 | This articlemay betoo long to read and navigate comfortably. Considersplitting content into sub-articles,condensing it, or addingsubheadings. Please discuss this issue on the article'stalk page.(August 2025) |
Ric Flair | |
|---|---|
 Flair in 2025 | |
| Born | (1949-02-25)February 25, 1949 (age 76)[1] Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.[1] |
| Other names | Richard Morgan Fliehr |
| Education | Wayland Academy |
| Alma mater | University of Minnesota |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Spouses | |
| Partner | Wendy Barlow (2011–2024) |
| Children | 4, includingDavid,Ashley, andReid |
| Relatives | Conrad Thompson (son-in-law)[2] |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | The Black Scorpion[1] Nature Boy[1] Ric Flair[1] |
| Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)[3] |
| Billed weight | 243 lb (110 kg)[3] |
| Billed from | Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.[3] |
| Trained by | Verne Gagne[3][4] |
| Debut | 1972[1][5] |
| Retired | July 31, 2022[6] |
| Signature | |
 | |
Richard Morgan Fliehr[7][a] (born February 25, 1949), known professionally asRic Flair, is an American retiredprofessional wrestler. Regarded by multiple peers[8] and journalists[9] as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair's career spanned 50 years.
He is noted for his tenures withJim Crockett Promotions (JCP),World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, laterWWE) andTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Much of his career was spent in JCP and WCW, in which he won numerous titles. Since the mid-1970s, he has used the moniker "the Nature Boy". A majorpay-per-viewattraction throughout his career, Flair headlined the premier annual NWA/WCW event,Starrcade, on ten occasions, while also co-headlining its WWF counterpart,WrestleMania,in 1992, after winning that year'sRoyal Rumble.[10]Pro Wrestling Illustrated awarded him theirPWI Wrestler of the Year award a record six times, whileWrestling Observer Newsletter named him theWrestler of the Year (an award named after him andLou Thesz) a record eight times. The first two-timeWWE Hall of Fame inductee, first inducted with theclass of 2008 for his individual career and again with theclass of 2012 as a member ofThe Four Horsemen, he is also a member of theNWA Hall of Fame, theProfessional Wrestling Hall of Fame and theWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
Flair is recognized by WWE as a 16-timeworld champion (8-timeNWA World Heavyweight Champion,6-timeWCW World Heavyweight Champion, andtwo-timeWWF Champion),[11] although the number of his world championship reigns varies by source, ranging from 16 or 17 to 25.[12] He has claimed to be a 21-time champion.[13] He was the first holder of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and theWCW International World Heavyweight Championship (which he also held last). As the inaugural WCW World Heavyweight Champion, he became the first person to complete theWCW Triple Crown, having already held theWCW United States Heavyweight Championship andWCW World Tag Team Championship. He then completed theWWE Triple Crown when he won theWWE Intercontinental Championship, after already holding the WWF Championship and theWorld Tag Team Championship.
Fliehr was born on February 25, 1949, inMemphis, Tennessee.[7] His original parents were Luther and Olive Phillips, the latter of whom was also credited with the Demaree and Stewart surnames; nevertheless, his birth name is commonly considered to be Fred Phillips, even if he is also credited on various records as Fred Demaree or Fred Stewart.[14] He was adopted by Kathleen Kinsmiller Fliehr (1918–2003) and Richard Reid Fliehr (1918–2000). The Fliehrs decided to adopt due to Kathleen being unable to become pregnant after giving birth to a daughter who died shortly after.[15] At the time of his adoption (arranged by theTennessee Children's Home Society as part ofGeorgia Tann's infant trafficking scandal)[16] his adoptive father was completing a residency inobstetrics and gynecology inDetroit, Michigan.[17] His adoptive mother worked for theStar Tribune.[citation needed] Shortly afterward, the family settled inEdina, Minnesota.[18] However, they would move toGolden Valley, Minnesota where the young Fliehr lived throughout his childhood.[19][18] Though not officially diagnosed withattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Flair stated in his 2004 memoirTo Be The Man that he was in fact the "epitome of the disease" while growing up, partying and even having sex and drinking alcohol by the age of 14.[20]
After ninth grade, he attendedWayland Academy inBeaver Dam, Wisconsin for four years, where he participated inwrestling,football, andtrack.[21] After high school, Fliehr briefly attended theUniversity of Minnesota.[22]
| This sectionmay betoo long to read and navigate comfortably. When this tag was added, itsreadable prose size was 9,000 words. Considersplitting content into sub-articles,condensing it, or addingsubheadings. Please discuss this issue on the article'stalk page.(September 2025) |
A successfulamateur wrestler in his teens, Flair trained as a professional wrestler withVerne Gagne.[4] He attended Gagne's first wrestling camp withGreg Gagne, "Jumpin'"Jim Brunzell,The Iron Sheik andKen Patera at Gagne's barn outside Minneapolis in the winter of 1971. On December 10, 1972, he made his debut in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, battlingGeorge "Scrap Iron" Gadaski to a 10-minute draw while adopting the ring name Ric Flair.[4][5] During his time in theAmerican Wrestling Association (AWA), Flair had matches withDusty Rhodes,Chris Taylor,André the Giant,Larry Hennig andWahoo McDaniel.[23][24]
Flair made his first appearances in Japan in 1973 withInternational Wrestling Enterprise (IWE) as part of a working agreement between the IWE and AWA promoter Verne Gagne. He competed in IWE's "Big Summer Series" throughout June and July, facing opponents such asAnimal Hamaguchi, Great Kusatsu, Katsuzo Matsumoto,Mighty Inoue, andRusher Kimura.[25]
In 1974, Flair left the AWA forJim Crockett's Mid-Atlantic region in theNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA), debuting on May 13, 1974, by defeatingAbe Jacobs. Shortly after his debut, Flair won his first championship in the promotion, by teaming withRip Hawk to defeatBob Bruggers andPaul Jones to win theMid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship. After a lengthy title reign, Flair and Hawk lost the titles to Paul Jones andTiger Conway Jr. on December 6.Brute Bernard substituted for an inactive Hawk during the title defense.
Flair captured his first singles title on February 9, 1975, by beatingPaul Jones for theMid-Atlantic Television Championship. After holding the title for six months, he lost it back to Jones on August 8. During the same time, Flair began feuding withWahoo McDaniel over theMid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship. After coming up short in several title opportunities, he finally defeated McDaniel for the title in atitle vs. hair match on September 20.
On October 4, 1975, however, Flair's career nearly ended when he was in a serious plane crash inWilmington, North Carolina that took the life of the pilot and paralyzedJohnny Valentine (also on board wereMr. Wrestling, Bob Bruggers, and promoterDavid Crockett).[26][1] Flair broke his back in three places and, at age 26, was told by doctors that he would never wrestle again.[26] He conducted a rigorous physical therapy schedule, however, and returned to the ring just three months later, where he resumed hisfeud with Wahoo McDaniel over the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship in January 1976.[26] The crash forced Flair to alter his wrestling technique away from the power brawling style he had used early on to one more focused on grappling, which led him to adopt the "Nature Boy" gimmick he would use throughout his career. He lost the title back to McDaniel on May 3, 1976. However, three weeks later, he regained it by defeating McDaniel in a rematch on May 24.
The title exchange with McDaniel continued as Flair lost the title to McDaniel in asteel cage match on September 11. On October 16, Flair defeated McDaniel in a title versus hair match to regain the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship. During this time, Flair teamed withGreg Valentine to defeatThe Andersons (Gene Anderson andOle Anderson) in ano disqualification match to win the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship on December 26. The following day, Flair lost the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship to McDaniel in a no disqualification match.
In the midst of his tag team championship reign, Flair defeatedRufus R. Jones to win his second Mid-Atlantic Television Championship on April 4, 1977. On May 8, Flair and Valentine lost the World Tag Team Championship back to the Andersons in a steel cage match.
A few days later, on May 15, Flair received his first opportunity for theNWA World Heavyweight Championship againstHarley Race. Race retained the title after the match ended in a double count-out. Flair then lost the Mid-Atlantic Television Championship toRicky Steamboat on June 15, beginning a lengthy and historic rivalry between the two. On June 30, Flair and Valentine defeatedDino Bravo and Tiger Conway Jr. to win the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship.
On July 29, Flair defeatedBobo Brazil to win his firstNWA United States Heavyweight Championship inRichmond, Virginia.[27] Flair and Valentine lost the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship to Paul Jones and Ricky Steamboat on August 22. Flair defended the United States Heavyweight Championship against numerous challengers, including Steamboat, whom he wrestled in several matches, such as title versus title match for Flair's title and Steamboat's Mid-Atlantic Television Championship. On October 30, Flair and Valentine defeated The Andersons to win theNWA World Tag Team Championship. On October 20, Flair lost the United States Heavyweight Championship to Ricky Steamboat.
On March 30, 1978, Flair and Valentine were stripped of the World Tag Team Championship by NWA management due to continuously ending their matches via disqualification. On April 9, Flair defeatedMr. Wrestling in a title versus hair match to capture his second United States Heavyweight Championship. On October 30, Flair andJohn Studd defeated Paul Jones and Ricky Steamboat to win the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship, but lost the titles back to Jones and Steamboat, five days later on November 5. After retaining the title against several challengers includingBlackjack Mulligan andJimmy Snuka, Flair lost the United States Heavyweight Championship to Steamboat on December 17. Flair then came up short against Steamboat in several title challenges, before defeating him in a steel cage match to win his third United States Heavyweight Championship on April 1, 1979. During this time, Flair began feuding with the original "Nature Boy"Buddy Rogers, due to Flair referring to himself as "The Nature Boy". The rivalry concluded in a match between the two atBattle of the Nature Boys on July 8, in which Flair defended the United States Heavyweight Championship against Rogers. Rogers put Flairover in the match, leading to Flair retaining the title and cementing his place as the new "Nature Boy" of professional wrestling.[28]
A month later, on August 12, Flair teamed with Blackjack Mulligan to defeatBaron von Raschke and Paul Jones to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Flair and Mulligan lost the titles back to Raschke and Jones on August 22. Flair then began feuding with Jimmy Snuka over the United States Heavyweight Championship, defeating him to win the title for a fourth time on April 20, 1980. Flair lost the title to his former tag team partner Greg Valentine on July 26. Flair defeated Valentine in alumberjack match to win his fifth United States Heavyweight Championship on November 24. On January 27, 1981, Flair lost the title toRoddy Piper in a title versus title match, where Flair's United States Heavyweight Championship and Piper's Television Championship were on the line. The United States Heavyweight Championship's current ownerWWE does not recognize the title exchange with Greg Valentine and recognizes Flair's reign uninterrupted from April 20 to January 27. Flair faced Piper in various rematches for the title throughout the year but failed to regain the title.
