“A big pizza pie” is not “amore” between Ric Flair and a Gainsville, Florida pizza shop as ‘The Nature Boy’ was asked to leave the restaurant following an incident that happened on Cince De Mayo.
Flair took to social media to air his grievances after leaving Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza stating that he spent over $1,500 while at the place entertaining fans and customers.
“I Was Asked To Leave Because Of An Issue I Had With The Kitchen Manager Taking Too Long In The Bathroom. I Would Highly Recommend That Anyone Who Wants To Enjoy A Relaxing Time In Gainesville At A Nice Restaurant To Never Visit This Place! WOOOOO!”
The Gainesville Sunhappened to reach out to ownership of Piesano’s to get a statement regarding the incident. Co-owner Jerry Roberts happened to respond to them via text and without giving details of exactly what went down, said that requesting Ric’s leave was warranted.
“We have reviewed video of the incident that took place recently at our restaurant. It is clear, our team worked in a professional manner to ensure the safety of guests and staff. We have thanked our team for their professionalism. We are proud of how they responded to this situation using and displaying our team values.”
Flair is currently under contract with AEW, but hasn’t been seen on the company’s programming since his involvement in Sting’s last match at AEW Revolution. Flair has been busy making appearances and was apart of the festivities during WrestleMania weekend. He also recently expressed his disappointment online about not being involved in the upcoming “Who Killed WCW” docu-series on VICE TV.
It may be some time before Ric Flair dines at the Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza again after an issue with the kitchen manager allegedly led to the wrestling legend’s exit.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), the two-time WWE Hall of Famer shared that he’d spent $1,500 at the establishment and took photos with the staff. Flair claims that he was then asked to leave due to an issue with the kitchen manager who Flair states was taking too long in the kitchen. The Nature Boy added that anyone in Gainesville, Georgia looking for a relaxing dining experience should eat elsewhere.
I Spent $1500 At @PiesanosSFP To Be Disrespected More Than I Ever Have In My Entire Life. After Taking 20 Pictures With Customers And Staff, I Was Asked To Leave Because Of An Issue I Had With The Kitchen Manager Taking Too Long In The Bathroom. I Would Highly Recommend That…
As of this time, there’s been no public response to Flair by the company’s social media accounts. The 16-time World Champion had been in Gainesville to visit family for a school graduation.
Flair’s tweet comes after he lambasted the upcoming ‘Who Killed WCW’ docuseries that it set to release later this year. The new series will be produced by The Rock’s Seven Bucks Productions studios. Flair has claimed that he was not consulted for the show despite his significance in World Championship Wrestling.
With his time at Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza in Gainesville proving to be a disaster, Flair may turn to another staple of fast food. Ahead of his final match in 2022, Flair opened the Wooooo! Wings virtual restaurant. The online establishment that offered wings in Nashville saw Flair team with KitchPartner restaurants and ran for four days, ending on July 31 (the date of Flair’s last match.)
More from Ric Flair
Here are some recent articles regarding Ric Flair as the two-time WWE Hall of Famer continues to make headlines:
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is no fan of an upcoming docuseries from The Rock’s Seven Bucks Productions that’ll dive deep into the collapse of WCW.
The project was announced in November 2023 and aims to give a fresh look at the circumstances that led to WCW going out of business in March 2001. The promotion was purchased for around $2 million by the WWF, less than a year a SFX Entertainment had offered $500 million for the promotion.
"Who Killed WCW?" from our @SevenBucksProd & the Co-Creators of @Darksideofring comes a 4-part series about the meteoric rise and spectacular fall of the cultural phenomenon that was World Championship Wrestling.
While the project has intrigued wrestling fans, Ric Flair, a staple of WCW, is not on board with the docuseries. Taking to Twitter, the Nature Boy criticized the project given that he was not asked to participate in the show.
As Usual More Bullshit, No Interview With Ric Flair Who Was WCW, And Who Made Everyone There For 20 Years. Run By The The Same People Who Killed The Company. How Embarrassing!! A Documentary About WCW Without Me! And According To @EBischoff On @83Weeks, I Was The Greatest WCW… pic.twitter.com/qBHDnZCFM4
Flair is indeed synonymous with World Championship Wrestling and was with the promotion until its last day. The main event of the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro saw Flair lose to fellow WCW icon Sting. Flair has since revealed that the match was requested by Vince McMahon who held immense respect for the pair.
While Ric Flair is no fan of the Who Killed WCW docuseries, the project does have some high-profile support. WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW World Champion Kevin Nash has said that the show will feature the real reason WCW collapsed, rather than WWE’s retelling of events. Whatever you may think of the production, the docuseries will prove to be an interesting watch when it premieres on VICE TV in June of 2024.
More on WCW
Here are some recent articles regarding WCW as fans await the docuseries from Seven Bucks Productions:
Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship win at WrestleMania 40 continues to make history as the new champion has joined a very exclusive club.
Rhodes ended the 1,316-day reign of Roman Reigns in an emotional main event to WrestleMania 40: Sunday on April 7. With this win, Rhodes becomes the fourth wrestler in history to have held the WWE World Championship and the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion. He joins an elite club of talent that includes the inaugural WWE Champion Buddy Rogers, 16-time World Champion Ric Flair, and the Phenomenal AJ Styles.
This fact was pointed out on social media by Brian R. Solomon, an author of several wrestling books. In 2022, his book ‘Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik’ won the Wrestling Observer’s ‘Best Book’ award for the year. His next book, Irresistible Force: The Life and Times of Gorilla Monsoon, is scheduled to be released in 2024.
