 However, before he could do so he was interrupted by Ric Flair, who returned to a WWF ring for the first time since January 1993.Flair then happily told McMahon that he "had bet on a winner last night," and said to a surprised McMahon that when Shane and Stephanie sold their stock in the WWF to purchase WCW and ECW, he was the consortium who had bought the stock, and as such, he was co-owner of the WWF and he and McMahon were now partners.Austin then angrily returned, promptly going to the ring and attacking Angle, and then McMahon when he tried to help, while Flair idly stood by.