WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair had a retirement match billed as “Ric Flair’s Last Match” last July when he teamed with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo against Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal.
Flair and the AEW star went over when Flair hit Jarrett with brass knuckles and then put him in the figure-four leg lock. Coming out of the event, Flair blamed not being properly hydrated for his performance in the match.
Dave Meltzer recently published the fan-voted Wrestling Observer Awards. Among the list of awards was the worst match with Vince McMahon vs. Pat McAfee at WrestleMania 38 earning that award while Flair’s last match was the runner-up.
Flair’s Reaction
While speaking on his To Be The Man podcast, Ric Flair talked about the Wrestling Observer Awards.
“I’ll take that because it was the sh*ts. No, no, but here’s the deal. It was the sh*ts because I made a mistake in not hydrating. Let them have it again. No, I mean, I’m serious. I think about it all the time. Let me have the match again. Because the one thing I never thought about was to keep myself hydrated, which I found out my doctor told me the other day, I just went to get my heart tested and all that.”
He faked having a heart attack during the match a play on having a pacemaker in chest.
Flair continued by noting that the only recommendation that his doctor gave him was to drink more water since he won’t stop drinking, which includes nine to 12 beers a day.
Ruby Soho has no plans to ease up on blading, despite the response from some fans and those in the industry.
For the main event of the January 13, 2023, edition of AEW Rampage, Soho bled profusely during her tag match with Willow Nightingale against Tay Melo and Anna Jay.
Immediately, there were claims that Ruby, and women in general, shouldn’t be blading, an argument that isn’t used for male wrestlers such as Jon Moxley or Bryan Danielson.
Important Conversation
While bleeding in women’s matches is not as common as in matches with their male counterparts, Soho won’t change her wrestling style to placate critics.
During an appearance on Fightful.com’s Grapsody podcast, Soho addressed the match and the backlash that it received from some fans and those in the business.
“If blood is in general it’s just not your thing totally get it. I completely understand that, that’s okay, that’s why wrestling is this beautiful melting pot of things is because there’s something out there for everybody, but if the fact that I’m a woman and I’m bleeding is the thing that bothers you, but you’re cool with like Mox and MJF and whoever bleeding but it’s just because I’m doing it is the thing you have a problem with then it’s a different conversation.”
Ruby Soho.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair made his opinions clear on the matter in January, saying that women should not be bleeding and that men should be blading more.
Soho went on to say that if people have a problem with her blading, and her appearance covered in blood, then they will just have to get used to it.
“It was a very important conversation to be had because there were arguments on both sides and to me I feel like it’s straying away from the one thing that we are trying to get away from is the reason that there is women’s wrestling is to give you something to look at.
“If I’m covered in blood I’m probably less attractive to most people and if that’s your problem then sorry to tell you then I’m just gonna keep getting more unattractive because my lipstick’s all over my face, my hair looks like I got electrocuted constantly when I’m wrestling like that’s not what I’m out there for is to be attractive to you. So, if that is what you’re watching me for and then stop watching me.”
Soho’s most recent match for AEW saw the ex-Superstar defeat Dr. Britt Baker and Penelope Ford, in a triple-threat on the February 15, episode of Dynamite.
Flair, who is foreseeing a third Hall of Fame induction, is one of the iconic names in the pro wrestling industry. ‘Naitch’ dominated the 80s. His in-ring prowess and mic work set a bar back in the day. However, the hard bumps in the squared circle took a toll on ‘The Nature Boy.’ Over the years he has dealt with several health issues.
However, on July 31, 2022, the 16-time World Champion returned to the ring for the first time since 2011 at the Ric Flair’s Last Match event. He teamed up with Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. The event aired on FITE and generated a lot of buzz due to the legendary career of Ric Flair. The match saw some heavy criticism, given his age and the way the legend faked a heart attack during the bout.
Speaking on his To Be The Man podcast, co-host Conrad Thompson informed Flair that his last match came in third place for the Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic, behind only Vince McMahon’s appearance on WWE SmackDown amid allegations of sexual misconduct and WWE’s continuing relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Ric Flair responded by stating that he made $300,000 dollars with his return to the ring.
“I don’t pay any attention to that. You know what I got to say to that? I made $300,000 dollars. Go f*** yourself. That’s right. I made $300,000 disgusting you. Disgust yourself for $300,000, and get in the shape that I got in. How about that, motherf***ers?” he said.
Flair recently made an on-screen appearance on the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night RAW.
Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley have proven to be quite the duo on WWE programming, and have caught the attention of those outside of the promotion.