Triple Crown History
Rhodes didn’t just join the exclusive club of WWE/NWA World Champions, but he also made history by becoming the first person in his own unique club. With his win, Rhodes became the first man to have held the WWE, NWA, and Ring of Honor World Championships. Rhodes won the NWA title from Nick Aldis at 2018’s All In show. His Ring of Honor World Championship win would come the year prior with a victory over Christopher Daniels at Best in the World 2017.
The American Nightmare is certainly riding high with his victory at WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The fans are clearly behind Rhodes who also achieved a new personal record over WrestleMania week.
Ric Flair may be an old rival of Dusty Rhodes, but ‘The Nature Boy’ believes in Cody Rhodes.
‘The American Nightmare’ became the WWE Undisputed Universal Champion by defeating Roman Reigns in the main event of night two of WrestleMania 40, but it was not without its bells and whistles. “The Bloodline Rules” bout between Reigns and Rhodes started off as a single affair until Jimmy Uso got the ball rolling with run-ins that featured the likes of Seth Rollins, Solo Sikoa, John Cena, The Rock and The Undertaker. However, it was Cody who delivered the final blow to ‘The Tribal Chief’ with three Cross Rhodes to become the new champ.
Flair was watching it all unfold somewhere else in Philly and was sure to congratulate ‘The Grandson Of A Plumber’ on a well-deserved win, despite ‘The Dirtiest Player In The Game’ not fully endorsing how he fully finished his story.
“Congrats To Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns For Providing One Of The Most Athletic And Believable Main Events That I’ve Seen In A Long Time. I Hate The Interference, But It All Played Out In Your Favor And It Made The Show More Enjoyable To Watch. I Respect You Both. Thankful To Know You! Cody, You Finally Lived Your Dad’s Dream! Love You All! WOOOOO! -Naitch”
Congrats @CodyRhodes & @WWERomanReigns For Providing One Of The Most Athletic And Believable Main Events That I’ve Seen In A Long Time. I Hate The Interference, But It All Played Out In Your Favor And It Made The Show More Enjoyable To Watch. I Respect You Both. Thankful To Know… pic.twitter.com/wkYrYQWPfm
While Rhodes had two full nights of WrestleMania, Flair also had a weekend full of signings at WrestleCon this year in downtown Philadelphia. Flair’s daughter Charlotte also made an appearance at the WWE Hall of Fame on Friday night.
Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair never went down at WWE WrestleMania VIII, and the Hulkster knows the reasons why.
It was always an obvious omission as to why Hogan never fought Flair, but speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Hogan said that their were several wheels turning as to why ‘The Immortal’ never faced ‘The Nature Boy.’
“Me and Flair had magic in the old WWF,” said Hogan. “But there was more than one agenda there. It wasn’t just that Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan were going to be the guys driving the WWF train. I think Vince was thinking in multiples. We weren’t the only game in town. He got what he needed, then spread us apart.”
Although they wrestled one another at several house shows, the marquee match didn’t happen on the “grandest stage of them all.” From a visual perspective, Sports Illustrated notes that part of that reason was because Flair didn’t fit the bill of Hogan’s typical type of foe. Vince McMahon was lining up monsters for him to slay and Flair was of a different type of feather. Hogan, however, noted that he was always up for challengers of different wrestling styles.
“I always loved wrestling, and I liked the challenge of working with different guys. I loved wrestling The Rock. If you’re going to create magic, there is a formula, a feel, a timing, and a placement. That’s the ‘It Factor’–you need to be able to see it and feel it.”
Something else that was on the table was that WrestleMania VIII was going to be Hogan’s last with WWE. Instead, Hogan took on Sid Vicious and Flair battled Randy Savage.
Greatness recognizes greatness even if two legends are working for two different companies like The Rock and Ric Flair.
The Rock had one of his memorable promos this past Friday night in Memphis, TN as he serenaded Music City with one of his ‘rock concerts.’ Dwayne Johnson then went on to take jabs at his forthcoming WrestleMania 40 opponents in Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes before changing his target to Cody’s mom.
The Rock got serious and told Cody’s mother that he’d be handing her a bloody weightlifting belt after he whips his son like a dog with it, then used a closing lyric from his movie, “Moana.”
Flair was impressed and took to social media to put “The People’s Champ” over big-time as a promo, noting that he believes Rocky is even better than him.
“My Friend The Rock, You Are The Most Entertaining Motherf*cker In The Entire History Of The Wrestling Business And I’ve Seen Them All, Including Myself, But I Pale In Comparison! I’m So Thankful For Our Friendship & Respect. God Bless You! You Are The F*cking Man! WOOOOO!”
My Friend @TheRock, You Are The Most Entertaining Motherf*cker In The Entire History Of The Wrestling Business And I’ve Seen Them All, Including Myself, But I Pale In Comparison! I’m So Thankful For Our Friendship & Respect. God Bless You! You Are The F*cking Man! WOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/wqcBOqIsWJ
Flair also made the same post on Instagram and not long after SmackDown, The Rock happened to take notice of “The Nature Boy” and didn’t think he was deserving of the designation.
In October of last year, Flair joined AEW and has been part of Sting’s retirement run. The pair were fierce rivals in the NWA and WCW and competed in the final WCW match during the March 26, 2001, edition of WCW Monday Nitro.
Ric Flair’s Birthday Wish
As a megastar in wrestling, Flair’s birthday earned a ton of well-wishes from fans around the world. On Twitter, Charlotte shared a heartfelt message to her father, saying her love for him is as big as the sky. The Younger Flair included a photo of herself, Ric, and her husband Andrade El Idolo.
In a tweet of his own, Ric Flair was grateful for the well-wishes by fans.
