Ric Flair would have ‘no problem’ with John Cena breaking World title record

Ric Flair wouldn’t have a problem with John Cena breaking his World title record.

WWE recognizes Flair and Cena as being tied for the record with 16 World Championship reigns each. With Cena set to retire from in-ring competition in 2025, some fans have brought up that they’d like to see him take sole possession of the record and have one final run as champion.

Flair told Busted Open Radio on Monday that, while the record is something he likes having because of its sentimentality, he’d have no problem if Cena broke it. Ideally, Flair would like to remain tied with Cena until Charlotte Flair surpasses both of them.

“You want the honest to God truth? I think so much personally of John Cena. He’s just one of those really great guys, in my opinion. And I’ve known a few,” Flair said. “In a perfect world, it would be my daughter, which I think would be the biggest thing that could ever happen. I told her one time, and she got upset — not upset but she didn’t like the comparison, I said, ‘You’d be as famous as Serena Williams if you broke that record that’s been there for so long.’ She didn’t like the comparison, but she’s as good an athlete as there is alive today. But if they do it with John, I have no problem. I’d be the first one to hit the ring and shake his hand.”

Given that Paul “Triple H” Levesque is such a Flair fan, Busted Open Radio asked Flair if he thinks Levesque would be hesitant to book Cena breaking the record.

“I personally kind of agree with you, I don’t think he wants to pull the trigger on it,” Flair responded.

Flair said he just loves wrestling and would give his blessing to have the record broken. He named Randy Orton as someone else who would be deserving of it.

Cena’s retirement tour will last from January through December 2025. The amount of dates he plans on working is “in the mid-30s to 40s.”

Though 16 is the number that’s commonly recognized, Flair has had more World title reigns than that. Dave Meltzer notes that Flair’s actual number of reigns is at least 18.