Ric Flair may have drunk his last drink on TNA's dime?

rovert

PWInsider in super detail:

A number of readers have asked why Ric Flair has disappeared from television and missed several TNA house shows since appearing in a Gutcheck segment on Impact Wrestling, judging Alex Silva.
Sources close to Flair and TNA have confirmed that the two sides are at a major impasse as there is a ton of heat on Flair for conduct outside the ring. It was described to me by one TNA source as, "being at the point it's not worth keeping Flair around."

There have been a number of incidents involving Flair at local establishments and bars in Orlando since coming to the company. At one point, sources indicate Flair was banned from drinking at the Hard Rock Cafe in Citiwalk due to an incident with him "acting inappropriate", according to one source, leading to venue management banishing him.

There are also stories aplenty within the company of Flair not being able to cover bar tabs and company management getting a call from the hotel and/or bar seeking payment. Most recently something similar went down at the hotel TNA utilizes for their wrestlers and staff, which the company has had a great relationship with for years, that was the final tipping point. At that point, Flair was pulled from several Louisiana house shows and the final TV Tapings before Impact Wrestling goes live on 5/31.

A similar issue led to Flair's meltdown last year on the European tour, where TNA's Craig Jenkins, after several days of fronting Flair money to cover a bar tab, refused to do so again. This led to Flair screaming at Jenkins in front of the entire crew and refusing to get on the TNA tour bus to head to the next date. Flair was left behind, missed a show and then returned to the tour the next day, apologizing to the locker room when he arrived. Publicly, Flair blamed the matter on the company not giving him "advances" like he would get when touring for WWE, citing that he was "used" to that treatment. Those comments upset people within the company because of the perception that the company "wasn't taking care of talents."

There have been a number of forces within TNA that have been against having him as a regular since he came into the company, noting that while he carries a high price tag, he hasn't translated into drawing money or ratings for the company - and now, his work in the ring isn't "Ric Flair level" anymore, but "Ric Flair level behavior" remains.

There are also some in the company that feel that Flair and WWE put them in a "no win situation" when Flair was announced for the WWE Hall of Fame, noting that the company had no choice but to allow him to go in, or else they would look like they were denying Flair and the fans. To be fair, Flair didn't know in advance he was getting inducted but he publicly told fans he would be there "on stage" before a deal was signed that would allow him to appear at Wrestlemania and the Hall of Fame.

Spike TV sources also note that there have also been a number of requests from the network end to keep Flair dressed and not have him "near nude" (i.e., in his wrestling gear) and bleeding at his age on TV.

Flair debuted for TNA on 1/4/10, the first episode of the Hulk Hogan/Eric Bischoff regime. He was made the mentor to AJ Styles and manager of Fortune with the idea of creating a modern day Four Horsemen style group. That led to Flair being part of Immortal and until the Gutcheck Judging role, he had most recently been managing Gunner and running with Eric Bischoff in their feud designed to get Garett Bischoff over.

Since departing WWE, there have been a number of issues with Flair. He signed for a number of appearances with Ring of Honor, then pulled out of them, citing his relationship with WWE (although it was more likely that he realized they weren't going to use Reid Flair following a drug arrest). When Flair didn't pay back an advance given to him, ROH filed a lawsuit against him. Flair also landed in court over money lent to him by Highspots.com and at one point, there was an order of arrest out for him if Flair did not pay the agreed settlement by a certain date. That order was issued because Flair had missed several agreed dates for payment of the settlement. The money was eventually paid and the NWA World title belt, which Highspots.com was holding as collateral, was seen displayed at WWE AXXESS this year, potentially pointing to WWE as having paid the debt and acquiring the title for their own archive.

There was word making rounds over the weekend that Flair was done with TNA, but we have not been able to confirm that.

When contacted today, TNA declined comment on the Flair matter, citing that he was still officially on their roster.

Seems like they have really stuck the knife in.

GTR63

Where is he going to turn up/bleed next. His best bud HHH will bring him back for what reason he could give i'd love to know.

rovert

GTR63 wrote: »

Where is he going to turn up/bleed next. His best bud HHH will bring him back for what reason he could give i'd love to know.

HHH has more power than ever and does want him back everything I have heard from your PWInsiders, Meltzers etc. He would be good for the WWE Network and with Raw going 3 hours it is all hands on deck.

waltersobchak

Sure wasnt the deal with Flair being left behind in Dublin on the TNA tour all to do with running up bar tabs and management refusing to pay them..