Thank You To All Of My Family & Friends For Coming Together For Such A Special Birthday Celebration! It Was A Very Sentimental Night For Me! I Am So Blessed To Be Able To Make These Memories With You All! Here’s To 75! WOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/aY2mLvceJp
Becky Lynch says Ric Flair’s legal threats over The Man nickname were ‘above her pay grade’
The former Women’s World Champion and her husband Seth Rollins have been making media rounds to promote Saturday’s Elimination Chamber PPV from Perth.
They recently stopped by Nathan, Nat and Shaun podcast and during the conversation, Becky Lynch was asked about her past troubles with the WWE Hall of Famer over the shared nickname. Lynch explained that Flair used The Man as a catchphrase but it was never really something he was known as:
“It was never really the man with Flair. He just said, to be the man you got to beat the man. He was The Nature Boy; I am The Man.”
Becky Lynch On Ric Flair’s Legal Threats
The tensions originally started when Becky started using The Man gimmick during her feud with Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair in 2018.
Ric who owns the trademark for the phrase ‘To Be A Man’ thought that the catchphrase was too close to it. The wrestling veteran threatened the company with legal action over it before the two sides came to an agreement.
When asked about the legal threats and how things were settled, Becky Lynch said that it was something above her pay grade. According to her, she is just happy still being able to call herself The Man:
“Didn’t come at me personally. Yeah, it’s above my pay grade. I just am happy still being The Man. I don’t know what happened. I am just The Man. I just go around telling everybody I’m the man and proving that I’m The Man. That’s all that I need to worry about.”
Things between Becky Lynch and Ric Flair have been settled on a personal level as well since then. Flair had revealed that he had an hour-long discussion with Triple H at Raw’s Thirtieth Anniversary special resolving many issues. The 16-time world champion also apologized to Becky and Seth backstage at the show.
Becky Lynch will be stepping inside The Elimination Chamber at the namesake PPV this Saturday with 5 other women. She will be hoping to win the match to earn a WrestleMania title shot against Rhea Ripley.
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Ric Flair has two WWE Hall of Fame rings for a reason. His landmark career broke boundaries and records for years. Now, fans should prepare themselves for a cinematic retelling of his life story.
Upcoming Ric Flair Movie
The Wrap reports that the project will be produced by The Rock, Dany Garcia, and Hiram Garcia, partnering with Misher Films’ Kevin Misher. Misher and Seven Bucks Productions had previously worked together on “Fighting With My Family,” a movie based on the life of Saraya, also known as WWE’s Paige.
The yet-to-be-named Ric Flair biopic will see The Nature Boy’s story told in a new way on the silver screen. While hyping this upcoming project, Dwayne Johnson said, “As a kid who grew up in professional wrestling, I idolized, ‘The Nature Boy’ Ric Flair. He was a hero to me.” He went on to really expand on The Nature Boy’s career
“He was a hero to me. And once I broke into the wrestling business and began to spill my own sweat and blood – my reverence for Ric turned to respect. Because I realized just how rare and impossible it is to disrupt the wrestling business, culture and truly change the game – and that’s exactly what Ric Flair did. This project is personal, and we can’t wait to tell his unbelievable story. As always, thank you for the house, Ric.”
What’s Next For Ric Flair
Ric Flair is known for his decades-long career, as he holds the record for being a 16-time World Champion. Now that he’s with AEW, Flair remains a captivating figure, no matter what he is doing on Tony Khan’s show.
Flair’s autobiography “To Be The Man…” is still a great read. He also co-wrote “Second Nature,” a second autobiography with his daughter, Charlotte Flair. Only time will tell what stories this new film picks to focus on, because Flair’s career could fill a docuseries by itself.
Welcome to SEScoops’ Daily Drop – a rundown of the top stories in pro wrestling all in one place.
Our mission is to provide our readers with the most important and interesting news from WWE, AEW and more that’s timely, informative and engaging. The Daily Drop is a destination where you can get a snapshot of the top stories in wrestling.
WrestleMania 40 COUNTDOWN: 48 days away
Here’s the Daily Drop news report for Wednesday, February 18, 2024:
– New information is out that revealed the ballpark of how much Mercedes Mone asked for from WWE. She reportedly inked a deal with AEW and will make her debut during the March 13th episode of AEW Collision in Boston.
– AEW Dynamite: Big Business is coming to Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
– AEW Revolution takes place the following weekend on Sunday, March 3.
– WWE NXT Stand & Deliver will be on the afternoon of April 6th, right before the first night of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
– WrestleMania XL will take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, airing as a two-part event.
– Backlash France will be held on May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
– WWE NXT Battleground is scheduled for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, and will be available exclusively on the WWE Network and Peacock.
– WWE Money in the Bank will take place on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
– WWE Bash In Berlin is set for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair could have had a fruitful career in politics had his prior controversies not intervened, according to the Nature Boy himself.
In wrestling, Flair had a long, lustrious career with 16 World Championship wins to his name, though the actual amount of World title wins is reportedly much higher. Speaking to FOX News recently, Flair was asked what he’d look for in a leader of the United States.
“I think we need someone who shows strength. We need somebody to say, ‘Hey, we are the United States. Kiss my ass!'”
Flair was then asked if he’d considered running for office himself. While the Nature Boy has never set his sights on the White House, he did recall a proposed run for Governor in 2001.
“No [I have not thought about running for President] but I should have run for Governor in 2001. But, they said I had too many skeletons in my closet. Imagine that! I’d make Trump look like a baby.”
Flair didn’t go into what skeletons caused him to reconsider. During a 2020 interview, Jesse Ventura recalled encouraging Flair to reconsider after Ric disclosed 143 speeding tickets.
