Charlotte Flair Used To Feel The Need To Apologize For Opportunities That Came From Last Name

Charlotte Flair has carved out a career that will go down as one of the best of all time for any woman in WWE history. But it all began with a large robe to fill. "The Queen" recently told "NBC Sports" about how apologetic she used to feel for getting opportunities due to the Flair name.

"I went through this weird phase where I felt like I had to apologize for having opportunities. Now I'm like, 'Wait, it took me like three years after that to be like, why am I apologizing for having opportunities?'" she said. "Why do we as women feel like we have to say sorry? We don't need to say sorry. Don't dim your light to make other people feel comfortable."

Charlotte certainly isn't the first second-generation superstar ever, but the Flair last name has an extraordinarily large expectation that comes with it. She worried that having the chance to even live up to those expectations may have come only due to the Flair name.

"I felt like so many people felt that doors open for me because of my lineage. I always felt like I had this chip that I had to apologize for being Ric's daughter. I didn't think it was true but it was my own pressure that I was putting on myself," she said. "Even today, when you hear your opponents say, 'Well, why is she in the title picture so many times?' Like it's a choice. Why aren't you asking yourself why you aren't in the title picture that many times? Ask yourself that."

Flair will be defending her "WWE Smackdown" Women's Championship at WrestleMania on Night 1 against Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley. The match will be their second WrestleMania encounter, having faced each other previously at WrestleMania 36 for the NXT Women's Championship.