Furious-Red

No loss at all if he goes from TNA

jaykhunter

I love crazy ol' Flair's promos in TNA but he sounds like a colossal pain in the arse. If I were in TNA I wouldn't bother with him. But there's plenty of the over-50 club not worth bothering with. At least flair has his promos.

Maybe he'll be head of a consortium that buys RAW and becomes GM during the summer :P

Machismo Fan

jaykhunter wrote: »

But there's plenty of the over-50 club not worth bothering with. At least flair has his promos.

Who else aside from Hogan?

GTR63

The only highpoint of his Tna in ring tna career was that time he flopped about in the Cage at Lockdown 2010 iirc. Running into the cage, then into knuckleduster and for some reason he jumped on tacks. What a clown!

rovert

GTR63 wrote: »

The only highpoint of his Tna in ring tna career was that time he flopped about in the Cage at Lockdown 2010 iirc. Running into the cage, then into knuckleduster and for some reason he jumped on tacks. What a clown!

If you skip over this feud:

Machismo Fan

GTR63 wrote: »

The only highpoint of his Tna in ring tna career was that time he flopped about in the Cage at Lockdown 2010 iirc. Running into the cage, then into knuckleduster and for some reason he jumped on tacks. What a clown!

In fairness, his matches and promo work during his feuds with Foley and Lethal were great. And as a general rule his promos have been fantastic.

montyrebel

If WWE can bring him back it would help ratings imho, thats where the old school fans are not in TNA

waltersobchak

GTR63 wrote: »

The only highpoint of his Tna in ring tna career was that time he flopped about in the Cage at Lockdown 2010 iirc. Running into the cage, then into knuckleduster and for some reason he jumped on tacks. What a clown!

I think thats a pretty ridiculous thing to say about a legimate Hall of Famer, 16+ Time World Champion..



Whoever didnt enjoy Wheelchair Flair is..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4m4wbYc08k

EdK

Ironically enough actually had drinks with Ric Flair and a few other wrestlers a few nights after he left the tour (then returned) in Manchester, he really puts away the red wine and does buy drinks for a few of the other wrestlers which aren't turned down out of respect and not to cause a situation

On that particular night his wife was with him and wouldn't let him sign for anything without checking it so I can only imagine what he's like when he's on his own

He has wasted so much money in his career trying to live the Nature Boy lifestyle and it's pretty sad even the other wrestlers feel sorry for him but know better than to question him

starviewadams

Hopefully Flair winds back up in WWE soon,where at least Triple H and co can keep an eye on him and try to reign him in a wee bit.

DEFTLEFTHAND

Yeah WWE is where he needs to be. I feel he could contribute a lot to the new network if it ever gets off the ground. Also you'd have to imagine he could be of some worth backstage working in an agent/mentor role.

I don't think anybody will ever be able curb his Nature Boy lifestyle but thats Ric he likes to party, however at 63 years of age he really shouldn't be getting himself banned from bars for inappropriate bechaviour. :pac:

rovert

PWInsider

TNA filed a lawsuit yesterday in court in Nashville against WWE and former TNA and WWE office worker Brian Wittenstein for interference with existing contracts, conversion, breach of contract, civil conspiracy, unfair competition, and violation of the Tennessee Uniform Trade Secrets Act. They are also suing Wittenstein for breach of duty of loyalty.
TNA's lawsuit alleges that that Wittenstein, who worked for TNA for three years before departing in 2011, provided World Wrestling Entertainment with inside information on contracts and other matters from his time working in the live events department and now WWE is attempting to poach talent from the company with that information.

Wittenstein was hired by WWE earlier this year and worked briefly under Michael Hayes as his assistant before being let go by WWE. According to the suit, WWE fired Wittenstein after he presented them with inside TNA information. However, WWE did not inform TNA that they had been provided that information for nearly three weeks.

TNA claims they were informed on 5/7. Several days later, Ric Flair (who the company has been having issues with, as we've reported here) approached TNA trying to get out of his contract. In the lawsuit, TNA alleged that Flair was trying to get out of his contract in order to go to WWE and since telling TNA he wanted out of his deal, has not appeared as booked at live events, including the Sacrifice PPV.

In the last week, there have also been rumors that Alex Shelley had turned down a new TNA contract and was looking to go to WWE as well. While those stories have been making the rounds, PWInsider.com has not been able to independently confirm them. Shelley was not mentioned in the legal filing.

An injunction was issued earlier today demanding that WWE and Wittenstein each return whatever confidential material Wittenstein retained from his time working for TNA. They were specifically instructed not to "destroy" any of the material.

