As a storm of social media controversy continues to swirl around Ric Flair, Dutch Mantell, and Jim Ross, WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long is making one thing clear — he wants absolutely nothing to do with the drama.
Speaking on a recent episode of his “Road Trip After Hours” podcast with co-host Mac Davis, Long addressed the heated online exchanges but firmly declined to engage in the back-and-forth.
Davis recapped the situation for listeners: Flair had posted inflammatory tweets, including calling Jim Ross “attention-seeking” in reference to his latest cancer update. That prompted Dutch Mantell to fire back, calling Flair a “dick.” Flair then doubled down with more tweets targeting his critics, telling “haters” to “Go f yourself” while flaunting his wealth.
When asked for his thoughts, Teddy Long didn’t mince words:
“Nothing surprises me. This is professional wrestling, man. So nothing surprises me. The thing I try to do is stay away from all this drama, because I don’t have time for it. God has blessed me — I’m still alive, still seeing the fans, and enjoying myself. So I ain’t got time for all that negativity.”
Long acknowledged that he’s had his own share of personal and professional trials, but he emphasized growth and moving forward.
“I know what happened to me, and I know about all that, but that’s in the past. I survived it. I made it in the world of professional wrestling. I’m now a brand. I made a name for myself. I don’t have to suck up to nobody. I’m my own boss now.”
During the episode, a viewer named Pretty Classy Lady mentioned a past shoot interview in which Long had spoken about negative experiences with Flair. Long confirmed those statements were true but reiterated that he’s not interested in reopening old wounds.
“Yeah, I said all that. That’s in the past. People know. All I know is — I told the truth. Anytime I say something about somebody, believe me, it’s the truth. Because I’m not gonna sit out here and tell a lie.”
He wrapped up with a firm message for anyone looking to drag him into the drama:
“I’m trying to stay away from all this negativity and just enjoy my life. So what these guys are saying — all of them talking about each other and this and that — stay away from me. I ain’t got time for you.”
Teddy Long remains one of wrestling’s most respected voices, and his stance sends a powerful message about choosing peace and positivity over public feuds.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more news, interviews, and commentary from around the wrestling world.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