On September 17, 1981, Flair beatDusty Rhodes for his firstNWA World Heavyweight Championship.[1] In the following years, Flair established himself as the promotion's main franchise in the midst of emerging competition fromVince McMahon'sWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF). An unsanctioned title loss took place on January 6, 1983, toCarlos Colón Sr. inPuerto Rico.[12] Flair recovered the championship belt in a phantom change seventeen days later not officially recognized by the NWA.Harley Race won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Flair in 1983, but Flair regained the title atStarrcade in asteel cage match.[1] Officially, Flair won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship eight more times. Flair lost the title to Race and won it back in the span of three days inNew Zealand andSingapore in March 1984. At the1st David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions atTexas Stadium, Flair was pinned byKerry Von Erich, but he regained the title eighteen days later in Japan[29] and reigned for two years, two months and two days, losing the title to Dusty Rhodes on July 26, 1986, atThe Great American Bash in aSteel Cage Match.[30] However, Flair regained the title at a house show on August 9, when Rhodes passed out in the Figure Four leglock.[31]
In late 1985, the tag team ofArn Anderson andOle Anderson began aiding Flair (whomthey claimed as a "cousin") in attacks against Dusty Rhodes, Magnum T.A. andSam Houston. A few weeks later, the Andersons interrupted Houston's match againstTully Blanchard and the three villains combined to rough up the youngster. Shortly thereafter, Flair, Blanchard and the Andersons formalized their alliance, calling themselvesThe Four Horsemen, with Blanchard's managerJ. J. Dillon also coming on board. Upon the group's inception, it was clear that The Four Horsemen were unlike any villainous alliance that had ever existed, as the four rule breakers immediately used their strength in numbers to decimate the NWA's top fan favorites (most famously a vicious beatdown to Rhodes with a baseball bat in a parking lot) while controlling the majority of the championship titles.[32]
By 1986, wrestling promoterJim Crockett had consolidated the various NWA member promotions he owned into a single entity, running under the banner of the National Wrestling Alliance. Controlling much of the traditional NWA territories in the southeast and Midwestern United States, Crockett looked to expand nationally and built his promotion around Flair as champion. During this time, Flair's bookings as champion were tightly controlled by Crockett, and acustom championship belt was created for Flair. Flair lost the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Detroit toRon Garvin on September 25, 1987. Garvin held the title for two months before losing to Flair on November 26, 1987, at WCW's first pay-per-view event,Starrcade, in Chicago.[33]In early 1988,Sting and Flair fought to a 45-minute time-limit draw at the first everClash of the Champions. On February 20, 1989, atChi-Town Rumble in Chicago,Ricky Steamboat pinned Flair to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. This prompted a series of rematches, where Steamboat was presented as a "family man" (often accompanied by his wife and young son), while Flair opposed him as an immoral, fast-living "ladies man". Following a best-of-three falls match with Steamboat that lasted just short of the 60-minute time limit (and ended with a disputed finish where Steamboat retained the title) atClash of the Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun on April 2, Flair regained the title from Steamboat on May 7, 1989, atWrestleWar in a match that was voted 1989's "Match of the Year" byPro Wrestling Illustrated.[34] On July 23, 1989, Flair defeated Terry Funk atThe Great American Bash, but the two continued to feud through the summer and eventually Flair reformed The Four Horsemen, with the surprise addition of longtime rival Sting, to combat Funk'sJ-Tex Corporation. This led to an"I Quit" match atClash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout which Flair won.[35] Flair then kicked Sting out of The Four Horsemen upon his challenge for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, resulting in a revived feud between the two. On July 7, 1990, Flair dropped the title to Sting atThe Great American Bash.[1] After being unmasked as The Black Scorpion atStarrcade in 1990, Flair regained the title from Sting on January 11, 1991.[36]
Subsequent to this title win, Flair was recognized by WCW as the firstWCW World Heavyweight Champion, though he was still also recognized as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. On March 21, 1991,Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Flair in a match in Tokyo at theWCW/New Japan Supershow. While the NWA recognized Fujinami as their new champion, WCW did not because Fujinami had backdropped Flair over the top rope in a violation of WCW rules. On May 19, 1991, Flair defeated Fujinami atSuperBrawl I inSt. Petersburg, Florida to reclaim the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.[37] In the spring of 1991, Flair had a contract dispute with WCW presidentJim Herd, who wanted him to take a substantial pay cut. Flair had resigned as head booker in February 1990 and Herd wanted to reduce Flair's role in the promotion even further, despite the fact that Flair was still a top draw. According to Flair, Herd also proposed changes in his appearance and ring name (i.e. by shaving his hair, wearing a diamond earring and going by the nameSpartacus) in order to "change with the times".[38] Flair disagreed with the proposals and two weeks beforeThe Great American Bash, Herd fired him and vacated the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. While Flair had left for the WWF, he was still recognized as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion until September 8, when the title was officially vacated.[39]
While working forJim Crockett Jr.'sMid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (MACW), Flair began working tours forAll Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). On April 27, 1978, Flair challenged for theNWA United National Championship in a losing effort. Throughout the 1980s, Flair defended theNWA World Heavyweight Championship in All Japan against the likes ofGenichiro Tenryu,Riki Choshu,Jumbo Tsuruta,Harley Race, andKerry Von Erich. On October 21, 1985, Flair wrestledRick Martel in a double title match where he defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and challenged for theAWA World Heavyweight Championship, but the match ended in a double countout. As All Japan withdrew from theNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA) in the late 1980s,World Championship Wrestling (WCW) began a working agreement withNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
In 1989, the working agreement led to a feud between Flair andKeiji Mutoh, who was wrestling under The Great Mutagimmick, in the United States for WCW. On March 21, 1991, Flair defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and challengedTatsumi Fujinami for theIWGP Heavyweight Championship in a double title match on theWCW/New Japan Supershow at theTokyo Dome. Fujinami beat Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but later lost the title at WCW'sSuperBrawl I on May 19, 1991, in the United States.[40]
In August 1995, while under WCW contract, Flair participated in theG1 Climax tournament inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he beatShiro Koshinaka, drewMasahiro Chono, and lost to Keiji Mutoh. On July 17, 1996, Flair challengedShinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in a losing effort in NJPW.[40]
Flair signed with theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF) in August 1991. His arrival was hyped byBobby Heenan, beginning with the August 11 episode ofWrestling Challenge. On the September 21 episode ofSuperstars, Flair debuted in WWF with theBig Gold Belt, calling himself "The Real World's Champion".[1] Led by his "financial adviser" Bobby Heenan and his "executive consultant"Mr. Perfect, Flair repeatedly issued challenges to WWF wrestlers like"Rowdy" Roddy Piper andHulk Hogan. His first match with the promotion saw him wrestle Mark Thomas to a no contest on the September 28 episode ofSuperstars by provoking Piper to attack him, and Flair then attacked Piper with the Big Gold Belt and a chair. His first televised win in WWF occurred on the September 29 episode ofWrestling Challenge bysquashingJim Powers. Flair wrestled a team led by Piper atSurvivor Series in November and helpedThe Undertaker defeat Hogan for theWWF Championship that same night.[41] WCW sued Flair in an attempt to reclaim the championship belt,[42] but Flair claimed otherwise due to a loophole in NWA policy; at the time he first became champion, the NWA required all of the wrestlers that it selected to be world champion to put down a security deposit of $25,000, which, in effect, resulted in the belt being leased to any wrestler who held it. The NWA, in usual cases, would return the deposit and any interest that may have accumulated upon the conclusion of the wrestler's championship reign. They did not do this for Flair before he was terminated by WCW, and since the money was still owed to him by the NWA upon his signing with the WWF, Flair believed that the title belt had become his personal property to do with as he pleased.[43]
At the1992 Royal Rumble, Flair won thenamesake match to claim the vacant WWF Championship. Flair entered as number three in the Rumble match and lasted 60 minutes, last eliminatingSid Justice with help from Hulk Hogan, who had been eliminated by Justice seconds earlier.[41] In February 1992, Flair faced theIntercontinental Champion Roddy Piper in a series of inconclusivetitle-versus-title matches.Randy Savage then challenged Flair for the WWF Championship as part of the double main event atWrestleMania VIII. In the storyline, Flair taunted Savage by claiming that he had a prior relationship with Savage's wife,Miss Elizabeth. Savage defeated Flair for the title at WrestleMania.[41] In July 1992, as Savage prepared to defend the title againstThe Ultimate Warrior atSummerSlam,[41] Flair and Mr. Perfect sowed distrust between the two by suggesting that they would back one or the other during their match. They actually attacked both Savage and Warrior, resulting in the latter winning by countout, and injured Savage's knee, an injury that Flair exploited to regain the title in a match with Savage three days later on September 1 inHershey, Pennsylvania, which aired on the September 14 episode ofPrime Time Wrestling.[44] On September 15, 1992, Flair defended the WWF Championship againstGenichiro Tenryu at aWrestle Association R event inYokohama, Japan; the match ended in a draw.[45] Flair's second reign ended when he lost the title toBret Hart on October 12 at ahouse show.[46]