In the run-up to WWE Clash at the Castle, Ripley repeatedly targeted Dominik, who at the time was aligned with his father Rey Mysterio and Edge.
After turning on his father and the Hall of Famer, Dominik and Ripley have been inseparable and have appeared together both at WWE events and away from the ring.
Reactions
During this week’s SmackDown, Dominik made a rare appearance on the blue brand to confront Charlotte Flair, who’ll defend the Women’s Title against Ripley at WrestleMania 39.
Mysterio went on about how he and Flair were both generational superstars, that they often get compared to their fathers but surpass them anyway
When Dominik tried to smooth talk the record-breaking champion, Flair was quick to shut him down, saying that she “has a real Latino man at home that calls me mami.”
Ric Flair has found success in a lot of different ventures throughout his career, whether it’s pro wrestling, his To Be The Man podcast, and cannabis line, Ric Flair Drip.
The WWE Hall of Famer has also made a significant amount of money on Cameo.
The 16-time world champion was discussing his promo skills on a recent edition of his To Be The Man podcast when he noted that he was so good at speaking that he made a lot of money while doing two-minute messages on the Cameo platform before revealing that he made $700,000 over 21 months.
Show Me The Money
“Listen, I made $700,000 doing Cameos. They’re just a minute long [laughs]. That’s just talking for two minutes. That is 21 months,” Flair said.
The legendary wrestler proceeded to show the camera the front of his phone that revealed he had made $669,000 on Cameo. He joked with co-host Conrad Thompson about how fans were saying that Flair returned to the ring last July at Ric Flair’s Last Match in 2022 because he needed the money.
Flair’s most recent appearance on WWE television came when he introduced his daughter, Charlotte, on the Raw 30 Anniversary show.
16-time World Champion Ric Flair is hoping to add a third Hall of Fame ring to his collection as part of his role with Evolution.
In 2008, Flair took his rightful place in the Hall of Fame the night before his retirement match at WrestleMania 24 against Shawn Michaels.
With this induction, Flair became the first active WWE Superstar to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In 2012, Flair made history again as the first-ever two-time inductee, receiving the nod for the second time for his role with the Four Horsemen.
While Flair would have his son Reid buried with one of his Hall of Fame rings upon the latter’s passing in 2013, Triple H would gift Ric a replica ring with Reid’s name engraved inside.
Third Induction
Since Flair’s induction in 2012, other legends have become two-time WWE Hall of Famers, including Booker T, Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman.
In 2020, Flair’s Evolution ally Batista was announced for that year’s Hall of Fame, but later opted to postpone his induction.
The reasoning at the time was that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Batista’s legendary career would not have received the proper response.
Speaking on his To Be The Man podcast, Flair said he is excited for the day that Batista will be inducted, and said that Evolution should be inducted not long after the Animal.
While not confirmed, some believe that this year will see Batista be inducted as the headlining act, which went to The Undertaker at last year’s ceremony.
Evolution
Coming together in 2003, Evolution represented the past (Flair,) present (Triple H,) and the future (Randy Orton and Batista,) of WWE’s World Championship picture.
By December of that year, all members of the group held gold, meaning every male championship on Raw was in Evolution’s clutches.
After capturing the World Heavyweight Championship in 2004, Orton was kicked out by a jealous Triple H, and it would be in February 2005 that Batista chose to leave and feud with the Game over the title.
Ric Flair seems to be against the idea of making the WrestleMania 39 main event for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title a Triple Threat match.
Flair recently took to his podcast, “To Be The Man,” to offer his thoughts on the possibility of the WrestleMania main event between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes adding Sami Zayn to make it into a Triple Threat match.
Given the popularity of The Bloodline storyline and the rising stardom of Zayn, many suggest WWE could be on the way to inserting him into the main event as well. However, if Ric Flair had his way, he’d like to keep things between Reigns and Zayn.
“No way! They have put too much time into Cody and too much time into Roman. The fans sometimes get with that three-way stuff, and sometimes they don’t, you know what I mean?
“I think it is better; I know it would mean more just from knowing him like I have since 12 years old; I think Cody and Roman that’s going to be a really world-class match.
“I actually think Cody is a better worker now than he was; his work is better right now than it was when he was at AEW. On top, yeah! And Roman hasn’t slacked off. I think Roman is great. I think it’s a clash of the titans, man.”
Rhodes earned his way into the main event of WrestleMania this year by winning the Men’s Royal Ruble match in Texas. Now, he’ll headline “The Show Of Shows” against Reigns in Los Angeles.