We'll have more information as we confirm it.

WWE bitch boys no more

jaykhunter

I really wonder how TNA can prove such a thing. Without actual papers with information on it, it just sounds like hearsay. Especially since WWE and TNA leak info to the dirtsheets all the time it's gonna be v difficult to prove.

What does The Meltz say?

rovert

Meltzer hasnt said anything yet.

I mention Jerry Jarrett's first book a lot. Jerry mentions the theory based on prior WWE associations Jay Hassman - a PPV consultant NWATNA hired fed the Jarrett super duper inflated buyrate information which led the Jarretts to spending money that actually wasn't going to come in which ended up nearly bankrupting NWATNA until a chance meeting between Jeff and a girl called Dixie.

Jerry was never able to prove it in court but he is a smart man and makes a credible case for WWE interference.

One of the things Jerry points to is Vince cutting the random balls Ruthless Aggression speech the week of NWA TNA's launch.

gnfnrhead

jaykhunter wrote: »

I really wonder how TNA can prove such a thing. Without actual papers with information on it, it just sounds like hearsay. Especially since WWE and TNA leak info to the dirtsheets all the time it's gonna be v difficult to prove.

What does The Meltz say?

I'd guess:

TNA claims they were informed on 5/7.

That will help them a lot. The guy is no longer employed by WWE so they have no reason to protect him. I assume Vince didnt just give Dixie a call and let her know, it was probably done in an official manner. They should have that paper work. Thats the word of (rival companies) WWE and TNA against one guy. Provided WWE did it in an official manner, TNA should have enough proof to get this guy in a bit of trouble. If WWE play ball, TNA will likely drop the case against them and just go after the idiot who got caught. If WWE do play ball, this guy is screwed imo.

Machismo Fan

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/tna-wrestling-files-injunction-against-wwe-over-contracts-trade-secrets-violations

Maybe they should just break out the steel cage.

The natural business rivalry between Nashville-based Total Nonstop Action Entertainment Inc. and World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. has spilled over to the courtroom.

TNA filed an injunction request Wednesday in Davidson County Chancery Court, claiming that a former TNA employee provided WWE with confidential information and trade secrets.

Just days after TNA learned about the breach, well-known TNA wrestler Ric Flair attempted to back out of his contract, according to the suit.

The filing claims that Brian Wittenstein, who worked for TNA as a live events and talents relations coordinator from 2008 until August 2011, took confidential wrestler contract information when he went to work for WWE earlier this year.

According to the suit, WWE is now using that information to poach wrestlers from TNA.

“This wrongful disclosure and misappropriation allows WWE to effectively price TNA out of the market and cause irreparable harm to TNA’s business and profitability,” the lawsuit reads. “WWE now knows the confidential details of TNA’s business affairs including its marketing and business strategy and analysis, which leaves TNA vulnerable to WWE’s unfair position in the market.”

A WWE official notified TNA on May 7 about Wittenstein’s breach, but the lawsuit claims WWE waited three weeks before telling TNA. WWE fired Wittenstein after they learned what he did, according to the lawsuit.

Two days later, Flair attempted to terminate his TNA contract. He also failed to show up for TNA events from May 10-15, including a pay-per-view show. TNA now believes that Flair may be headed for WWE, the timing of which, it claims, is “suspect.”

“In order to injure TNA and gain a competitive advantage, WWE intentionally interfered with TNA’s contractual relationship with Ric Flair and maliciously used the trade secrets and confidential information provided by Wittenstein to approach Ric Flair,” the lawsuit reads.

Jerry McDevitt, who has represented the WWE in legal cases for 25 years, said the lawsuit took them by surprise.

“Our reaction is that no good deed ever goes unpunished,” he said. “What the WWE did here is what you would hope any company would do in these circumstances it found itself in.”

Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle signed a temporary restraining order Thursday, requiring WWE and Wittenstein return, and not destroy, the confidential information. WWE and Wittenstein must abide by the order until an injunction hearing set for June 11.

Overall, TNA is suing for interference with existing contracts (against WWE), breach of duty of loyalty (against Wittenstein), conversion, breach of contract, civil conspiracy, unfair competition and violation of the Tennessee Uniform Trade Secrets Act.

TNA, whose headquarters are located in Cummins Station, has increased in global popularity over the past several years.

The much larger WWE, founded in 1952, is based in Stamford, Conn., and made $123 million in revenue during the first quarter of 2012.