Flair teamed withRazor Ramon to take on Savage and Perfect at theSurvivor Series in November 1992.[41] Flair appeared in theRoyal Rumble in January 1993, then lost aLoser Leaves the WWF match to Mr. Perfect on the January 25 episode ofMonday Night Raw.[47] Flair had a verbal agreement with Vince McMahon with the condition that if he wasn't going to be used in a main event position and had an offer to go elsewhere, he would be released from his contract. He opted to leave WWF when he was going to be moved to a mid-card position and Bill Watts offered to come back to WCW.[48] Flair then fulfilled his remaining house show commitments and took part in the WWF's "Winter Tour '93" of Europe. He made his last appearance with the WWF on February 11, 1993, before returning to WCW.[49]
In April 1992, Flair toured Japan with theSuper World of Sports (SWS) promotion as part of an agreement between the WWF and SWS. In his first bout, he teamed withThe Natural Disasters to defeatAshura Hara,Genichiro Tenryu, andTakashi Ishikawa in asix-man tag team match. He went on to defeat Tenryu in a singles match, then lost to Tenryu in atwo-out-of-three falls match.[50]
.jpg)
Flair triumphantly returned to WCW as a hero in February 1993. As a result of a "no-compete" clause he was initially unable to wrestle, so he hosted a short-lived talk show in WCW calledA Flair for the Gold. Arn Anderson usually appeared at the bar on the show's set, and Flair's maid Fifi cleaned or bore gifts. Once he returned to action, Flair briefly held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship for a tenth time after defeatingBarry Windham atBeach Blast before WCW finally left the NWA in September 1993. AtFall Brawl, Flair lost the title, now rebranded theWCW International World Heavyweight Championship, to"Ravishing Rick" Rude. AtStarrcade in 1993, Flair defeated Vader to win the WCW World Heavyweight title for the second time. In the spring of 1994, Flair began atweener turn and started another feud with longtime rivalRicky Steamboat and challenged Steamboat to a match atSpring Stampede which ended in a no contest from a double pin, causing the title to be held up. Flair then defeated Steamboat in a rematch to reclaim the held-up title on an episode of WCW Saturday Night. The WWE does not count this victory as a new title win.[51] Flair then challengedCol. Robert Parker to wrestle one of his men atSlamboree, which turned out to beBarry Windham, whom Flair defeated, afterwards he quietly turned heel and tookSherri Martel as his manager.[52] He would also wrestleLord Steven Regal in a five-match series underMarquess of Queensberry Rules, which aired onWCW Worldwide between April 30 and May 28, in which Flair won the series, with 2 wins, 1 loss, and 2 draws.[53]
In June 1994 atClash of the Champions XXVII, Flair defeated Sting in a unification match, merging the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship with the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, and solidifying his heel turn after his alliance with Sherri was brought into the open after she helped him win the match while pretending that she had sided with Sting. After becoming the unified and undisputed WCW champion, Flair feuded with Hulk Hogan upon Hogan's arrival in WCW in June 1994, losing the WCW World Heavyweight Championship to him in July atBash at the Beach. Flair continued to feud with Hogan and finally lost to Hogan in a steel cage retirement match atHalloween Havoc. Flair took a few months off afterwards before returning to WCW television in January 1995 for an interview atClash of the Champions XXX. After attacking Hogan atSuperbrawl V, Flair also began appearing as a part-time manager forVader, who was engaged in feud with Hogan, and developed a short-lived angle where he was "possessed", even attacking his old WWF opponentRandy Savage at the firstUncensored. He soon afterwards returned to wrestling (explained on-air by having Flair nag Hogan for months until Hogan and Savage both petitioned WCW management to let Flair come back).[54] Upon returning to wrestling, Flair quickly revived his 1992 feud with Savage, but this time also got Savage's fatherAngelo Poffo involved after he put him in afigure four leglock atSlamboree 1995.
On April 29, 1995, Flair wrestledAntonio Inoki in front of 190,000 spectators inPyongyang,North Korea at the May Day Stadium in a losing effort under a joint show betweenNew Japan Pro-Wrestling andWorld Championship Wrestling. The event was broadcast on August 4, 1995, onpay-per-view under the title ofCollision in Korea.[55] In the fall of 1995, Flair began a short feud with Arn Anderson, which culminated in a tag match that saw Flair turning on Sting to reform the new Four Horsemen with Flair as the leader, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, and Chris Benoit as the members. With the new Four Horsemen, Flair won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship two more times before the nWo invasion storyline began in WCW, with the first one being in December 1995 atStarrcade, where Flair defeated Lex Luger and Sting by countout and then defeated Savage after all three Four Horsemen members ran to the ring and Arn Anderson knocked out Savage with brass knuckles, thus allowing Flair to pin Savage to win the match and the title. Afterwards Savage won the title back onNitro after Starcade, but Flair won the next match atSuperBrawl VI to regain the championship. During the feud, Savage's manager Miss Elizabeth turned against him and became Flair's valet. Together with Woman and Debra McMichael they would escort Flair to his matches until Miss Elizabeth was taken by the nWo in the fall and eventually returned as Savage's valet when he joined the nWo in 1997. Flair lost the WCW World Heavyweight Championship eventually three months later to The Giant. The feud with Savage continued with The New Four Horseman joining the Dungeon of Doom to create an Alliance to end Hulkamania. Together the factions wrestled Hogan and Savage in a triple steel cage, End of Hulkamania match; losing to the reunited Mega Powers. Afterwards, Flair went on to win the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship and there were also changes in the Four Horseman in 1996, as Brian Pillman left WCW and Steve "Mongo" McMichael became the fourth member.[56]
Once again as a topfan favorite, Flair played a major role in theNew World Order (nWo) invasion storyline in late 1996 and throughout 1997. He and the other Horsemen often took the lead in the war againstScott Hall,Kevin Nash, andHollywood Hulk Hogan, whom Flair immediately challenged for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at theClash of the Champions XXXIII, but won only by disqualification. In September 1996, Flair and Anderson teamed with their bitter rivals,Sting and Lex Luger, to lose to the nWo (Hogan,Kevin Nash,Scott Hall, and animpostor Sting) in the WarGames match atFall Brawl when Luger submitted to the impostor Sting'sScorpion Deathlock.[57]
In October 1996, two developments occurred that affected the Four Horsemen whenJeff Jarrett came over to WCW from the WWF, and expressed his desire to join the Horsemen as he immediately gained a fan in Ric Flair, much to the chagrin of the other Horsemen. Flair finally let Jarrett join the group in February 1997, but the others did not want him, and in July 1997 was ultimately kicked out of the group by Flair himself, who had enough of the instability Jarrett's presence caused the Horsemen. Flair also feuded withRoddy Piper,Syxx, and his old nemesisCurt Hennig in 1997, after Hennig was offered a spot in The Four Horsemen only to turn on Flair and The Four Horsemen atFall Brawl in September 1997, in which Hennig punctuated the act by slamming the cage door onto Flair's head.[58]
In April 1998, Flair disappeared from WCW television, due to a lawsuit filed by Eric Bischoff for no-showing a live episode ofThunder on April 9, 1998, inTallahassee, Florida. After the case was settled, Flair made a surprise return on September 14, 1998, to ceremoniously reform the Four Horsemen (along withSteve McMichael,Dean Malenko, andChris Benoit). Flair feuded with Bischoff for several months afterward. Flair repeatedly raked Eric Bischoff's eyes during this feud. This culminated in a match atStarrcade between Bischoff and Flair in December 1998, which Bischoff won after interference from Curt Hennig, a former member of the Four Horsemen. The following night in Baltimore onNitro, Flair returned and threatened to leave WCW, demanding a match against Bischoff for the presidency of the company. The match was made, and despite the nWo interfering on Bischoff's behalf Flair won and was granted the position of president of WCW. This resulted in a match atSuperBrawl IX between Flair and Hollywood Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, which Flair lost after being betrayed by his own sonDavid Flair.[59]
In spite of his son's betrayal, Flair signed a rematch atUncensored on March 14 which was billed as a First Blood barbed wire steel cage Match against Hogan where Flair's presidency and Hogan's WCW World Heavyweight Championship were on the line. Despite being the first to bleed, Flair won the match by pinfall thanks to the bias of the refereeCharles Robinson, who counted Hogan out.[60]
As on-air WCW President, Flair began abusing his power much like Bischoff had, favoring villains over fan favorites and even awarding theWCW United States Heavyweight Championship (which was vacated byScott Steiner due to injury) to his son David and resorting to whatever means necessary to keep him as United States Heavyweight Champion. Flair eventually formed a stable of followers which includedRoddy Piper, Arn Anderson and theJersey Triad to keep things in order. Flair's reign as president came to an end on the July 19 episode ofNitro, when he faced and lost to Sting for the position. During the course of the match, Sting had Flair in his Scorpion Death Lock, but with the referee knocked unconscious, no decision could be reached. A returning Eric Bischoff came to the ring and began ordering the timekeeper to ring the bell, which he eventually did, awarding the match and the presidency to Sting (who promptly gave it up upon receiving it).[61]
Flair won his last world titles in his career by winning the WCW World Heavyweight Championship twice during 2000, the company's last full year of operation. When WCW was purchased by the WWF in March 2001, Flair was the leader of the villainous group called theMagnificent Seven.[62] Flair lost the final match ofNitro to Sting, recreating the second match ofNitro in 1995. Nevertheless, Flair has repeatedly stated in various interviews how happy he was when WCW finally closed down, although at the same time the fact that many people would lose their jobs saddened him.[63]