Ric Flair And Politics
Flair has long supported Republicans in North Carolina politics. In 2008, Flair declared his support for the Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. In 2016, Flair endorsed Ted Cruz’s campaign.
Seth Rollins further makes his case for Cody Rhodes to challenge him instead of Roman Reigns at WrestleMania and Ric Flair has taken note.
Rollins continued his campaign for Cody on social media as a compelling video package was put together by WWE with Rollins doing the narratiion and asking Rhodes what road he wants to take in finishing his story.
“Cody Rhodes – look in your heart and ask yourself what kind of champion do you want to be? Do you want to be like the Ultimate Warrior or do you want to be like The Nature Boy Ric Flair? Tell me, Cody, what kind of champion do you want to be?”
During the clip, it was highlighted how “The Nature Boy” was a staunch defending champion of the “Big Gold” during his Jim Crockett Promotions prime and although unprompted, Ric Flair looks to be in support of Cody choosing Rollins over Roman.
“The answer to that question is obvious! Just look at how Cody Rhodes styles & profiles! WOOOOO!”
During WWE Raw this past Monday, Rollins interrupted the 2024 Royal Rumble winner right before he was going to stake his claim for the WWE Undisputed Universal Title and pitched himself to The American Nightmare as the appropriate opponent for him at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
While The WWE World Heavyweight Championship doesn’t have direct lineage to the original World Heavyweight Title in WCW, it sure bears a resemblence. Rollins may have invoked Ric Flair’s name during the video package, but he also spoke of Dusty Rhodes as someone whom held the “working man’s” title.
AEW superstar Darby Allin recently revealed that he isn’t listening to pro wrestling legend Ric Flair’s advice.
Allin has a reputation for involving himself in high-risk spots in his matches. He has captivated the fans with his dangerous stunts that thrill the fans. However, suffering career-threatening injuries look inevitable. He has suffered injuries from time to time but that isn’t stopping him anytime soon.
Pro wrestling takes a toll on the physical health of the performers and it is no secret. Veterans of the business have dealt with complications at the latter stage of life and WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, who has experienced the same, shared a piece of advice for Allin.
Darby Allin won’t listen to Ric Flair
During a recent interview with Rock 106.1, Darby Allin revealed that though he appreciates Ric Flair’s advice to slow down he won’t listen to him. Allin says that he feels good physically and doesn’t see himself stopping. He said:
“Ric Flair, a couple weeks ago, he came up to me and is like, ‘Darby, you need to slow down.’ I’m like, ‘Wait, what?’ ‘You’re crazier than Mick Foley.’ I’m like, ‘Getting advice from Ric Flair?’ What’s funny is, people don’t know how great I feel physically. I feel amazing, like nothing hurts.“
“DDP also, he’s like, ‘We have to put you in a lab. They have to test you out and see what’s going on because you’re not human.’ I feel amazing. I won’t stop doing it. Sorry for anybody trying to give me advice, all the people out there telling me to slow down. I can’t and I won’t.”
Darby Allin and his tag team partner ‘The Icon’ Sting have their sights set on the AEW Tag Team Championships. On the latest edition of AEW Dynamite, the duo challenged the champs Big Bill and Ricky Starks, who eventually accepted the challenge.
Eric Bischoff knows Sting deserves a million dollar type send-off and in a universe where the stars aligned, he thinks The Icon would have the ultimate final match dance partner in Ric Flair.
Speaking on the latest episode of 83 Weeks, the former WCW President was joined by special guest co-host Matt Mitchell for an “Ask Eric Anything” episode and was asked about how would he handle Sting’s retirement match. Would he have him do a singles bout or team up in tag action to lighten the load? Bischoff gives a sound reason as to why he wouldn’t have him to a tag match.
“It’s faster paced, usually less emotion as a result of the pace and the fact that your attention is spread out.”
Bischoff then makes the case as to why he’d love to see Flair do his ‘Nature Boy strut’ across the ring from his longtime rival.
“In an ideal world (and it’s not an ideal world, trust me, I know that), but in an ideal world I would love for it to be Ric Flair. And I know I’m gonna get blistered, ‘Ah, Ric, he’s too old, blah, blah, blah.’ Bull****. Now Ric may not be interested in going out there and physically being in that position because again, he was almost dead a couple years ago so and 74 freaking years old so it’s kind of understandable that he’s not going to want to go out there and bounce around, but if he could, if he could go out there it would be the coolest thing in the world to see Ric Flair and Sting.”
Bischoff understands that Flair vs. Sting in 2024 isn’t really possible, but hopes Sting gets a proper sendoff and delivers one more classic match.
“Whoever it is, I would want it to be meaningful from a storyline point of view, and I would want that person to want nothing more in his life than to make Sting look like a million bucks because he deserves that.”
Sting’s final battle will take place at the very PPV he made his AEW debut at three years ago, AEW Revolution.
Ric Flair created considerable buzz when he made his AEW debut. Despite his widespread respect in the industry, his stint in the company hasn’t been devoid of controversy.
The Ric Flair AEW Rampage Controversy
One incident that sparked controversy was Ric Flair’s appearance on AEW Rampage, where he made some eyebrow-raising remarks.
A fan account from the AEW Rampage event noted “Flair invited all the women in the audience from ages 18-28 to meet him in his hotel room,” Ric Flair said via The Boulder on Twitter. “No boyfriends or husbands.”
Ric Flair has landed himself in hot water already after an overly long in-ring promo segment on Rampage. (taped last night)
“Flair invited all the women in the audience from ages 18-28 to meet him in his hotel room. No boyfriends or husbands.”
