The most recent episode of Bruce Prichard’s Something to Wrestle with Bruce centered on WWE Armageddon 2002, when Flair was promoted to co-owner of WWE in storyline.
According to Prichard, Vince McMahon preferred a different version of the iconic performer during this time.
“I don’t think he was a big fan of Ric’s promos by any stretch of the imagination. But also, in this era of Ric being the “owner” or general manager and whatever the hell it was, it was trying to present Ric in a different way, represent a different side of him, a business side of him, and not to be that character that he had been for all those years as a performer. We were looking for a different side of him.”
Quotes via SportsKeeda