Charlotte Flair: 5 things you should know 

In only four short years, Charlotte Flair has cemented herself as one of the greatest female wrestlers in history. The daughter of two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, Charlotte has built an equally impressive resume. Her successes include nine world championships and making history as part of the first all-female main event at WrestleMania.

Fans know the wrestler, but many don't know Charlotte Flair the person. Flair opened up on a recent edition of Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia and revealed 5 Things You Should Know About Charlotte Flair.

#5. She wouldn't be where she is today without Dusty Rhodes

Charlotte Flair with late great WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes

Dusty Rhodes was legendary for his feud with Charlotte's father, Hall of Famer Ric Flair. The two men were opposites, diametrically opposed at every end of the spectrum. Ric Flair was flashy, clad in expensive silk robes, riding in limousines, and easy on the eyes. Dusty was a heavyset man, the pot-bellied son of a plumber who pontificated about sleeping in alleys and dining on pork and beans. The two legends battled for NWA supremacy in the 1980s and will forever be linked throughout wrestling history.

When Charlotte Flair signed a developmental contract with WWE in 2012, it was evident that she lacked her father's natural charisma and masterful heel arrogance. That's when a familiar name decided to take Charlotte under his wing. Dusty Rhodes, her father's arch-rival, would become Charlotte Flair's saving grace. It was Dusty Rhodes who helped her blossom into the professional wrestler fans now know as "The Queen."

Flair told Lilian Garcia,

"It was 100% [Dusty Rhodes who helped me come up with the character]. All four of us [The 4 Horsewomen] it was just Dusty finding something that was true to us, like something that was authentic and making that larger than life. It started with my athleticism and then the legacy. It was just believing in that confidence, 'You can carry yourself like a Queen.' You can see that in each one of our characters."

#4. The Charlotte Flair character is her alter ego

Charlotte Flair makes her entrance to the ring

Charlotte Flair didn't walk through the doors of the WWE Performance Center as the charismatic Charlotte Flair that wrestling fans know and love today. Athletically, she was always gifted having excelled at sports from the time she was a small child. She was a superb volleyball player, having won two state championships in high school before continuing her career at North Carolina State University. Still, despite her athletic achievements Flair lacked the confidence required to be a larger than life character in the comic book world of professional wrestling.

That's when she made a choice to become her alter ego: The Queen. Flair told Lilian Garcia,

"I 100% created Charlotte Flair [as an alter ego]. Up until the last two years, it was just creating this character that I wanted to be like in real life and then finding that, so when I first got to the main roster and debuting as a babyface and having to face Paige and Nikki [Bella] and the arena is just booing me and I'm like, 'Why does no one like me?' I'm blonde, I'm smiley, I'm athletic. I just don't get it. Why are they booing me?'"

The rejection caused Flair to delve deeper into the character she was destined to portray. She no longer needed to be liked and instead embraced the hate, becoming the gifted heel she is today.

#3. She wrestles with a chip on her shoulder

Nine Time World Champion Charlotte Flair

The WWE Universe's early rejection helped Flair embrace her dark side and also gave her a major chip on her shoulder. Flair knew she was more than Ric Flair's daughter and understood the difficulties of living in her legendary father's shadow, a burden that was often more detrimental than helpful. This fact; however, was lost on many wrestling fans, who simply labelled her as entitled, spoiled, and the undeserving benefiter of Hall of Fame DNA and her father's backstage connections.

The rejection drove Flair to greatness,

"It was like turning that [rejection] into fuel for the character. It was like, 'You don't like me? I'll give you a reason not to like me.'"

WWE decided to pair Charlotte up with Ric Flair and the two time Hall of Famer was cast as his daughter's manager. Everywhere Charlotte went, Ric went too. The move meant that the enormous shadow Ric cast would be physically and publicly present every time Charlotte would wrestle.

At first, Charlotte wasn't a fan of the move,

"When they first put me with my dad, I was like, 'This is gonna be bad.' How am I supposed to go to the ring every night with Ric Flair? How am I going to shine in his presence?'"

Charlotte took the challenge head-on,

"I took every opportunity when I was on TV to be like, 'People aren't going to pay attention to him. They're going to pay attention to me.'"

The Queen didn't run from the pressure and instead learned to embrace it,

"OK, you think I'm handed everything? I'll show you I'm handed everything. I was building that confidence each step at a time and owning it instead of being like, 'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I'm a Flair,' and then wanting to feel like a Queen."

She added,

"That chip on my shoulder makes me who I am and how much I've grown is because I always want to prove to people that I love this business, the passion I have for it, and no matter who my dad is, I'd still be The Queen."

#2. Charlotte Flair never wanted to wrestle

Charlotte Flair with her late brother Reid

Charlotte Flair was an obviously gifted athlete from the time she was a small child. In fact, her earliest memories include her excelling at sports. She parlayed her naturally competitive drive into a successful NCAA volleyball career. Wrestling; however, was never on the youngster's mind.

That was her brother Reid's territory. Reid Flair was destined to follow in his father's Hall of Fame footsteps; but, those dreams came to an end when he tragically passed away in 2013. The loss devastated the Flair family and motivated Charlotte to honour her brother by accomplishing his dream of becoming a professional wrestler.

John Laurinaitis can take credit for noticing Charlotte first,

"John Laurinaitis said, 'Why aren't you doing this?' I think he just said it to me to kind of encourage my brother, to kind of light a fire under him to do what was needed to get into the company. I was like, 'Maybe, if I do this my brother will get on the right path and I can help him.'"

Flair was a legitimate professional athlete, not a Diva. She had more in common with Gabrielle Reece, Serena Williams, and Ronda Rousey than she did with Torrie Wilson, Trish Stratus, or Lita. Still, it was her destiny to become a professional wrestler and Flair would inevitably help usher in a new athletically focused era in women's wrestling.

She reported to NXT three months later having no idea what challenges lay ahead. Flair officially debuted in NXT only four months after her brother Reid's passing.

#1. Main eventing WrestleMania is only the beginning

Nine Time World Champion Charlotte Flair a.k.a. "The Queen"

In the years preceding WrestleMania 35, Charlotte Flair would tell anyone within earshot that it was her goal to main event a WrestleMania. While many doubted that women would ever be given such a chance in a company that once promoted pillow fights and lingerie matches, Flair was steadfast and wholeheartedly committed to her vision. This was her goal and her destiny was written in the stars above MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey.

Flair made history alongside Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch when she finally accomplished her main event dream at WrestleMania 35. The monumental event was celebrated around the world for its historic significance. Flair would go down in history as one of the most integral figures in the Women's Evolution.

Those who think Flair has reached the pinnacle of her career; however, should reconsider. She isn't done yet,

"The next day I woke up and said, 'I just main evented WrestleMania.' I said it so many times and when it happened, I'm just thinking, 'I want to main event next WrestleMania because people keep saying, 'The ladies main evented WrestleMania. It's the pinnacle of the Women's Evolution.' No, you just don't have the pinnacle and then it goes off into the next thing. No, you have to continue the momentum and I'm just thinking, 'Who's main eventing Tampa?'"

Readers can listen to Lilian Garcia's interview with Charlotte Flair in its entirety HERE.

(Please give SportsKeeda transcription credits on using all the quotes).