The comment triggered a social media uproar, prompting Ric Flair to issue an apology and even express his willingness to step away from AEW.
“I Am So Tired Of Hearing All This Negativity! I Don’t Need To Work, And I Don’t Need The Money. Can’t I Simply Enjoy Being By My Dear Friend Sting’s Side For The Next Few Months,” Ric Flair shared on social media. “Without So Much Hatred? I Know I’m Old, But That Doesn’t Mean I Can’t Enjoy Life! I Have Earned The Right To Do Whatever I Want & I’m Exactly Where I Want To Be! I Appreciate Everything Tony Khan, But I’m More Than Willing To Walk Away If I Am Embarrassing You And Your Company. All I Can Say Is I’m Sorry!”
I Am So Tired Of Hearing All This Negativity! I Don’t Need To Work, And I Don’t Need The Money. Can’t I Simply Enjoy Being By My Dear Friend @Sting’s Side For The Next Few Months Without So Much Hatred? I Know I’m Old, But That Doesn’t Mean I Can’t Enjoy Life! I Have Earned The… pic.twitter.com/GK49HoSeEC
However, not everyone shares the sentiment that Flair should have apologized for his remarks. In a recent interview on FOX News, former WWE Superstar Tyrus offered robust opinions on The Nature Boy.
Tyrus reminded Ric Flair of his legendary status in wrestling, emphasizing that Flair has forgotten more about the business than most will ever know. According to Tyrus, Flair stands among the last greats, and his mere presence can captivate wrestling fans across generations.
‘‘I got a little bit of beef with you and I’m just gonna bring it up with you real quick. You put a post out where you had the temerity that maybe you shouldn’t have walked out there in AEW. Let me remind you of who you are. You have forgotten more wrestling than most of us will ever know. You are one of the last greats, when you come out and walk that isle, that a grandfather can look at his grandson, ‘I saw this guy wrestler and that is why you’re here.‘
Tyrus firmly believes that Ric Flair should never have apologized for his AEW debut, highlighting the thunderous pop he received when he walked down the aisle.
Ric Flair has continued to appear on AEW television, whenever Tony Khan can use him. Those dreams of managing Andrade El Idolo in AEW aren’t going to happen though, because Ric Flair’s son-in-law left AEW, with many under the belief that he is WWE bound.
The Iron Claw film brought the Von Erich Family’s story to the masses, and that R-Rated film is currently in theaters. The actor who played Ric Flair in the film also received a ton of attention, but the pro wrestling community was not kind about how he portrayed The Nature Boy.
The Iron Claw’s Ric Flair Actor Speaks Out
The actor who took on the role of Ric Flair in The Iron Claw film faced severe criticism. Aaron Dean Eisenberg, the man behind the portrayal, is now addressing the negative feedback he received for his depiction of The Nature Boy.
During an interview on Man Cave Chronicles, Aaron Dean Eisenberg provided insights into his approach to playing Ric Flair. He acknowledged the challenges and the mixed reactions his performance garnered
“It’s been interesting. I feel Flair is definitely an idol for some people, so they really hold him in high regard and sort of expect a certain thing for him. I’ve gotten a lot of love, but also a lot of hate, which is very new for me. It’s certainly a polarizing performance.”
The Iron Claw’s Reception
Despite the film earning praise from both critics and audiences, wrestling fans, it only pulled around $5 million in its opening weekend. Compared to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Migration, and Wonka, it did not stack up. That being said, it’s harder for R-Rated films to draw compared to those family-friendly options.
Critics on the internet were exceptionally harsh toward Aaron Dean Eisenberg, despite his dedicated effort. It seems that he is not letting it bother him. If anything, this acting credit on his IMDB page was definitely noteworthy.
MJF could have a career as impactful as Randy Orton if two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is to be believed.
Speaking in a recent interview with The Wrestling Classic, Flair praised the efforts of MJF and compared the AEW World Champion to WWE’s Apex Predator.
“He’s got a great interview, he’s got a great look, he’s worked hard. I think he has the confidence in real life that he portrays on TV and I think the future is unlimited for him. He’s really good. He could be the next Randy Orton. That’s about as high of praise as I can give him.”
Flair also recalled meeting MJF and sharing his positive take on the young wrestler face-to-face, not that the AEW World Champion needed to hear it.
“He’s pretty confident in himself. He doesn’t need a pat on the back and that’s what makes him a little bit different.”
MJF’s next high-profile match will take place this week on AEW Dynamite. During the New Year’s Smash show, MJF and unlikely ally Samoa Joe will defend MJF & Adam Cole’s ROH World Tag Team Championships against two of the Devil’s minions. MJF and Joe will face off at AEW Worlds End with MJF’s AEW World Championship on the line. Current betting odds from Bet Online state that MJF is the favorite to retain in his native Long Island, New York.
The information superhighway took a sharp detour into Web3 for many people. Web3 investments made millionaires out of some, but broke degens out of others. Now, Ric Flair is throwing his hat into the game with a new altcoin.
Ric Flair’s New Cryptocurrency
Ric Flair is now plugging a new altcoin called WoooooCoin. He made sure to specify that there are 5 Os in the Wooooo. The Nature Boy did so while dropping a highly energetic video to plug this coin’s drop.
While rocking a sun tan and a bandage on his nose for some reason, Ric Flair cut a promo about his new altcoin. He made is clear that the whitelist is now open for what he is calling “the hottest” cryptocurrency of 2023.
Wooooo! Coin… There Is Only One True Wooooo! Get In On The Hottest Crypto Project Of The Year! Whitelist Is Now Open!
