, Vince liked the angle because he’ll always see Ric as the “kiss stealin’, wheelin’ dealin’” character from the 1980s. Flair also said of the WWE Chairman & CEO:
“You’re not going to win the argument because he’s smarter, and he’s the boss. He may be the smartest guy I’ve ever met. He never stops being the best.”
WOO?