Ric Flair made his name in wrestling with his legendary hour-long matches, but the WWE Hall of Famer believes practicing is a problem in the industry. Speaking on the Five Star Podcast, Flair made clear he prefers matches to have a more spontaneous feel, without any preconceived plans going in.
“Never practice. I’ve had no practice. You can never guarantee how the crowd is going to react. You can have a match all set up, and the crowd says, ‘I don’t think so. I like him today.’”
While Flair is opposed to practices and rehearsals, WWE does use practices from time to time. WWE has often held practices inside the Elimination Chamber, giving talent the opportunity to rehearse spots and mitigate the danger inside the iconic structure. Ahead of WrestleMania 40, The Rock competed in some practice matches with NXT’s Gallus, preparing WWE’s Final Boss for his long-awaited return to the ring.
Ric Flair’s Last Match… Again?
In 2022, Flair competed in what was promoted as his last match, though his performance in the tag-team contest left fans concerned for his safety and health. Shortly after, Flair teased returning to the ring again, but also shared that he was confident he was done in the ring.
Earlier this month, Flair again teased one more match, saying he definitely believes he has one last contest left in him. Whether Flair steps in the ring as a competitor one more time or not, fans shouldn’t expect the Nature Boy to practice any moves or sequences, even if it benefits the overall performance.