It’s important to remember which altcoin this is, if you decide to throw any money at this coin, because there is already a WoooooCoin on the market with Ric Flair’s likeness. This new coin is apparently a different coin, as altcoins are known to rip off popular memes without any endorsement or affiliation.
Web3 altcoins, sometimes called “sh*tcoins,” are digital assets built on a decentralized blockchain technology. In the realm of Web3, altcoins serve as a tradable commodity outside traditional cryptocurrencies like BitCoin and Ethereum.
Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, altcoins are specifically designed to align with the principles of a decentralized web, removing intermediaries, and creating transparency within communities. As the Web3 space evolves, these altcoins have obviously attracted a plethora of celebrity and influencer endorsements along the way, all with varying degrees of failure attached.
Some altcoins go beyond the initial pump and dump, because they are backed by strong communities, like $Doge, $Pepe, $Dork, and others, but the jury is still out regarding how much of a liquidity pool WoooooCoin will be able to pull in.
Ric Flair is also plugging his Wooooo Energy drink, which is a big part of his AEW contract. He will also likely continue appearing for Tony Khan, when ever they can find a way to use him.
If you have a brother or a sister you’re close to, get ready to text them after you see “The Iron Claw.” I was fortunate enough to have mine sitting right beside me to catch an advance screening of the film, and both of us being ardent wrestling fans, it hit several different notes.
The looming tragedy of the Von Erich’s is immediately set in the first scene of the film with Holt McCallany as Fritz Von Erich, battling in “Raging Bull” black and white, showing the raw brutality that pro wrestling fanatics of yesteryear yearned for. The punishment wrestlers put on their bodies is a lingering backdrop to the sad story that’s on tap. Director Sean Durkin does a beautiful job at making it a visual necessity, giving the viewers the feeling that they’re the ones taking the elbows and backdrops. The cinematography is foreboding and immersive throughout the majority of the film.
Dominic DeAngelo of SEScoops is joined by his wrestling podcast brother, Marcus DeAngelo, to give their advanced (spoiler-free) review of “The Iron Claw” – including if it hits with wrestling fans, if it hits with the non-wrestling fans, the standout performances and what was missing.
The Acting ‘Does The Work’ In “Iron Claw”
From a performance standpoint, there isn’t a weak link in “The Iron Claw.” McCallany (from “Mindhunters” the amazing short-lived FX boxing series “Lights Out”) is prideful, blunt and frustratingly cold as patriarch Fritz. Zac Efron will surprise people with the range he shows playing the title role of Kevin Von Erich, bringing a caring naivety to a person who ultimately endures so much. Jeremy Allen White delivers as Kerry, so much that it feels like he doesn’t get enough screen time. However, the low-key stars of the Von Erich brothers are the portrayals of David and Mike.
Harris Dickinson gives the role of David his just due, the Von Erich brother who really defined the familial identity that so many World Class fans were drawn to. He’s positioned in a supporting role, but his efforts are imperative to displaying the loving kinship the brothers have with one another, making his passing all the more devastating.
Stanley Simons is spot-on at portraying the unnecessary loss that became Mike Von Erich. Due to his lack of desire to wrestle, Mike was a lighting rod for the cruelty of Fritz. Simons is excellent as the funny, sweet son who could have been an invaluable asset to the family’s success without ever having to step inside the ring. He, for many reasons, defines the tragedy as a whole.
Familiar Faces & Heels
When it comes to the wrestler cameos, they are there, but they don’t necessarily stand out to the un “mark”-ed eye. Ryan Nemeth has brief dialogue as Gino Hernandez and you see Chavo Guerrero Jr. working smoothly against Efron as The Original Sheik. “Iron Claw” executive producer MJF gets just a sip rather than a full “cup of coffee” as Lance Von Erich. The fake family cousin has literally a second of screen time (but the AEW Champ does makes the most of that).
Two legends do get their promo time in the film. We have a full monologue from Ric Flair, portrayed by Aaron Dean Eisenberg. His mannerisms, cadence and body type are pretty accurate to that of The Nature Boy’s and it’s likely the closest you can get without grabbing a time machine. It’s hard to nail Ric Flair without actually having Ric Flair.
The other talent to get a spotlight was Harley Race and it’s with good reason. Kevin Anton nails it as “The Greatest on God’s Green Earth.” Fans will also enjoy seeing the Fabulous Freebirds get their screen time, but may also come away not being fully satisfied considering how big that rivalry was for WCCW. The late Jerry Jarrett gets a hat-tip with a portrayal near the end of the film.
Music Puts You In A “Stranglehold”
Music in “The Iron Claw” is, quite simply, great. You want those 1979 vibes? The film delivers and Von Erich fans will absolutely eat up the “Tom Sawyer”-fueled montage mid-film (I know I did). It should be a sought-after playlist on Spotify. Coinciding with this vibe, is the film’s first showing of Allen White as Kerry. In true pro wrestling fashion, Durkin makes you wait in anticipation for your first sight of the late great Texas Tornado.
Significant Differences From The Full Story Down In Denton, TX
From a historically accurate standpoint, “The Iron Claw” takes its fair share liberties; primarily its biggest one is not including the youngest brother, Chris Von Erich, at all in the film. Like Kerry and Mike, the smaller Chris also committed suicide in 1991 after not being able to compete in the ring due to health issues.
In addition to that glaring omission, timelines are shifted and occurrences are substituted in an effort to streamline the story for the masses. Fans super in tune with the Von Erich history may come away frustrated, but local Pittsburgh wrestler, Shawn Blanchard, a WCCW diehard, didn’t let that deter his overall enjoyment of the film. In turn, fellow wrestling journalist Tom Letergy noted it may be difficult for the regular movie goer to keep track of all the “who, where, and when” (Note: We were watching it on a Dolby surround screen and the bottom part of the film was cut off, so there could have been significant notations us viewers didn’t see.)