However, before that takes place, Sami Zayn will get his shot at the World Title when he challenges Reigns at the Elimination Chamber PLE. It will be interesting to see how the World Title picture shapes out heading into WrestleMania this April.
Ric Flair believes the upcoming SmackDown Women’s Title match between Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley should headline one of the two nights of WrestleMania 39.
Ripley punched her ticket to WrestleMania by winning this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match. Now, she has opted to challenge Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Live Women’s Title at “The Show Of Shows” in Los Angeles.
Speaking on his podcast, “To Be The Man,” Ric Flair explained why he believes his daughter’s match should one a main event for one of the two night’s cards.
“It’s gotta be one of the main events. It’s gonna be spectacular. Rhea has matured so much. That match they had in front of no people a couple years ago was fantastic. I can only imagine, I mean ‘The Queen’ is in a place where… she just plain and simply is the best worker in the business, in the company.
“I’m sure that she and Rhea will tear the joint down. If I were the guys, I wouldn’t want to follow them, and I would be hope that they’d be on last. As much as I enjoy that group she [Rhea]’s with, which worked out really nice, I’m really happy that she’s going out on her own now again. I like that.
“Win, lose, or draw, I don’t know whether she’ll stay with that group or not, but she is such a great singles attraction. She and ‘The Queen’ will just tear it down. I’m so excited for both of them.”
Flair returned to WWE back in December on an episode of SmackDown after a lengthy several month layoff. She challenged Ronda Rousey for the title in an impromptu match, winning the bout and re-capturing the title in the process.
With the win, Flair became a 14-time World Champion in the process.
Ric Flair issued an apology to Becky Lynch backstage at this week’s RAW XXX anniversary show.
This week, Flair was backstage for the special RAW XXX anniversary show that featured several legends returning for the event. Speaking on his podcast, “To Be The Man,” Flair talked about his experience backstage at the show.
Flair said he spoke to both Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, apologizing to the latter over their spat regarding the “The Man” moniker.
“It started out with me and Hunter talking for about an hour, which is a private discussion, but resolving a lot of issues that have been lingering for a couple years, and then I apologized to Becky Lynch. I walked up to her and said, ‘May I speak with you for a minute’, and I said, ‘I’m sorry that this got to where it is.’
“I went over and shook Seth Rollins hand and I said, ‘I’m going to apologize to your wife.’ I’ve just decided that, you know, it all comes with the documentary. Sometimes you get so wrapped up in things that you just forget, and you say it so many times for so many years.
“Actually, the whole ‘The Man’ trademark was decided by someone besides she and I. It’s not that as much as the money that was involved in it which the company reaps the better part of it anyway.
“Then I saw them with their child and I thought, ‘My God, this is going to be Ashley someday.’ It’s not worth it. I am not The Man anymore. The Man is who the people think it is, and basically we’ve turned it over to social media to decide who The Man is.”
Saul Badman
Ric Flair had been using the moniker since the 80s, while Lynch only adopted it in recent years for use on television. This started a trademark dispute between the two sides over the moniker, souring the relationship between not only Lynch and Flair, but Rollins and Flair as well.
However, it looks like the two sides have now been able to put all of that behind them.
Charlotte Flair has admitted to being somewhat “jealous” that her father and her husband were able to share the ring last year.
For Flair’s last match in July 2022, the father and son-in-law duo teamed to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.
This match marked Flair’s first match in over a decade, when he lost to Sting on the September 12, 2011, episode of TNA Impact.
Jealous
While Ric and Charlotte have both had impressive careers, they have never had the chance to be on the same team in the ring.
While appearing on NBC’s The TODAY Show to promote Saturday’s Royal Rumble, Flair admitted to being jealous that her father and husband got such a special moment.
“Honestly, I was a little jealous (seeing them in the ring together) because I was like, “Oh, I wanna be a part of this,’ because I’ve shared the ring with my dad but not in that capacity.”
Charlotte Flair
Charlotte also spoke about her brother Reid, who died in 2013, and who is the reason Charlotte is a wrestler today.
“I’m like, ‘Man, I wish my little brother could see this.’ My husband is a third-generational wrestler, and then with my dad…it was awesome, picture-perfect.”
Charlotte Flair.
Ric Flair made his first appearance on WWE TV in two years on this week’s Raw when he introduced Charlotte.
WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair doesn’t like seeing women bleed in professional wrestling – but wants men to do it more.
Flair recently took to his podcast, “To Be The Man,” and touched on the subject of bleeding in pro wrestling. “The Nature Boy” admitted he doesn’t like seeing women bleed inside the ring, suggesting he’d hate seeing his own daughter, SmackDown Live Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, bleed if she were in that situation.