After an eight-month hiatus from wrestling, Flair made a return to the WWF[64] on November 19, 2001.[65] Flair reappeared onRaw following the end of the "WCW/ECW Invasion" that culminated in a "Winner Take All" match atSurvivor Series on November 18 won by the WWF.[66] Flair's new on-screen role was that of the co-owner of the WWF, with the explanation thatShane andStephanie McMahon had sold their stock in the company to aconsortium (namely Flair) prior to purchasing World Championship Wrestling andExtreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).[67] Flair's feud withVince McMahon led them to a match at theRoyal Rumble on January 20, 2002, in aStreet Fight, where Flair defeated McMahon.[66] Flair also wrestledThe Undertaker atWrestleMania X8 on March 17 where Flair lost.[68] The "co-owner" angle culminated in early 2002, when Flair controlledRaw and McMahon controlledSmackDown![69]
On the May 13 episode ofRaw, Flair challengedHollywood Hulk Hogan to a no disqualification match for theUndisputed WWE Championship. Flair would later lose the contest before moving onto a rivalry withStone Cold Steve Austin. AtJudgment Day on May 19, Flair teamed withBig Show and lost to Austin in a two-on-one handicap tag team match. On the June 3 episode ofRaw, the feud between Flair and Austin would escalate after Austin defeated Flair in a singles contest. After Austin abruptly left the WWE in June while in a program with Flair, a match was hotshotted between Flair and McMahon for sole ownership of WWE, which Flair lost after interference fromBrock Lesnar on the June 10 edition ofRaw.[70]
AtKing of the Ring on June 23, Flair defeatedEddie Guerrero in a singles match after Guerrero andChris Benoit would interrupt Flair's speech regarding losing his position as WWE co-owner; afterwards, Guerrero would lock Flair in his own signature figure four leg lock with help from Benoit. Flair's rivalry with Lesnar would continue into the month of July with Lesnar picking up wins over Flair in a singles match on the July 1 episode ofRaw and in a tag team contest on the July 15 episode ofRaw. Flair then became involved in a short-lived rivalry withChris Jericho, leading to Flair defeating Jericho atSummerSlam on August 25. Flair was granted aWorld Heavyweight Championship match againstTriple H on the September 2 episode ofRaw, which he lost. Later on that same night, Flair would team withRob Van Dam as the duo were successful in defeating the team of Triple H and Jericho. AtUnforgiven on September 22, Flair was unsuccessful in capturing theWWE Intercontinental Championship in a singles contest against Jericho.[71]
Under the WWE banner, Flair toured Japan periodically between 2002 and 2008. He successfully defended theWorld Tag Team Championship withBatista againstThe Dudley Boyz twice in February 2004. On the February 7, 2005, episode ofRaw, broadcast from theSaitama Super Arena in Japan, Flair lost toShawn Michaels in a singles match. In February 2008, Flair wrestledMr. Kennedy in theAriake Coliseum andWilliam Regal in theBudokan Hall, both under the stipulation that he would retire if he lost.[72]
In September 2002 atUnforgiven,Triple H defended theWorld Heavyweight Championship againstRob Van Dam. During the match, Flair came down to the ring and grabbed the sledgehammer from Triple H and teased hitting him before hitting Van Dam, allowing Triple H to get the win, turning him heel in the process and accompanied Triple H to the ring as his manager.[73] Shortly after,Batista moved fromSmackDown! toRaw and Flair also began accompanying him to the ring while continuing to second Triple H.[74] In June 2003 atBad Blood, Flair was able to defeat Shawn Michaels afterRandy Orton struck Michaels with a chair.[75][76]
At the height of Evolution's power, the group controlled all of the male-based championships ofRaw afterArmageddon. Batista teamed with Flair to win theWorld Tag Team Championship from theDudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley andD-Von Dudley) in atag team turmoil match and Triple H regained the World Heavyweight Championship from Goldberg (in atriple threat match that also involvedKane), with the help of the other members of Evolution. In January 2004 at theRoyal Rumble, Flair and Batista successfully defended the World Tag Team Championship against the Dudley Boyz in atables match, and World Heavyweight Champion Triple H fought Shawn Michaels to no contest in aLast Man Standing match, thus retaining the championship. Flair and Batista lost the World Tag Team Championship on February 16 edition ofRaw toBooker T andRob Van Dam. AtWrestleMania XX, Evolution defeated theRock 'n' Sock Connection (The Rock andMick Foley) in a 3-on-2 handicap match. The following week onRaw during the2004 WWE draft lottery, Flair and Batista defeatedBooker T andRob Van Dam to win their second and final World Tag Team Championship, but they lost the titles to World Heavyweight ChampionChris Benoit andEdge on the April 19 episode ofRaw.[77]
AtSummerSlam, Orton pinned Benoit to become the new World Heavyweight Champion and the youngest World Champion in WWE history to date. On the episode ofRaw the night after SummerSlam, Batista hoisted Orton on to his shoulders in what appeared to be a celebration, but following thethumbs down from Triple H, the group proceeded to attack Orton. AtUnforgiven, Triple H beat Orton to regain the World Heavyweight Championship, with help from Flair, Batista, andJonathan Coachman. Orton's feud with Evolution continued untilSurvivor Series where Triple H, Batista,Gene Snitsky, and Edge were defeated by Orton,Maven, Chris Jericho, and Chris Benoit in aSurvivor Series match for control ofRaw over the following month.[78]
In theElimination Chamber match atNew Year's Revolution, Batista, Orton and Triple H were the last three remaining in the match. Orton eliminated Batista with a RKO and Triple H pinned Orton with Batista's help to win the title. Triple H suggested that Batista not enter theRoyal Rumble match, wanting the group to focus on Triple H retaining the title. At theRoyal Rumble, Batista declined, entered the Rumble at number 28 and won. Triple H tried to persuade Batista to challenge the WWE ChampionJohn "Bradshaw" Layfield ofSmackDown! rather than for his World Heavyweight Championship. This involved Triple H plotting a feud between JBL and Batista, showing JBL badmouthing Batista in an interview and staging an attack on Batista with a limousine designed to look like Layfield's. The scheme was unsuccessful and at the brand contract signing ceremony on the February 21 episode ofRaw, Batista chose to remain onRaw, infuriating Triple H and thus quitting the faction. Batista defeated Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship atWrestleMania 21.[79] Flair and Triple H also starred in an ad for WrestleMania 21 that parodied the filmBraveheart.[80]
AfterVengeance, Triple H took time off and Flair turned face for the first time since 2002 before going on to win the Intercontinental Championship fromCarlito atUnforgiven, and the group was dissolved. Triple H returned at the "Homecoming" episode ofRaw on October 3 where he was to team with Flair in a tag team match against Carlito andChris Masters. After winning that match, Triple H betrayed Flair and attacked him with a sledgehammer. Flair retained the Intercontinental Championship against Triple H atTaboo Tuesday in a steel cage match, which was voted as such by the fans. Flair later lost to Triple H in an acclaimed Last Man Standing non-title match atSurvivor Series, which ended their feud.[81]
At the end of 2005, Flair had a feud with Edge that culminated in a WWE ChampionshipTables, Ladders, and Chairs match onRaw in early 2006, which Flair lost. On the February 20 episode ofRaw, Flair lost the Intercontinental Championship toShelton Benjamin, thus ending his reign at 155 days.[82] Flair took some time off in mid-2006 to rest and marry for the third time and he returned in June to work a program with his real-life rivalMick Foley that played off their legitimate past animosity.[83] Flair defeated Foley atVengeance in atwo out of three falls match, then atSummerSlam in an"I quit" match.[84]
Subsequently, he was involved in a rivalry with theSpirit Squad onRaw. On November 5, 2006, atCyber Sunday, he captured the World Tag Team Championship from the Spirit Squad with Roddy Piper.[84] On the November 13 episode ofRaw, Flair and Piper lost the World Tag Team Championship toRated-RKO,[85] due to a disc problem with Piper and had to be flown immediately back to the United States as soon asRaw was off the air. On November 26, 2006, atSurvivor Series, Flair was the sole survivor of a match that featured himself,Ron Simmons (replacing an injured Piper), Dusty Rhodes andSgt. Slaughter versus the Spirit Squad.[84]
Flair then began teaming with Carlito after Flair said that Carlito had no heart.[86] Flair defeated Carlito in a match after which Carlito realized that Flair was right.[87] Flair and Carlito faced off againstLance Cade and Trevor Murdoch in a number one contender's match for the World Tag Team Championship, but were defeated. The two teamed up on theWrestleMania 23 pre-show, and defeated the team ofChavo Guerrero andGregory Helms. After weeks of conflict between Flair and Carlito,[88][89] the team split up when Carlito attacked Flair during a match on the April 30 episode ofRaw.[90] AtJudgment Day, Flair defeated Carlito with the figure four leglock.[91]
On the June 11 episode ofRaw, Flair was drafted to the SmackDown! brand as part of the2007 WWE draft.[92] He briefly feuded againstMontel Vontavious Porter, unsuccessfully challenging him for theWWE United States Championship atVengeance: Night of Champions.[93][94] Flair rejoined forces with Batista to feud with The Great Khali; the alliance was short-lived, however, as Flair was "injured" during a match with Khali on the August 3 episode ofSmackDown!.[95][96]
After a three-month hiatus, Flair returned to WWE programming on the November 26 episode ofRaw to announce "I will never retire".[97][98] Vince McMahon retaliated by announcing that the next match Flair lost would result in a forced retirement.[97] Later in the night, Flair defeated Orton after a distraction byChris Jericho.[97][98] It was revealed on the 15th anniversary ofRaw that the win or retire ultimatum only applied in singles matches. Flair won several "career threatening" matches against the opponents such as Triple H,Umaga,William Regal,Mr. Kennedy, and Vince McMahon himself among others.[99][100][101] On March 29, 2008, Flair was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame as a part of theclass of 2008 by Triple H. The day after, Flair wrestled atWrestleMania XXIV inOrlando, Florida, losing toShawn Michaels.[102] The match was lauded by fans and critics and was voted the 2008Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI)Match of the Year. Flair's fight to keep his career going garnered him the 2008PWI "Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year" award.[103]