While it’s touched upon, the wild lifestyle of all the Von Erich brothers was mostly burdened onto Kerry in an effort to show his own unraveling. Like Kerry, Kevin also had the tendency to get crazy and miss shows. More of an effort could have been made to embrace the fun (yet ultimately destructive) side of the business that the brothers were known for, simply to give viewers a break from all that heartache.
Family Comes First In “The Iron Claw”
As expected, the overall story of the film is drastically sobering. That’s all the more accentuated if you grew up in a family of siblings, have experienced loss, or are concerned with losing someone. There were several moments where I wanted to turn to my own brother and tell him how much I love him, but I followed the unhealthy method of the callous Fritz by expressing no feelings. It’s certainly moving for a wrestling fan looking through such a prism. Therefore, the ending of the film makes a very unique choice to lighten all the sadness the family endured and if you loved the Von Erichs, you’ll be grateful for the effort made.
If you’re an old school wrestling fan, you’ll have plenty to appreciate. If you have a brother you can talk to afterwards, you’ll have even more.
“The Iron Claw” releases everywhere on December 22. Follow Dominic DeAngelo on X @DominicDeAngelo.
This pregnancy would see Estrella become a mom of a baby girl for the second time in her life. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Estrella made it clear that parenthood has been important to her from a young age.
“I’ve always wanted to be a mom. Unlike a lot of women, I’ve been with my husband since I was 15. We got married at 19. Since 16 years old, we’ve been picking our our kids’ names. We’ve always wanted to be a mom and a dad.”
While Estrella wanted to have a second child, she realized during her career in WWE that she was spending all her time on her career, rather than her personal goal.
“When I was in WWE… [I thought] Man, I’m really giving my husband the s****y end of the stick here. He loves me and he supports me to the fullest but where are all of our babies at? Where is the sound of feet on our hardwood floors and the smell of bacon in the morning? Instead, we’re on a plane at 3:30 in the morning heading out to, I just thought, man.”
Speaking with Vince McMahon
With Estrella refusing to freeze her eggs, the ex-Superstar realized that her biological clock was ticking for a second child. Speaking on Insight, Estrella recalled going to see Vince McMahon about taking time off.
“I went to Vince and I said ‘Hey Sir, I’m not being used and I want to have a baby.’ I won’t if you plan on using me. I’ll stand by and it’s Covid. I’m not being used and it’s Covid. He kind of got quiet and he says ‘Go have a baby.’ And I made sure because that man, that man is f***ing awesome. He has done a lot for me and my family. And I was just very thankful to be in that room having that discussion and having that opportunity.
“That was the game plan, I wasn’t being used and next thing you know, Talent-Creative [say] ‘Oh you’re going to be with Ric Flair and Charlotte’. And I’m like what the f**k?… Well I’ll be damned that the week before I’m supposed to get the title, I have my baby. And it was the best feeling in the world. That my husband now has another child he’s going to hold in his arms in nine months.”
Estrella would not win the Raw Women’s Championship in early 2021 as planned, nor would she compete in a title match at that year’s WrestleMania as initially envisioned. Even though she never got close to holding a title again, Evans is against the notion that her decision was a bad one.
“A lot of people say I ruined my career and this and that. But this morning I woke up and saw that little s**t looking at me with a big smile on her face and my husband waking up. You can’t tell me I ruined anything. I got exactly what I wanted.”
Estrella on Working with Ric Flair
Estrella’s pregnancy instantly ended her storyline with Ric Flair. On the show, the former Superstar explained what was supposed to come from her on-screen romance with the Nature Boy.
“It was typical heel, to go after the title and get it. And I was supposed to get it. But fortunately, Sunny Loretta decided that she was coming.”
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Dutch Mantell may be a “miserable old wrestler” according to Ric Flair, but the Nature Boy has now been branded an “ungrateful a**.”
Last July, Flair competed in what was promoted as his last match, which was heavily criticized by fans and those in the industry.
After Mantell recently criticized the match when speaking to Sportskeeda, Flair took to Twitter to fire back at the former Zeb Coulter.
Thank God They Used The Word Veteran & Didn’t Call You A Legend. Just A Miserable Old Wrestler Trying To Make A Buck. And BTW, You Never Had A Legacy To Begin With. WOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/48uzk2gqas
Taking to Facebook, Mantell responded with the following open letter to the Nature Boy.
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE NATURE BOY
Ric…I have great respect and admiration for your contribution to the wrestling profession. I never meant to ruffle your feathers on my podcast but I was just speaking the truth about your last match.
That was almost 10 months ago but you’re still touchy about it? But I wasn’t the only one who mentioned it was subpar. All the dirt sheet writers said it…in print and on their podcasts. Did you say anything to them? To set the record straight, very few fans got upset over my critique of your match. Truthfully, they agreed with me.
If I had just said the match is sucked, that would’ve been an upgrade. But Ric…you came out of nowhere to attack me personally. Why? Telling the TRUTH? It was a bad showing. Period. Everybody damn near universally agreed that it was an abortion.
What I want to know is who agented that match if anyone? You were in there with one of the top wrestlers in the world, Jeff Jarrett. If you can’t look good with him, then the issue is you.
How hard is to lay out…RIC FLAIR’S LAST MATCH. All you had to do was do a strut, yell some WHOOS in the air and slap on the Figure 4 for the finish…hit the bell, music, confetti, fans cheer and that’s it. My 12-year-old granddaughter could follow that formula. But, I heard Ric laid it out then I heard he faked a heart attack because he thought the match was ending too soon?? WTF?? It should’ve ended 10 minutes sooner than it did.
