Former SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair was recently interviewed by Instinct Culture at the Sports Humanitarian Awards, and discussed her involvement in ESPN Magazine’s Body Issue.

“The Queen” first discussed getting a black eye during her match with Asuka at WrestleMania 34 just before the shoot, but she turned out to like it because it shows the raw physicality of what WWE Superstars do inside the ring:

“Okay so I got a black eye at WrestleMania,” Flair said. “I was like, ‘of course I would get a black eye before the Body shoot. But I actually think it made it that much more raw and real and natural and it really goes to show that what we do as Superstars isn’t fake.

“Like I walk around with my battle scars all the time. I was really nervous at first but after an hour I was like, ‘I’m in the ESPN Body Issue as the first WWE Superstar. I’m gonna rock it.'”


One of the most famous photos of Flair’s shoot is her nude moonsault inside the ring. She revealed that she had to do 45 nude moonsaults to get the shot right, and discussed how awkward it was:

“Doing forty-five naked moonsaults was awkward. Which it’s like a backflip in the air. I’m like, ‘ah this is my worse nightmare.’ You know when you wake up and you have forgotten you like shoes or something for work, I forgot my ring gear.”