On the March 31, 2008, episode ofRaw, Flair delivered his farewell address. Afterward, Triple H brought out many current and retired superstars to thank Flair for all he had done, including Shawn Michaels, some of the Four Horsemen,Ricky Steamboat,Harley Race, andChris Jericho, followed byThe Undertaker and thenVince McMahon. Along with the wrestlers, the fans gave Flair astanding ovation. This event represented a rare moment in WWE as both the heels and the faces brokecharacter and came out to the ring together. Flair made his first post retirement appearance on the June 16, 2008, episode ofRaw to confront Chris Jericho about his actions during a rivalry with Shawn Michaels. He challenged Jericho to afight in the parking lot, rather than an official match, but Jericho was stopped by Triple H.[104]
The following year on February 9, Flair once again confronted Jericho onRaw. Jericho was attacking Hall of Fame members and Flair demanded he respect them, before punching Jericho.[105] Flair appeared a month later to distract him during aMoney in the Bank Qualifying Match. Jericho then challenged Flair to come out of retirement forWrestleMania 25; instead Flair managedRoddy Piper,Jimmy Snuka andRicky Steamboat in a three-on-one handicap match at WrestleMania in a losing effort.[106][107][108] On May 17, Flair returned during theJudgment Day pay-per-view, coming to the aid of Batista, who was being attacked byThe Legacy (Randy Orton,Cody Rhodes andTed DiBiase). On the June 1 episode ofRaw, Flair challenged Orton in a parking lot brawl match, and after interference from the rest of The Legacy, the fight ended with Flair trapped inside a steel cage and punted by Orton.[109]
Flair signed withRing of Honor (ROH) and appeared at theStylin' And Profilin' event in March 2009, clearing the ring after anROH World Championship match ended with a run-in.[110] He soon served as the company's ambassador, in an on-screen authority role, and appeared on the television showRing of Honor Wrestling in May to cement his role.[111] After a number one contender's match ended in a time-limit draw, and the following week a double count out, Flair announcedRing of Honor Wrestling's first ROH World Title match as a four-way contest.[112]
On November 21, 2009, Flair returned to the ring as a villain on the "Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin" tour of Australia, losing to Hulk Hogan in the main event of the first show by brass knuckles.[113] Hogan defeated Flair again on November 24 in Perth, Australia after both men bled heavily.[113] Flair also lost to Hogan on the two remaining matches on the tour.[113][114]
On the January 4, 2010, episode ofTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling's (TNA)Impact!, Flair made his debut appearance for the company arriving via limo and later observing the main event betweenA.J. Styles and longtime rivalKurt Angle.[115] It was later reported that Flair had signed a one-year deal with the company.[116] In the past, Flair had openly stated that he was loyal to the McMahons and wanted to end his career in WWE, however he had not had contact from WWE since June 2009 and decided to sign with TNA after waiting for the call from WWE for six months.[117] On January 17 atGenesis, Flair helped Styles cheat to pin Angle and retain theTNA World Heavyweight Championship.[118]
In addition to Styles, Flair began informally managingBeer Money, Inc. (Robert Roode andJames Storm) andDesmond Wolfe as a loose alliance. On the March 8 episode ofImpact!, Hulk Hogan and Abyss defeated Flair and Styles when Abyss pinned Styles.[119] Afterwards, the returningJeff Hardy saved Abyss and Hogan from a beatdown at the hands of Flair, Styles and Beer Money, Inc.[119] AtLockdown, Team Flair (Ric Flair, Sting, Desmond Wolfe, Robert Roode and James Storm) was defeated by Team Hogan (Hulk Hogan, Abyss,Jeff Jarrett, Jeff Hardy andRob Van Dam) in aLethal Lockdown match.[120] On the April 26 episode ofImpact!, Flair was defeated by Abyss in a match where Flair's and Hogan's WWE Hall of Fame rings were at stake, and as a result Flair lost possession of his ring to Hogan.[121] The following week, Hogan gave the ring toJay Lethal, who returned it to Flair out of respect. This, however, was not enough for Flair, who attacked Lethal along with the members of Team Flair.[122] After Styles dropped the TNA World Heavyweight Championship to Rob Van Dam, then failed to regain it in a rematch and later was pinned by Jay Lethal, Flair adoptedKazarian as his newest protégé, seemingly replacing Styles as his number one wrestler.[123][124]
On the June 17 episode ofImpact!, Flair announced that he would reform the Four Horsemen under the new nameFourtune, a group consisting of A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode, and James Storm.[125] Flair made a return to the ring on July 11 atVictory Road, losing to Jay Lethal.[126] On the August 5 episode ofImpact!, Flair faced Lethal in a rematch, this time contested under Street Fight rules, with the members of Fourtune banned from ringside; Flair managed to win the match after an interference fromDouglas Williams. The following week, Williams andMatt Morgan were added to Fourtune.[127] In the weeks leading toBound for Glory, Flair's stable's name was tweaked to Fortune to represent the expansion in the number of members in the group.[128] On the October 7 episode ofImpact!, Flair was defeated by Mick Foley in a Last Man Standing match.[129]
On the following episode ofImpact!, Fortune formed an alliance with Hulk Hogan's and Eric Bischoff's new stable,Immortal.[130] On the November 18 episode ofImpact!, Flair returned to the ring, competing in a match where he faced Matt Morgan, who had been kicked out of Fortune the previous month; Morgan won the match after Douglas Williams turned on the rest of Fortune, when they interfered in the match.[131] On January 25, 2011, it was reported that Flair had pulled out of TNA'sMaximum Wooo! tour of Europe mid–tour after monetary disputes.[132] After missing a show inBerlin, Germany, Flair returned to the tour on January 27 inGlasgow, Scotland, reportedly apologizing to the locker room prior to the show.[133][134][135] On January 29, Flair wrestled his only match of the tour, defeatingDouglas Williams in London,tearing his rotator cuff in the process making it his last singles win.[136][137] During Flair's time away from TNA, Fortune turned on Immortal.[138] Flair returned at the February 14 tapings of the February 17 episode ofImpact!, turning on Fortune during a match between A.J. Styles andMatt Hardy and jumping to Immortal.[139][140] On the March 10 episode ofImpact!, Flair defeated Styles and Hardy in a three–way street fight, contested as more of a two–on–one handicap match.[141] On April 17 atLockdown, Immortal, represented by Flair, Abyss,Bully Ray and Matt Hardy, was defeated by Fortune members James Storm, Kazarian and Robert Roode andChristopher Daniels, who replaced an injured A.J. Styles, in a Lethal Lockdown match, when Flair tapped out to Roode.[142] The match was used to write Flair off television, as the following week he was scheduled to undergo surgery for his torn rotator cuff; however, Flair ultimately chose not to have the surgery as it would have required six months of rehab.[143][144]
Flair returned to television in a non–wrestling role on the May 12, 2011, episode ofImpact Wrestling.[145] Flair did not appear again for three months, until making his return on August 9 at the tapings of the August 18 episode ofImpact Wrestling, confronting old rival Sting and challenging him to one more match. In exchange for Sting agreeing to put his career on the line, Flair promised to deliver him his match with Hogan if he was victorious.[146][147] The match, which Flair lost, took place on the September 15 episode ofImpact Wrestling. The match with Sting would be the last of his career to date.[148] During the match, Flair tore his left triceps on asuperplex spot, sidelining him indefinitely from in-ring action.[149] AtBound for Glory, Flair appeared in Hogan's corner in his match against Sting. Flair continued to make appearances for TNA until April 2012. In April 2012, Flair tried to have his TNA contract terminated, which led to TNA filing alawsuit against WWE for contract tampering and eventually firing Flair on May 11.[150][151] Having been inactive since his September 2011 injury, Flair announced in a December 3, 2012, interview that he would never wrestle again, owing chiefly to an on-air heart attack suffered by age peerJerry Lawler following aRaw match three months earlier.[152]
On March 31, 2012, while still contracted to TNA as a part of a deal with WWE which allowed Christian Cage to appear atSlammiversary 10, Flair became the first person to be inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame twice, the second time as part of theclass of 2012 withThe Four Horsemen. On December 17, 2012, Flair returned to WWE as a non-wrestling personality on the annualSlammy Awards show to present the Superstar of the Year award toJohn Cena, who in turn gave the award to Flair. Flair's return was interrupted byCM Punk andPaul Heyman, escalating into a confrontation that ended with him locking Heyman in the figure-four leglock. After clearing the ring, Flair was assaulted byThe Shield (Dean Ambrose,Roman Reigns, andSeth Rollins), untilRyback andTeam Hell No (Kane andDaniel Bryan) helped Flair fend off the group.[153] Flair appeared on the main roster sporadically throughout 2013, asThe Miz's mentor.[154][155] He also occasionally appeared onNXT in 2013 and 2014, accompanying his daughterCharlotte to the ring.[156]
Flair appeared on April 28, 2014, episode ofRaw, alongside the reunitedEvolution (minus Flair) and The Shield; Flair showed his endorsement for The Shield, Evolution's opponents atExtreme Rules, effectively turning his back on his old teammates. AtBattleground,John Cena symbolically handed over hisWorld Heavyweight Championship belt to Flair, telling him to "take it" while promoting his match.[157] On the post-SummerSlamRaw in August 2015, Flair interruptedJon Stewart, who had saved Flair's 16 world title record by preventing Cena's victory the previous night, telling him that the record would be broken eventually and he would rather it be by someone who he respects.[158]
Flair began making more frequent appearances with Charlotte after she won theDivas Championship.[159] In January 2016, Flair and Charlotte began displayingvillainous traits, with Flair often getting involved in Charlotte's Divas Championship[160][161] and laterWWE Women's Championship defenses, thus turning heel for the first time since 2005 in WWE.[162][163] This lasted until the May 23 episode ofRaw when Charlotte turned on him.[164] On the November 28 episode ofRaw, Flair returned to congratulate the new Raw Women's ChampionSasha Banks, who had defeated Charlotte to win the title, thus turning face once again.[165] Flair made a surprise appearance during the November 14, 2017, episode ofSmackDown to congratulate his daughter Charlotte Flair, who won theSmackDown Women's Championship. They shared an emotional moment on the ramp and did his iconic strut.