He did add, however, that he does believe men in professional wrestling should do it more, especially when it comes to cage matches.
“I don’t like it,” Ric Flair said. “I mean, I guess everybody’s got their own opinion, but I certainly wouldn’t want to see Charlotte bleeding. I think there should be more with the guys. No matter how you look at it, how do you put two people in a cage match?
“Ten years ago, every time we hit the cage, we’re bleeding. Now nothing happens. That’s one thing I don’t like. I don’t like the girls in a cage match for sure because I think it limits their ability, their athleticism, and their ability to do athletic things like off-the-top rope and that.”
Flair himself has seemingly doubled down on his retirement from professional wrestling. After wrestling his “Last Match” last year, Flair seemed to flirt with the idea of coming back for another match. However, Flair recently clarified that he has no desire to wrestle again at this point in time.
Ric Flair does not plan on donning his wrestling boots and robe one last time, despite previous comments to the contrary.
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer competed in his final match last July, teaming with Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.
The show, appropriately named ‘Ric Flair’s Last Match’ came over a decade after Flair’s previous match in TNA/Impact Wrestling.
Retired
After Flair competed in his last match, the Nature Boy alluded to possibly wrestling again, saying he regretted his performance at the show.
Speaking on the latest To Be the Man podcast, Flair made it clear he will not wrestle again.
“I don’t know why they keep saying I’m begging for another match. What I have said to you repeatedly is I wish I could redo that match. I’m not begging for another match. I don’t want to wrestle again. I have no desire. I wish I had that match to do over again is what I’ve said repeatedly.”
“I don’t know why they keep saying I’m begging for another match.”
Ric Flair.
Begging for Another Match
Flair’s most recent comments come in stark contrast to what the Dirtiest Player in the Game has previously said.
Speaking on the very same podcast last week, Flair said he’d love to get another chance at his final-ever match.
Flair has also said that he feels inspired to wrestle again given that his long-time rival Ricky Steamboat also wrestled last year.
Ric Flair will be on next week’s Raw which will mark the 30th anniversary of WWE’s flagship show.
Former WWE CEO Stephanie McMahon and her husband, Chief Content Officer Triple H, opposed a potential WWE sell, according to Axios.
This year has begun with a major shakeup with the return of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon on Jan. 6. The chairman returned after retiring last year after allegations of misconduct from former WWE employees. However, McMahon’s return also has led to the possibility of WWE being up for sale.
While McMahon is exploring the possibility of selling the company, it doesn’t seem everyone is on board with the idea. Axios’s Tim Baysinger and Sara Fischer report that Stephanie and Triple H were against the idea of WWE potentially being up for sale.
Sources told Axios that Stephanie McMahon and her husband Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the company’s chief content officer and a retired professional wrestler, had opposed a sale.
While WWE employees and fans are worried about McMahon’s return, some former WWE employees and wrestlers are happy he’s in charge. Ric Flair has spoken openly about McMahon’s return and hopes he’s on TV for the Monday Night Raw 30th Anniversary on Jan. 23.
WWE future is up in the air, as the company opens itself to be sold potentially this year. However, it doesn’t seem everyone is on board with its current direction.
Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair says he wants to see Vince McMahon on the upcoming RAW 30th anniversary show.
Flair recently took to his podcast, “To Be The Man,” and commented on the upcoming RAW 30th anniversary show later this month. The 16-time World Champ said he’d like to see Vince McMahon appear on the 30th anniversary show.
“I’m personally glad he’s back. I don’t begin to know, There’s only a few people that do know and I’m not one of them. I honestly believe that he lives and breathes the business and he just said to himself, ‘I own all this stuff. It’s mine. I built it.
“I want back in’, and I don’t blame him. Thirty years of being on TV on RAW. Think about that. Thirty years. I mean, it’s unbelievable. I hope he walks out that door in Philadelphia, busts the door open, stands there, and struts down that aisle and says, ‘I’m back.’ The place would go crazy. I guarantee it. That will be a rating,” Ric Flair said.
An appearance from McMahon is certainly a possibility. Now that he’s back in the fold with the company and has potentially sold WWE to Saudi Arabia. McMahon hasn’t been on WWE television for some time since making his exit from the company last year.
He was forced to step down as WWE CEO after investigations launched into alleged sexual misconduct with female employees. Soon after, McMahon retired from WWE as its head of creative, passing the torch to son-in-law Triple H.
It will be interesting to see if McMahon re-appears on WWE television given that he’s now back on the company’s board of directors.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is desperate to have his ‘final’ match again, believing it would go better the second time.
