Charlotte Flair on continuing to wrestle past the age of 40: “I’m going to quit when I want to quit”
While speaking to Katie Nolan, WWE star Charlotte Flair (who just turned 40) commented on how she feels about the idea of retiring from wrestling…
“I feel like in our industry—or my industry—men don’t reach their prime until 40.
I didn’t win my first title until I was 30. Whereas 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 men don’t hit their prime until 40—why am I not hitting my prime now? I don’t look at it like that. Yes, I realize it would be easier for people to label me in that box, but I’m not going to let anyone put me in that box.
And I hope women in any profession who are about to turn 40 don’t think that it’s a slowdown or an endgame. If anything, in whatever industry you’re in—and in sports, like Lindsey Vonn did—it’s about what you’re capable of, what you’re willing to do, and the time you’re willing to put in.
I’m very fortunate—I started out on top. It might seem like my career is longer, but I’ve just had the opportunity to be at the top of the game.
Now I’m not going to say sorry anymore for winning. I’m not going to age out of my career—I’m going to quit when I want to quit. I’m going to lace it up when I want.”