On the February 25, 2019, episode ofRaw, WWE celebrated Flair's 70th birthday and during the closing moments, Flair was attacked byBatista. The actual "attack" was never seen, only Flair being dragged by Batista.[166] AtWrestleMania 35, Flair assistedTriple H in defeating Batista, to keep his in-ring career going.[167] Flair appeared on the July 22Raw Reunion episode and raised a toast alongside Triple H,Hulk Hogan,"Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and various other fellow wrestlers of his era.[168] In June 2020, Flair came back to WWE programming as a heel again, managingRandy Orton for a few weeks until the August 10 episode ofRaw when Orton performed a punt kick on Flair's head.[169][170] On November 22, 2020, he made an appearance atSurvivor Series duringThe Undertaker's retirement ceremony.[171]
On the January 4, 2021, episode ofRaw, Flair started a storyline withLacey Evans, when during a match againstWomen's Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair andAsuka, Evans flirted with Flair. During the following weeks, Flair managed Evans, usually distracting his daughter Charlotte, including a participation in the Women'sRoyal Rumble.[172] On the February 15 episode ofRaw, Evans' real-life pregnancy was announced and incorporated into a storyline with Flair impregnating Lacey.[173] Evans was scheduled to faceAsuka forRaw Women's Championship atElimination Chamber but the match wascanceled due to her pregnancy and the storyline with Flair was canceled.[174] On August 2, 2021, it was reported by Wrestling Inc. that Flair had asked for and was granted his release from WWE.[175] WWE confirmed his release the following day and considered it effective as of August 3.[176]
On August 14, 2021, atTriplemanía XXIX, Flair made hisLucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) debut by accompanying Charlotte's fiancéAndrade "El Ídolo" to ringside during his match againstAAA Mega ChampionKenny Omega. Flair would later get involved in the match by chopping Omega and applying the Figure Four leglock to Omega's secondKonnan.
On August 29, 2021, Flair made his return to the NWA atNWA 73. It was his first NWA appearance since 2008 when he was inducted into theNWA Hall of Fame. At NWA 73, Flair thanked the NWA and WWE for several memorable moments and noted the importance of having several companies in the industry.[177]
On May 16, 2022, it was announced that Flair would wrestle his final match on July 31 in Nashville, calledRic Flair's Last Match, finally retiring after nearly five decades in the ring.[178] On July 18, it was announced that Flair would team with his son-in-law Andrade El Ídolo against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.[179] As part of the promo setting up the match, Lethal attacked Flair over being left out of the match card. Jarrett initially tried to help Flair, but attacked him after he rebuffed him and used expletives against his family.[180] Flair and Andrade would go on to win the match.[181]
Flair later confirmed that he had passed out twice during the Last Match[182] and regretted announcing that it would be his final match.[183] A few days later, he accompanied Andrade during his match againstCarlito at the49th WWC Anniversary show held on August 6, 2022. Flair attempted to interfere before pokingPrimo Colón when he tried to stop him, causingCarlos Colón to attack him and forcing him to flee. Andrade would go on to lose the match.[184]
During the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of his debut in professional wrestling on September 26, 2022, Flair announced that he would never retire.[185] In January 2023 however he stated that he did not want to wrestle again aside from wanting to redo the Last Match.[186] In January 2025, Flair stated that he would never return to the ring.[6]
On the October 25, 2023, episode ofAEW Dynamite, Flair, in his first appearance on TBS since the March 21, 2001, episode of WCWThunder, appeared as a "gift" fromAll Elite Wrestling (AEW) founderTony Khan to Sting for his upcoming retirement.[187] Both men previously wrestled in the final episode of WCWMonday Nitro on March 26, 2001. On November 2, 2023, it was announced Flair signed a multi-year deal with AEW.[188] On November 18, 2023, he made his AEW PPV debut atFull Gear, accompanying Sting,Darby Allin andAdam Copeland to the ring, and performing chops and a low blow toChristian Cage.[189]
On the January 6, 2024AEW Collision Flair accompanied Sting and Allin to the ring, and later performed a promo with Sting later in the night.[190] On January 10, 2024, Flair once again accompanied Sting and Allin to the ring during their match againstPowerhouse Hobbs andKonosuke Takeshita, in which he once again delivered chops, this time inside an AEW ring for the first time.[191] On February 21, Flair would once again appear onDynamite claiming he was unhappy with his involvement with Sting's retirement, and wanted to play a bigger role; he then enteredThe Young Bucks office.[192] The following week on February 28, during Sting's final Dynamite appearance, he made his iconic entrance from the rafters, with Flair delivering punches and chops to The Young Bucks.[193][194] On March 3, 2024, Flair accompanied Sting and Allin to the ring at theRevolution pay-per-view, in theGreensboro Coliseum, the same venue in which the pair faced each other for theNWA World Heavyweight Championship atClash of the Champions I in March 1988. During the match Flair received superkicks from The Young Bucks.[195] On July 12, 2024, it was reported byDave Meltzer in theWrestling Observer Newsletter that Flair had parted ways with AEW.[196] However, Meltzer later confirmed in November 2025 that Flair remains under AEW employment.[197]
On May 14, 2025 atCollision: Beach Break, Flair returned to AEW as part of the tribute segment forSteve McMichael.[198]
On November 8, 2025, it was revealed that Flair would return to AEW on November 12, 2025 for the2025 Blood and Guts special.[199] On November 10, Flair even stated on social media that he would be at the event too.[200] Though he would not show up on the televised broadcast, Flair was confirmed to have appeared at the event before its televised broadcast, but left early due to the great deal of pain he was in from a recentrotator cuff injury.[201][197][202][203] Flair would confirm this as well.[201] It is believed that Flair's planned appearance during the televised broadcast was going to involve him making an appearance alongsideRicky Steamboat, who during the broadcast was attacked byFTR.[204]
Flair was often popular with the crowd due to his in-ring antics, including rulebreaking (earning him the distinction of being "the dirtiest player in the game"), strutting and his shouting of "Woooooooo!" (Flair got the inspiration fromJerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire").[205] The "Wooo!" yell[b] has since become a tribute to Flair, and is often shouted by the crowd whenever a wrestler performs a knife-edge chop, one of Flair's signature moves.[3] It is also often shouted by the crowd whenever a wrestler utilizes Flair'sfigure-four leglock finisher.
One of Professional Wrestling's biggest draws, Hulk Hogan, has said he himself is "number two" behind Ric Flair, who is the greatest wrestler of all time.[207]
From the late-1970s, Flair wore ornate fur-lined robes of many colors with sequins during in-ring appearances,[3] and since the early 1980s, his approach to the ring was usually heralded by the playing of the "Dawn" section ofRichard Strauss' "Also sprach Zarathustra" (famous for being used in the 1968 motion picture2001: A Space Odyssey and for the introduction toElvis Presley's concerts of the 1970s). Flair also described himself as a "limousine-ridin', jet-flyin', kiss stealin', wheelin' dealin', son-of-a-gun (who kissed all the girls worldwide and made em cry)".[208]
On April 29, 1995, Ric Flair foughtAntonio Inoki in the main event match ofCollision in Korea Day 2. The event registered an attendance of 165,000 people, the largest crowd in professional wrestling history.[209][210][211]
On October 19, 1998, it was declared "Ric Flair Day" in Minneapolis, Minnesota by MayorSharon Sayles Belton[212] and on November 15, 2008, it was declared "Ric Flair Day" in Norfolk, Virginia.[213] On March 24, 2008, Mayor Bob Coble, of Columbia, South Carolina, declared March 24 to be Ric Flair Day in Columbia. Flair also received the key to the city.[214] He received the key to the city ofGreensboro, North Carolina on December 5, 2008, to commemorate Flair's victory in a steel cage match againstHarley Race at theinaugural Starrcade event.[215] April 18, 2009, was declared "Ric Flair Day" in Charleston, West Virginia and he was presented with the key to the city by the mayor.[216] Also, on June 12, 2009, Flair was presented with the key to the city ofMyrtle Beach, South Carolina[217] and, in September, he received the key to the city in Marion County, South Carolina.[218] On July 17, 2010, Flair made a special appearance at Scotland Motors in Laurinburg, North Carolina and received the key to that city, as well.[219]
On the February 18, 2008, episode ofRaw,Shawn Michaels announced Flair as the first inductee into theWWE Hall of Fameclass of 2008. The induction ceremony took place on March 29, 2008, with Triple H inducting him. This made him the first person to be inducted while still an active competitor.[220] Flair was later inducted into theNWA Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, but he did not participate in the event. On January 9, 2012, it was announced that the Four Horsemen would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, thus making Flair the first person to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame twice.[221]
On April 15, 2008, Flair was honored in Congress by a representative from North Carolina, RepublicanSue Myrick, who praised his career and what he means to the state.[222] On September 29, 2008, it was announced that Flair's signature sequin covered robe that he wore at WrestleMania XXIV, in what was to be his last WWE match, would be placed in the pop culture section of theNational Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.[223]
In 1999, a large group of professional wrestling experts, analysts and historians named Flair the greatest NWA World Heavyweight Champion of all time.[224] In 2002, Flair was named the greatest professional wrestler of all time in the bookThe Top 100 Wrestlers of All Time by John Molinaro, edited byDave Meltzer andJeff Marek.[225] in July 2016, Luke Winkie ofSports Illustrated also named Flair the greatest professional wrestler of all time.[226]
Flair's "Wooo" chant has been used throughout pop culture. RapperPusha T paid homage to Flair in numerous songs. For example, on the track "Sweet Serenade", he says, "Triple doubles, two hoes and check please (Wooo!), They love me on my Ric Flair shit (Wooo!), In that Phantom like I'm Blair Witch (Wooo!), Who are you to be compared with? (Wooo!)".[227] Atlanta-based rapperKiller Mike also has a track named "Ric Flair".[228] Americantrap musiciansOffset andMetro Boomin paid tribute to Flair in their hit song "Ric Flair Drip".[229] The Battle of Gettysburg Podcast, hosted by battlefield guides and wrestling fans Jim Hessler and Eric Lindblade, often cites Flair's "Wooo" chant as well as other elements of Flair's mystique.[230]
Some have looked unfavorably upon Flair's career from the late-1990s onward. In 1998, wrestler and former WCW colleagueStone Cold Steve Austin said that Flair had reached the "time to hang it up", having not been great for a "long time".[231] John Molinaro ofSlam! Sports penned a 1999 article titled, "Ric Flair is tarnishing his legacy"; Molinaro saw Flair as a wrestler whose prestige was "in jeopardy".[232] In 2006,Pro Wrestling Illustrated writer Frank Ingiosi said that Flair had a "personal vendetta against his legend".[233] He nevertheless continued to wrestle until originally retiring in 2008, at age 59.