Flair teamed with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo last July to defeat Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal in what was billed as Ric’s final match.
Prior to that match, Flair had competed on the September 12, 2011, edition of TNA Impact!, where he lost to Sting.
Begging
After over ten years away from the ring (and decades after his heyday) Flair’s final match was far from a five-star technical classic.
Aged 73, Flair had to be carried throughout much of the match, and at one point, faked a heart attack, a spot Flair has since said was in poor taste.
Speaking on his To Be the Man podcast, Ric expressed his desire to have one more shot at his final farewell.
“I’m begging to do it again. I’m begging because I’ve told 100 people, ‘How do I forget to drink water all day long?’ That’s all that happened to me. You saw me. I drank five beers right after.”
Ric Flair.
Flair added that he can’t understand how he forgot to stay hydrated given all the training he did with Jay Lethal.
“I can think of a lot of things I’ve screwed up and matches and, you know, things you would change. I just know that could’ve been golden. You know, I just happened to be dehydrated.
“I just know that could’ve been golden.”
Ric Flair on his final match.
I don’t know how I could’ve made that mistake because you know how much work I put in with Lethal. We had everything figured out, I mean, and we had so much more to do. God, it would have been great.”
There is currently no talk from any promotion that another final match for the Nature Boy is in the works.
One More Match
This isn’t the first time Flair has spoken about wrestling after the show billed as ‘Ric Flair’s Last Match.
After the announcement that Ricky Steamboat would be wrestling again, Flair said he felt inspired to have another final match.
Flair later stated he would never truly retire, while Steamboat would go on team with FTR and win a six-man tag for Big Time Wrestling last November.
Ric Flair is a living legend and there is a lot young prospects can learn from him. The wrestling veteran himself, however, has stopped giving advice to talent because they listen to marks more than him.
The 16-time world champion was a recent guest on Booker T’s Hall of Fame podcast. Among other things, he also explained why he has stopped giving advice to up-and-coming wrestlers.
Flair mentioned how people think that he doesn’t want to help anyone. The two time Hall of Famer explained that it wasn’t always the case but he has had bitter experiences with people he has given advice to:
“They take my opinion, which I f**king pretty much know what I’m talking about,” said Ric Flair, “and then they get in the car or walk up the ramp
And they either look and see what the mark said about it or they talk to another guy who has got as much experience as him or less, and that’s who they go with. God forbid I know anything.”
Flair said that he can critique the matches for people but it’s not worth the aggravation for him. He also mentioned that he wouldn’t say negative things to anyone because his daughter works there.
Apart from this, Ric Flair also talked about his time in WWE, why he never had a WrestleMania match with Hulk Hogan and more.
Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair didn’t know his daughter, Charlotte, was returning on last week’s SmackDown.
Flair recently took to his podcast, “To Be The Man,” and discussed a variety of topics. The 16-time World Champion discussed being backstage for last week’s episode of SmackDown Live. The show featured some big spots, including a main event with Kevin Owens and John Cena teaming up against Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn.
(WWE)
However, it also featured Flair’s daughter, Charlotte, returning from a long layoff to capture the SmackDown Women’s Title yet again. As it turns out, Flair had no idea his daughter was going to be at the show, and he had already left the building when she did.
“I was in the building and left and didn’t know it. It was the first time in so many years that nobody knew. I was in the building, I went and saw Roman (Reigns) and John (Cena), it was the greatest time and I really felt like part of the family again.
“I had a ball, but I didn’t even know. I left and went to American Social [sports bar in Tampa, FL], and then I got word that she was there. I had a couple of drinks with the hockey players.
“Hockey players on the Lightning like to drink. I wasn’t going to go back to the building. I watched it and they put it on every TV for me. It was amazing. That was old-school kayfabe.”
Charlotte Flair returned on SmackDown, challenging Ronda Rousey for her title just after Rousey had defended the title successfully against Raquel Rodriguez. After a big boot and a spear, Flair was crowned the new SmackDown Women’s Champion.
It was Flair’s first appearance since she dropped the title to Rousey last year at WrestleMania Backlash in their I Quit Match.
Will Vince McMahon return to WWE after his shocking retirement in July? Ric Flair certainly hopes so.
The 77-year-old billionaire retired from WWE earlier this year due to allegations of misconduct with female employees and after paying millions of dollars in ‘hush money’ NDAs.
McMahon reportedly regrets retiring as CEO and Chairman and believes the allegations against him would have blown over had he stayed in his roles.
