Inside Charlotte Flair's First Marriage To Riki Paul Johnson
Many wrestling fans are aware that Charlotte Flair and AEW star Andrade el Idolo were married back in May of this year, with a ceremony that took place in Andrade's home country of Mexico. What might not be so widely known is the fact that this union is actually Flair's third marriage. The WWE Superstar's first marriage was to a man named Riki Paul Johnson, whom she opened up about in "Second Nature: The Legacy of Ric Flair and the Rise of Charlotte," the joint biography she co-wrote with her father, Ric Flair, and Brian Shields.
In the book, Flair details multiple cases of domestic violence that occurred during the short marriage. Flair also alleges that Johnson abused drugs during their relationship and lost several jobs because of it. Those details, along with her brother Reid's tragic overdose, caused Flair to stay emotionally closed off until writing the book.
After writing the book, Flair told ESPN that she was hopeful talking about the incidents would help others going through the same things. "I'm not ashamed. I went through all of these things and I've come out on the other end stronger."
Charlotte's First Husband Sues
Johnson wasn't happy with Flair's accusations against him in the book. According to Bleacher Report, he filed suit against his ex-wife, Brian Shields, Ric Flair, and WWE as a whole. Johnson stated that Flair's claims of abuse were fabricated and that he would be able to prove it utilizing both dash cam footage and police reports, as documented by PWInsider.
It did not take long for WWE to fire back in support of Flair. "We recently received what appears to be a meritless lawsuit and we will vigorously defend ourselves," the company said in a statement to TMZ. Less than a year later, the lawsuit was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money (via 411 Mania).
Charlotte Flair has continued on to find massive success in the WWE, holding more World Titles than any other woman in WWE history. With years still left in her career, Flair has a solid chance of catching up to her father as a record-breaking 16-time World Champion.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support on their website.