Despite the unfavorable reviews for continuing to wrestle, many of his later career matches were praised. The match between Flair andShawn Michaels atWrestleMania 24 in 2008 was named as the "match of the decade" by popular professional wrestling magazinePro Wrestling Illustrated.[234]
Flair would ultimately return to the ring in 2009 and signed to wrestle for TNA the following year, breaking a vow to never again lace up his boots.[235] WrestlerAxl Rotten,[236]NFL writer Adam Rank,[237] and many fans[235] felt that he sullied his legend by continuing to wrestle in TNA.[238] Asked in 2011 if Flair was tainting his prestige, former opponentShane Douglas was harsher, stating that he had "been tarnishing his legacy since 1990".[239] Also that year, Kevin Eck ofThe Baltimore Sun criticized the aging Flair for being unable to separate himself from his ostentatiousgimmick when not wrestling, and said: "I don't know what's sadder, Ric Flair tarnishing his legacy in the ring or embarrassing himself away from the ring".[240] Asked about Flair in 2015, wrestlerThe Honky Tonk Man felt that viewers would "remember only the last years of his career", which consist of "bad memories".[241]
Conversely, professional wrestling announcerJim Ross in 2012 felt that Flair had not tarnished his legacy, observing only "passion and need to earn a living".[242] In 2016, Flair said continuing to wrestle in TNA was the "number one" regret of his career.[243]
Flair has made numerous appearances in television shows. In 1996, Flair, along with other WCW wrestlers, appeared in an episode ofBaywatch as themselves. In 2013, Flair made an appearance inStuff You Should Know, in the episode, "Bacteriopolis", as Dr. Roland Grayson. In 2014, Flair voiced himself in the animated series,Uncle Grandpa, in the episode, "History of Wrestling".[244] In 2011, Flair voiced himself in the animated series,The Cleveland Show, in the episode, "BFFs".[245]
Flair released his autobiography,To Be the Man, on June 29, 2004.[246] The title is taken from one of hiscatchphrases, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man!".[247]
In 2009, Flair voiced Commander Douglas Hill in the video gameCommand & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - Uprising.[248]
It was announced on July 8, 2012, that Flair was to appear atInsane Clown Posse's 13th AnnualGathering of the Juggalos weekend as a main stage host who was in charge of announcing the performers.[249] However, his appearance at the event was cut short after his head was barely struck by a water bottle thrown from the crowd before announcingTech N9ne to enter the main stage. Flair at that point left immediately after announcing Tech N9ne and did not go back out on the main stage to announce the remaining performers. Flair's final comment before he left the main stage was "Have fun".[250]
In 2015, Flair made his feature film debut, appearing inMagic Mike XXL.[251] From May 2015-April 2016, Flair was host of a podcast titled "WOOOOO! Nation". The podcast was placed on hiatus after episode 46 which was uploaded on April 1, 2016. Flair returned to podcasting onMLW Radio with a new show calledThe Ric Flair Show in July 2016.[252] The final episode ofThe Ric Flair Show was uploaded on December 16, 2016. Flair stated that the reason that he had quit the podcasting business was because he could no longer be objective when it comes to his opinion of what is happening in the WWE.[253]
In 2017,ESPN airedNature Boy, a30 for 30documentary about Flair's career directed by Rory Karpf.[254][255]
On October 31, 2017,trap artistsOffset andMetro Boomin released a single titled "Ric Flair Drip" from their collaborative album with21 Savage,Without Warning, in which Flair made an appearance in the music video.[256] In December 2017,Latin trap artistBad Bunny released a music video entitled "Chambea", in which Flair appeared.[257]
Flair signed an endorsement deal with onlineticket exchange marketplaceTickPick in August 2018. Under the agreement he would make guest posts on TickPick's blog, in addition to appearing in advertisements for the brand posted on its and his own social media channels.[258]
Flair started appearing in an advertising campaign for CarShield in April 2021 (One of the commercials featured him alongsideLA Knight, who played the role of "The Overcharger").[259] The company paused it in September 2021 following allegations of sexual assault made by Heidi Doyle against Flair on an episode ofDark Side of the Ring.[260] It however resumed airing the commercials in December 2021.[261]
In November 2021, Flair brought back his podcast "WOOOOO! Nation". It was named "Wooooo Nation Uncensored" and was co-hosted byMark Madden.[262] Madden quit in March 2022.[263] He was replaced by Flair's son-in-lawConrad Thompson and the podcast was revamped into "To Be the Man" in April 2022.[264]
Flair signed an endorsement deal with Nu Image Medical, an onlinetelehealth and medical company, in June 2022 to promote itsmen's health products.[265] WWE and the streaming servicePeacock partnered to release a documentary on Flair titledWoooooo! Becoming Ric Flair on December 26.[266]
In 2023 wrestling historian Tim Hornbeck released a book entitled "The Last Real World Champion:The Legacy of the Nature Boy Ric Flair."
Flair sells his official merchandise through his own website.[267]
He partnered with Scout Comics in 2021 to launch a comic book series namedCode Name: Ric Flair. Following allegations of sexual assault against him made onDark Side of the Ring, Scout Comics dropped the comic and Flair started personally selling it on his website. However, later in December 2022, the company agreed to publish it through its label. It was written by Scout Comics President James Haick III and was released in April 2023.[268][269][270]
In July 2022, Flair launched avirtual restaurant chain named "Wooooo! Wings" inNashville, Tennessee in partnership with Kitchen Data Systems ahead ofRic Flair's Last Match. The name of the chain is based after Flair's signature exclamation. The food items of the outlet are prepared by KitchPartner restaurants, owned by Kitchen Data Systems. The chain expanded to six American cities in August 2022.[271][272] Its launch and expansion was handled byConrad Thompson.[273]
Flair also partnered withMike Tyson and Verano Holdings Corp. to launch his owncannabis line called the "Ric Flair Drip" under Tyson's cannabis brand "Tyson 2.0". The line launched in October 2022 inArizona,Nevada andCalifornia.[274]
In July 2023, Flair partnered with Carma HoldCo and LGNDS to release a mushroom-infused energy drink calledWooooo! Energy.[275]
Flair married his first wife, Leslie Goodman, on August 28, 1971. Goodman wasJewish, with her grandparents even wanting Flair to convert toJudaism, which he ultimately opted not to do after attendingHebrew language classes.[276] They had two children, daughter Megan and sonDavid. Flair and Leslie separated in 1979,[277] before officially divorcing in 1983 after twelve years of marriage. On August 27, 1983, he married his second wife, Elizabeth Harrell. PromoterJim Crockett Jr. served as the best man for the wedding. They had two children, daughterAshley and sonReid. Beth and their children also made periodic appearances in WCW between 1998 and 2000. Flair and Beth divorced in 2006 after nearly 23 years of marriage.[278][279] On May 27, 2006, Flair married his third wife Tiffany VanDemark, a fitness competitor.[280] In 2008, Tiffany filed for divorce from Flair, which was finalized in 2009.[281] On November 11, 2009, Flair married his fourth wife, Jacqueline "Jackie" Beems, inCharlotte, North Carolina.[citation needed] In 2012, Flair filed for divorce from Beems, which was finalized in 2014.[citation needed] Flair, in a non-legally binding wedding ceremony,[282] married Wendy Barlow (known as Fifi, his "maid" in WCW), on September 12, 2018, at a resort in Florida.[283][284] Despite having a wedding ceremony, Flair and Barlow later revealed toPeople in January 2022 that they were never legally married, as they never applied for a marriage certificate.[282][285] On January 31, 2022, Flair announced that he and Barlow had separated.[282][286] The two reconciled in May 2022, but separated again in September 2024.[287][288] Flair and Barlow were acknowledged to have been in a romantic relationship for thirteen years prior to the 2024 separation.[287]
Flair's elder son David is a retired professional wrestler, who worked forWCW from 1999 to 2001, and made two televised appearances in theWWF in 2002 during the run-up toWrestleMania X8. Flair's younger son Reid, who signed a developmental contract with WWE near the end of 2007,[289] was an accomplished high school wrestler and made several appearances on WCW television along with his sister Ashley and half-sister Megan. In 2004, Flair became a grandfather at the age of 55, when his older daughter, Megan Fliehr Ketzner, gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Morgan Lee Ketzner on May 9.[290][291]
On May 17, 2012, it was reported that Flair's daughter Ashley had signed with WWE[292] adopting the ring name, Charlotte, which was later changed to include the Flair surname.[293]
On March 29, 2013, Reid died from a drug overdose ofheroin,Xanax, and a muscle relaxant.[294]
Sebastian Kidder, Flair's stepson through his relationship with Barlow, died by suicide on October 26, 2024.[295][285]
In December 2005, a judge issued arrest warrants for Flair after aroad rage incident that took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, in which Flair allegedly got out of his car, grabbed a motorist by the neck, and damaged his vehicle.[296] Flair was charged with two misdemeanors, injury to personal property and simple assault and battery. This incident was ridiculed on WWE programming, most notably by the wrestlerEdge.[297]
In September 2007, Flair opened a financial business called Ric Flair Finance. In July 2008, Flair Finance filed for bankruptcy.[298] Following Flair's debut inTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) his former employer,Ring of Honor (ROH), filed a lawsuit in 2010, alleging that Flair owed them over $40,000 and that he had not appeared at several events that he was contractually obligated to appear at.[299] The lawsuit was never resolved.[300]
Highspots Inc. claimed that Flair had given them theNWA World Heavyweight Championship belt as collateral for a loan.[301][302] A warrant for Flair's arrest was issued in May 2011 for being held in contempt of court for violating the terms of his settlement with Highspots. If Flair had failed to comply he could have potentially faced 90 days in jail.[303][304] On June 25, Highspots released a statement over their official Facebook page stating that someone had paid Flair's debts.[305]