Hope
Since McMahon’s retirement, it has been reported that morale in WWE has improved significantly, with talent and staff no longer walking on eggshells.
Speaking about McMahon’s rumored comeback during the latest To Be The Man, Flair admitted he doesn’t know for sure but hopes it happens.
“I don’t know the answer to that. I wish he would come back in some capacity. I mean, obviously, Hunter and Stephanie [McMahon] are doing a great job, and trust me, it’s a big job, you know what I mean? At least they’re dividing the time. I see people periodically, and people are happy working for Hunter.
” I wish he would come back in some capacity.”
Ric Flair on Vince McMahon.
“Here’s the problem, it’s like in any business, you’re never gonna like everybody you work for. So, I’m sure there are some people [who] like working for Hunter, some people like better working for Vince. I can’t give you an honest answer. I just want him to be happy.”
McMahon’s Return – Could it Happen?
Although Vince McMahon is gone from WWE, he’s not entirely left the promotion he ran for four decades.
McMahon is the majority shareholder, owning over 30% of all stock, and due to how his stock is treated, the ex-CEO has approximately 80% of the voting power.
With that said, his return to WWE’s board and as CEO would face significant backlash from fans and the media, and could lead to a potential loss of sponsors.
Vince McMahon has plans to make his shocking return to WWE, and Ric Flair isn’t against the idea.
McMahon retired from all roles with the company in July of this year, due to the allegations of misconduct with female employees, and the millions paid in hush money.
In his absence, Stephanie McMahon has been appointed Chairwoman of WWE and serves as co-CEO with Nick Khan.
Ric Flair
This week, it was reported that McMahon is seeking a comeback to the promotion and regrets retiring in July.
McMahon believes that he was given bad advice to retire at the time and that the allegations against him would have “blown over” had he stayed in his role as CEO and Chairman.
Speaking on his To Be the Man podcast, Ric Flair was asked by co-host Conrad Thompson for his thoughts on a possible McMahon return.
“You’re not going to get a negative word out of me. I love Vince McMahon. And I think that he should. He is entitled to whatever he wants. I’m telling you, shame on the people that don’t think so. He built it. Nobody else built it. Nobody helped him. He fought every war.”
Ric Flair.
It remains unclear how exactly McMahon will plan to return to WWE or when he plans on being in the board room once more.
Not Welcome
Flair may have nothing but good things to say about McMahon, but this attitude isn’t shared by those in the company.
It has been reported that the consensus in WWE is that it’d be extremely bad for McMahon to return, with one source saying he’d be “selfish” to do so.
In the months since McMahon’s retirement, it has been reported that backstage morale has improved significantly among both on-screen talent and staff under the new regime.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that this is probably some sort angle that will lead to either a match or, at the very least, a podcast debate.
That being said…the relationship between Eric Bischoff and Ric Flair is the stuff of legend. Their on-again, off-again friendship/business partnership has led to fist fights, lawsuits, and, this being 2022, mean tweets.
Such was the case recently when The Nature Boy took to Twitter to start the latest chapter in his decades-long beef with Easy E.
On December 8, Flair posted a video from one of the most memorable WCW Nitro moments of all time; that being when Flair returned to the company after the lawsuit with Bischoff, to reform the Four Horseman and tell Eric that he couldn’t fire Flair, Flair was already fired.
Of course, Eric being Eric, he couldn’t just let that Tweet stand, now could he? Instead, he Quote Tweeted Flair’s post and said that it was some of Flair’s best work ever. That would have been nice enough. But, you know…Controversy Creates Cash. So he also said ‘You’re welcome. I made you.’
Needless to say, Bischoff’s podcast partner (and Flair’s son in law) just couldn’t let those comments slide without discussing them, and Conrad Thompson didn’t waste any time on this week’s 83 Weeks podcast on confronting Bischoff and the ludicrous idea (to everybody but Eric) that he ‘made’ Ric Flair.
Eric Bischoff Made Ric Flair?
“If you’re in such a good mood, why are you popping off with my father-in-law Ric Flair on social media?” Thompson asked his friend and confidante.
“He started it!” Bischoff responded indignantly. “I was perfectly content to sit back and just run my own business and stay quiet. But then he just started blabbing about a bunch of stuff that he was pissed off at me about. I was just defending myself.”
It’s hard to defend those comments, Thompson argued. But Bischoff didn’t just defend them; he doubled down on them.
“Ric posts a video of cutting a promo on me back in 1998, and I pointed out that this was some of Ric’s best work and he should thank me for that,” Bischoff scoffed. “I brought that out in him. I brought that level of emotion and I brought out what became, really, the best Ric Flair. He should be thanking me for helping him to get over, instead of just being a whiny baby about this whole thing.”