But Ric you said that I’m just an old wrestler trying to make a buck. I don’t disagree with that. Yes I am an old bastage and yes, I do try to make a buck. Just because I’m not involved in the wrestling game anymore doesn’t forego my bills. I have to pay money out every month just like everybody else in the world does. But that has absolutely nothing to do with your seriously flawed match.
Another thing Ric, is that “faking a heart attack was believable because fans thought you were having one. Did you go over that with Jeff before the match by “saying hey Jeff, I might fake a heart attack out there somewhere”? It was so believable that I even thought you were in trouble.
But, of course, you said you’d been drinking, partying, had no sleep and you looked like hell. And that’s being generous.
Nobody wants to see their hero on a stage where they’re concerned about their health or possible death. But then, you made yourself look worse, if that’s possible by telling your own fans to go get F’ed if they didn’t believe you made 300K. That was total disrespect.
You can disrespect me, hell that’s happened a lot in my career but why disrespect the fans who love our sport? Those fans are the ones who make this country work, who get up every day to go to work, raise families, pay bills and taxes and keep this country running and buy tickets and PPV’s to see your ungrateful ass.
Nobody wants to see us settle this in a public forum such as Twitter or here. But for now Ric…I’m in total agreement. We’ll end this. But I’ll still speak of you Ric because you’ve created an audience for it. We don’t set the rules…fans do. They’re the reason either one of us is here. If they ask, I’m going to reply. Without them Ric, we both might be driving trucks or Ubers making $300 Grand a day. What a country we live in, huh? Have a great day sir.
Comments below: No Ric…you’re not allowed to comment. Tell your social media manager to STFU.
Ric Flair is one of the most recognized professional wrestlers in history, but he will take photos when it is right for him.
In 2005, Flair won the Intercontinental Championship from Carlito at that year’s Unforgiven Pay-Per-View, marking Flair’s one and only reign with the gold.
This win would also be Flair’s first taste of singles gold in WWE in 13 years after previously holding the WWE Championship twice in 1992.
Being Fined
Ric Flair was on WWE’s roster for years, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that the ‘Dirtiest Player in the Game’ got in trouble backstage at times.
Speaking on the latest episode of his To Be the Man podcast, Ric recalled being fined for failing the Wellness Policy.
“I got popped for a steroid test. [John] Lauriniaitis. I said I said ‘I got a prescription.’ He said ‘the doctor said it doesn’t work on a guy your age.’ I said ‘I’m 55 years old wrestling 25-year-old kids!’ And he said ‘you’re fined 40 grand but you’re not going home. Be at work every day I’m just not going to pay you for a month.'”
Ric Flair.
Five-Grand Fine
Being fined for his Wellness Policy violation was hardly the only time Flair would get in trouble with WWE.
During the show, Flair recalled his Intercontinental Championship win, and being fined almost immediately after his victory.
“They still don’t have a [studio] picture of me with the Intercontinental belt. It drives them crazy, right? I said ‘I’m not taking a picture with the Intercontinental belt’ and so they fined me five thousand dollars. And I told them. ‘When you guys are so starved for talent, that you’ve got to fine a 55-year-old guy for not taking a picture with the Intercontinental belt, you’ve got a developmental problem with talent.
“I said ‘I’m not taking a picture with the Intercontinental belt’ and so they fined me five thousand dollars.”
Ric Flair.
When co-host Conrad Thompson asked whether the 16-time World Champion felt the IC title was a step-down, Flair refuted the idea.
“No no no. It wasn’t that. I just didn’t want to take off my shirt any more than I had to. I’m talking about vanity. It wasn’t the belt, I mean that was awesome having the belt. That’s a misconception. I just didn’t want to take off my shirt any more than I had to. Man, I was ducking and diving. Paying Kevin Dunn off to shoot me at different angles.”
“I just didn’t want to take off my shirt any more than I had to.”
Ric Flair.
Flair’s 155-day reign would end in February 2006 when he dropped the title to Shelton Benjamin on Monday Night Raw.
Ric Flair may have spent much of his wrestling career as a dastardly heel, but even he knows when a line has been crossed.
At AEW Revolution 2023, MJF retained his AEW World Championship against Bryan Danielson, winning the first Iron Man match in AEW history.
During the match, MJF took a beverage (believed to be Tequila) from a fan and threw it on a child sitting in the crowd.
Many have called this a step too far for MJF who has earned praise in the past for his dedication to his heel-wrestling persona.
Totally Against
Ric Flair may be no angel (as fans learned from VICE’s Dark Side of the Ring) but he believes that MJF’s actions at Revolution were not warranted.
On his To Be The Man podcast, co-host Conrad Thompson asked Flair for his thoughts on MJF’s actions.
“It’s cheap heat. You want to do something to get heat and get the people excited that won’t hurt anybody? You cut yourself so deep that when you swing your hair, you throw blood all over them. I used to do it all the time when I had long hair. Then they feel like they’re part of the action.”
Ric Flair.
While Flair did seem to say that last part in jest, he made his stance perfectly clear.
“I’m totally against throwing anything on a kid.”
Ric Flair.
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer said that this sort of behavior would not fly in WWE, the promotion MJF has teased joining next year.
AEW’s Response
What happened at Revolution was not an intended part of the show, and both the young fan and their guardian were incredibly upset.
The fan, Titus, was given AEW merchandise, tickets to this week’s Dynamite, and was able to go backstage at Revolution to meet the wrestlers.
At the Revolution post-show press conference, AEW President Tony Khan said that he and MJF had a serious talk about the champion’s actions.