Flair has long supportedRepublican political candidates inNorth Carolina politics.[306] In 2000, Flair explored the possibility of running forgovernor of North Carolina,[306] but he never filed the papers.[307]Jesse Ventura stated that, when Flair told him that he had received 143 speeding tickets in his life, Ventura urged him not to run.[308]
In the2008 presidential election, Flair declared his support for the Republican presidential candidateMike Huckabee. He said of Huckabee, "[Huckabee] is a quality person, self-made, a great family man and he has a great vision for our country. And I'm here to excite the crowd."[309]
Flair endorsedTed Cruz during the2016 presidential election.[310]
Flair announced in 2016 that he was running for president, with rapperWaka Flocka Flame as his running mate. However, he did not file a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2).[311][312]
Flair has a heart condition calledalcoholic cardiomyopathy.[313]
On August 14, 2017, Flair had surgery in Georgia to remove anobstructive piece of his bowel, which led to various complications, most seriouslykidney failure, necessitatingdialysis treatment and ongoing hospitalization.[314] He was discharged from rehabilitation and allowed to return home on September 21.[315]
Flair suffered aheart attack duringhis final match on July 31, 2022.[316]
In June 2025, Flair revealed that he had been diagnosed withskin cancer for the "second time in three years."[317]
WWE Hall of FamerTeddy Long claimed Flair was racist to him in his early career in the 1980s,[318] stating "Flair walked up to me one time and asked me, he said, 'Nigger you like working here?".[319] Long claims Flair never apologized to him and "hasn't changed over the years".[319]
Flair engaged in an off-screen rivalry withBret Hart. In October 1993, Hart gave a radio interview in which he said Flair "sucks" and described his workplace, WCW, as "minor league".[320] Flair, in his autobiography, accused Hart of exploiting the death of his brotherOwen and the controversy surrounding theMontreal Screwjob.[321] Flair also claimed in his autobiography that—despite Hart's popularity in Canada—he was not a formidable money-makingdraw in the United States, a claim which Hart dismissed as "plain ridiculous" in a column written for theCalgary Sun. Hart cited his headlining performances on consistently sold-out tours throughout his WWF career, while alleging that Flair wrestled to near-empty arenas. He also criticized Flair on what he perceived as insults to fellow wrestlersMick Foley andRandy Savage, both personal friends of Hart.[322] Hart went on to criticize Flair in his own autobiography, mainly his in-ring talent, (mis)use of ring psychology and what Hart perceived as Flair's unsubtleblading.[323][324] However, they have since reconciled and are now friends.[325]
Flair also had a long-running feud withShane Douglas, who would refer to him as "Dick Flair" and accuse him of sabotaging his push in the NWA/WCW after getting a solid push and a rub from his tag team partner Ricky Steamboat.[326] In turn, Flair responded that Douglas was always the guy that would blame his shortcomings on others. He called Douglas out as well as accused him of steroid abuse during a broadcast of the Internet radio showWCW Live! in which he said that he would meet him anytime and anywhere if he would "take the needle out of his ass".[327]
Flair has also had problems withMick Foley. In his 1999 autobiographyHave a Nice Day!, Foley said that "Flair was every bit as bad on the booking side of things as he was great on the wrestling side of it".[328] This was in reference to how poorly Foley thought he was booked during his WCW career when Flair was on the booking committee. Flair responded in his autobiography by writing: "I do not care how many thumbtacks Mick Foley has fallen on, how many ladders he's fallen off, how many continents he's supposedly bled on, he will always be known as a glorified stuntman".[329] They had an altercation in 2004 in Huntsville, and in 2006 they worked a program where Flair took part in some of the bloodiest and most violent matches of his career, particularly at the 2006SummerSlam, in an "I Quit" match which had spots involving barbed wire and thumbtacks—trademark weapons from Foley's days as Cactus Jack. However, they have since reconciled and are now friends.[330]
In his book, Flair also touched on some real-life tension between himself andHulk Hogan which largely stemmed from an incident that followed the conclusion of a tag team match between Flair and his son David and the team ofCurt Hennig andBarry Windham at WCW's Souled Out pay-per-view on January 17, 1999, in Charleston, West Virginia.[331] However, Flair has stated that he and Hogan remained friends despite their differences.[332][333] Upon Hogan's sudden death from aheart attack at age 71 on July 24, 2025, Flair cried while remembering his friend during an interview withTMZ.com.[334]
Flair and wrestlerBruno Sammartino had a real-life disagreement over what reports call "the infamous backstage snub" where Flair claims that Sammartino refused to shake his hand at a live event.[335] While Flair claims Sammartino ignored him due to comments made in his book, stating Sammartino was "a Northeast star who couldn't draw fans outside New York",[335] Sammartino referred to Flair as a "liar" and stating: "No, I don't respect Ric Flair. I don't respect him at all".[336] They reconciled and were friends until Sammartino's death in 2018.[337]
In September 2019, Flair threatened legal action against WWE and filed a trademark for the term "The Man", which was being used as a nickname by heavily promoted wrestlerBecky Lynch. The threats of legal action caused a rift between Flair and his daughter Charlotte, who was Lynch's onscreen nemesis at the time.[338] Lynch responded to the actions by asserting that she still liked and respected Flair.[339] Flair transferred the rights to "The Man" nickname and gimmick to WWE in May 2020. The terms of the transfer were undisclosed.[340] Flair began feuding with Lynch in 2021, accusing her of using the term without his explicit permission, but their dispute was resolved when he apologized to her in January 2023.[341]
Flair was part of the infamous 2002 "Plane Ride from Hell". Flair was accused of wearing his signature wrestling robe while naked and forcing two female flight attendants to touch his penis; they would later sue the WWE, though the case was ultimately settled out of court.[342][343] The allegations were discussed on the Canadian documentary seriesDark Side of the Ring in 2021 on an episode dedicated to the flight. Flair released a statement after the episode aired denying the allegations.[344] Flair was also removed from the WWE's intro signature afterwards.[345]
.jpg)
[Steve Austin:] Ric Flair is the greatest professional wrestler that ever lived.
[Triple H:] Let me state this categorically: Ric Flair is the greatest wrestler of all time.
[Kurt Angle:] ...overall the greatest ever is Ric Flair.
[Hulk Hogan:] I pick Ric Flair first, because he's the greatest wrestler of all time.
[Steve Austin:] Would you agree with me, that he [Flair] was the greatest of all time? [Michaels:] Yeah... I'm always gonna say Ric.
[Buddy Landel:] Ric Flair is the single greatest wrestler – bar none – that has ever been in our business. [Dusty Rhodes:] The greatest wrestler to lace his boots was the 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair.
[Steve Austin:] I think you and I are on the same page with Ric Flair being the greatest of all time. [The Undertaker:] Absolutely [...] I'm like, 'Wait a minute: You're Ric Flair, right? You're the greatest to ever do this.'
Ric Flair is undoubtedly the greatest wrestler that I have ever seen.
Hart...sincerely believes he was the best wrestler in the business. Unfortunately for the Canadian legend, though, that label more aptly describes Ric Flair.
Fact be known, it's 21 times. 16, I'll take credit for.
Depending on which documents you read, my birth name was Fred Phillips, Fred Demaree, or Fred Stewart, and I was born in Memphis on February 25, 1949. My biological mother's name was Olive Phillips, Demaree, or Stewart. My biological father is listed as Luther Phillips.
My father's salary was a bit of an issue. He was only making $3,000 a year, but my mother explained he was only doing his residency in Detroit, and that any child they adopted would live a relatively privileged life, and most likely go to college.
After the ninth grade, I left Minnesota to go to Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin... [...] I lettered in three sports. I played middle linebacker and fullback on the football team, threw the shot put, and wrestled...
I want to be in the ring, but it will never happen again.
Those who have pointed out no "Wooooo! Energy" graphics on the screen of late, that is a smart observation and unless something changes, it doesn't look like you'll be seeing that going forward. There was no explanation given, but unless something changes, it does look like that deal is over with.
The "Woooo" started out short and clipped. It would later grow louder and longer.
The all-time pro wrestling attendance record would be for shows on April 28 and April 29, 1995 at May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. The announced crowds for those shows were 165,000 and 190,000, although the real numbers were about 150,000 and 165,000. The first show was headlined by Scott Norton vs. Shinya Hashimoto and the second by Antonio Inoki vs. Ric Flair. While there were tickets sold, most of the people attending got in free, and were pretty much ordered to attend, so it's not really a fair comparison.
Wrestling several matches on television and Pay-Per-View, Flair broke his promise... there was a feeling that Flair had tarnished his legacy.
How terrible is it that Ric Flair, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time had to come and tarnish his name and his reputation the way he has in TNA? When he left the WWE with that sendoff, which was a king's sendoff, which is what he deserved, to come back and do what he has done... has turned my stomach.
Not only is Flair's daughter, Megan, set to give birth to her first child on May 9, two of his other children are excelling in high school athletics. Ashley Fliehr is one of the top volleyball players in North Carolina, while Reid Fliehr posted a 34-10 amateur wrestling record as a freshman.
1993 - October - Bret Hart buries Ric Flair and WCW - Bret Hart was on Toronto all-sports radio station 'The FAN' and buried WCW and Ric Flair during an interview, saying WCW is 'minor league' and Flair 'sucks'.
I had a nice friendly breakfast with Rick Flair heading home soon
The Dirtiest Player in the Game also had six stints with the United States Title, which is enough to build a legacy on in and of itself
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
,Cagematch,Wrestlingdata,Internet Wrestling DatabaseLinks to related articles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