Bischoff then tripled down on his comments.
“The truth is, WCW couldn’t make any money with Ric Flair,” Bischoff said. “So what did Ric Flair do? He went to WWE and guess what? They couldn’t make any money with Ric Flair. So guess what? Ric comes back to WCW and WCW still couldn’t make any money with him in ’93, and ’94, which is why he had to go get Hulk Hogan.”
Of course, Bischoff said, none of this was personal; it was just business.
“Ric’s a great performer, don’t get me wrong,” Bischoff yielded. “He’s a legend. But when it comes to business, I had to do what I had to do with him and that just rubs Ric the wrong way and he can’t let it go.”
Naturally, Conrad Thompson was in a bit of an awkward position. He pointed out that there seem to be two different versions of Eric Bischoff; almost as if Bischoff is acting. He said that the former President of WCW was a good man, helping to raise money for Barry Windham after a heart attack, but then he goes around criticizing Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen.
“I’m not critical; I’m just pointing out facts,” Bischoff asserted. “Why is it that people that are fans of Ric and fans of the Four Horsemen get all bent outta shape when you present facts? I wasn’t being critical of the Four Horsemen; I put them over! They were very, very popular amongst a small regional group of fans. In the business of entertaining the entire country, that small pocket of fans in North Carolina and the Southeast in particular, dug the Four Horsemen.”
Bischoff continued, stating that “The Four Horsemen were great during their era, but they certainly weren’t a national act.”
Thompson and Bischoff then got into one of their trademark arguments about how and why WCW was sold to the WWF, similarities to Jim Crockett Promotions, and more. You can hear the whole debate by downloading the 83 Weeks with Eric Bischoff podcast or by visiting adfreeshows.com.
Incidentally, in news that has absolutely nothing to do with this whole situation, Thompson and Bischoff are selling tickets now for a live podcast recording in ‘the heart of WCW country,’ on January 14.
Over the past few years, there has been a trademark dispute between WWE and Ric Flair over The Man’ nickname as Becky Lynch has used it on television.
Flair stated that he owns the trademark ‘To Be the Man’ as he filed for it in 2019 and was not in agreement with ‘The Man’ being trademarked for Lynch by WWE.
Flair spoke highly of Seth Rollins on Busted Open Radio when his name was mentioned. He did note that he thinks Rollins is mad at him over the trademark situation.
Flair revealed that Rollins ignored him at a recent signing with The Undertaker as Rollins walked past him and did not speak. He agrees that Rollins should take Lynch’s side in the situation.
On The Situation
“And Seth Rollins is a damn good worker. He’s mad at me because I’ve been up and down with his wife but I don’t really care. He ain’t me [Flair laughed]. I can say that. He’s good but he ain’t me. I got no problem with saying that. He walked right by me at an autograph session. I thought, you gotta be kidding me. Because of you and Becky [Lynch] and this ‘Man’ trademark, you’re gonna ignore me pal? Wow. I went, ‘Okay.’ I’m sitting by Taker, I said, ‘I guess I’m on timeout.’ I’m not mad at him. Everybody should take their wife’s side in any debate there is… It’s not worth it. You’re gonna take their side and I totally understand that and as long as that’s come and gone but that was a sensitive point for me.”
Flair stated that he has been saying the term since 1981, but it doesn’t matter to him anymore because he’s too happy to be upset with anybody else.
Flair also commented on Rollins’ program with Cody Rhodes and credited him for being unselfish.
Some fans are still holding out hope to see Ric Flair step back into the ring for one more match despite promising that he wrestled his last bout this past July when he teamed with Andrade El Idolo to beat Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal.
The 16-time world champion previously revealed that he’d been invited to be part of the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw (“Raw is XXX”) on January 23 from Philadelphia, PA as well as the Royal Rumble five days later in San Antonio, TX.
Flair has gone on record noting that he wishes he didn’t say that his most recent match would be the last as he enjoyed the experience. There has been some speculation that Flair could come back to wrestle another match, and some even think it may happen in the Men’s Royal Rumble match.
The End
Flair’s son-in-law, Conrad Thompson, has ruled out Flair wrestling again.
“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but that’s clickbait,” Thompson told Wrestling Inc. “Anybody who actually listens to the podcast knows that he’s said that tongue-in-cheek, laughing. Even when he talked about the Rumble, he’s like ‘Somebody reported that I’m going to be at the Rumble. I’m not. I’m going to be at the 30th Anniversary ‘Raw.’ I am going to be in San Antonio, but I’m doing a signing for Fitterman. But I’ll bring my gear, I’ll bring my robe. Hell yeah, I’ll be number 30.’ It’s a joke. It’s not serious. He’s not really going to be in the Rumble, but I know that gets people talking and it gets people buzzing. But the reality is, Ric’s not going to wrestle again.”
