In a surprising twist following a heated promo battle between Cody Rhodes and John Cena, wrestling legend Ric Flair has officially declared that he will NOT be appearing at WWE WrestleMania 41. The reason? He’s currently under contract with AEW!

In an exclusive interview with Busted Open Radio, Flair shared his thoughts, stating, “I wish I could say that I was [going to WrestleMania], but I’m not, and I understand why. I’m not mad about it. Every time they talk about the title, my name gets mentioned. They keep me relevant, and that’s very cool.” He went on to express his admiration for both Cena and Rhodes, noting he would be welcomed back but is committed to his current role with AEW.

According to wrestling insider Dave Meltzer, Flair inked a two-year deal with AEW late last year, largely driven by a sponsorship collaboration with Whooo! Energy. Although the contract isn’t particularly restrictive, allowing him to potentially work with his daughter in WWE, it appears AEW hasn’t utilized his talents since the Sting retirement show over a year ago and doesn’t plan to anytime soon.

This development has left many fans buzzing—could this be the last we've seen of Flair in the WWE spotlight? As the wrestling world eagerly awaits announcements leading up to WrestleMania 41, Flair's allegiance to AEW is a clear reminder of the ever-changing landscape of professional wrestling.