‘Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair’, a new documentary about the life and career of Flair, will air on Peacock on December 26.
Ric Flair has led a life unlike anyone else, but one gimmick from his past is something the Nature Boy wishes he could forget.
Flair’s wrestling journey began in 1972 and has seen the North Carolina native become a 16-time World Champion, though Ric argues the number is much higher.
In July of this year, Flair wrestled his final match, teaming with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett.
The Black Scorpion
For years, Ric Flair feuded with Sting, and in 1990, WCW introduced a new opponent for the Stinger: The Black Scorpion.
Realizing that fans had grown tired of Flair Vs. Sting, WCW introduced the character to give fans a new feud for Sting, who was still relatively green.
Months of segments played hyping the Black Scorpion as someone from Sting’s past, buying WCW time to figure out who exactly would play the character.
Wrestler Al Perez was chosen for the role, but after realizing he’d be working with the World Champion, demanded more money, which WCW refused to pay.
In a desperation act, WCW had Flair play the Black Scorpion, who was unmasked at Starrcade 1990, undoing the purpose of the character in the first place.
Humiliating
The Black Scorpion character was never resurrected by Flair, who has for years made his views on the character very clear.
Speaking on the latest episode of his To Be The Man podcast, Flair bashed the character as the most humiliating experience of his life.
“I did have the ability to make the call. I took one for the team. Do you think I like laying underneath that ring in St. Louis? A building that I sold out no less than 30 times as the NWA Champion?”
“That was the most humiliating thing I’ve ever been through in my life, and with how I conducted myself afterward. But I’m never the sh*ts.”
Ric Flair
Flair said that anyone who watches Starrcade 1990 will see that he and the Stinger did not ‘steal the show.’
The premiere date is set for the upcoming documentary on the life and career of Ric Flair.
Peacock announced that “Becoming Ric Flair” will premiere on December 26 on Peacock. The two-hour documentary is a partnership between WWE and Tom Rinaldi.
“Many stories have been told about The Nature Boy over the past 50 years,” said Flair, “I’m thrilled to have partnered with WWE and Peacock to produce the most accurate depiction of my life to date and hope audiences enjoy the ride. Woooo!”
Here’s the official trailer for Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair:
Flair has previously said the documentary would be better than his ESPN 30 For 30 documentary and that the “bullsh*t” from Dark Side of the Ring would be addressed.
Flair came under fire after the Dark Side of the Ring episode aired because of Flair’s alleged behavior towards a flight attendant Heidi Doyle on the trip. Flair was accused of taking his clothes off and forcing himself on her.
“16-time World Champion and 2-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is one of the most prolific and controversial superstars in professional wrestling history. Flair is a true American icon: from his famous “Woooo” that is still heard in stadiums and arenas throughout the US, to his influence on hip hop music.
At 73 years-old Flair remains a constant in American pop culture, but who is the real man behind the outrageous persona? Finally, Flair reveals all, opening up about his storied career, inside and outside of the ring, over the last 50 years.
Hulk Hogan, Mike Tyson, Post Malone, Stephen A. Smith, and Charlotte Flair are among those who join Flair in telling the tale of the man behind ‘The Man.’”
Flair and WWE parted ways in August 2021 after he requested his release.
All Elite Wrestling could soon introduce its own Hall of Fame, if AEW President Tony Khan takes the advice of Ric Flair.
Khan founded the promotion in 2019 as an alternative to WWE following the success of the independent supershow ALL IN in 2018.
The promotion is home to several veterans of wrestling, including Chris Jericho, Paul Wight, Mark Henry, and Billy Gunn.
AEW Hall of Fame
Ric Flair is no stranger to being inducted into a wrestling Hall of Fame, having been given the nod twice by WWE (2008 and 2012.)
Flair is also a member of the NWA Hall of Fame (2008,) the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame (1996,) and the International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (2021,) among others.
Speaking on the latest episode of his To Be the Man podcast, Ric called on Khan to give AEW an equivalent accolade.
“I wish Tony would start a Hall of Fame. That would create a lot of interest.”
Ric Flair.
The Nature Boy explained that the accomplishment wouldn’t solely be for the wrestlers of AEW, but for names associated with the company who are established legends of the sport.
“Do it based on people who he thinks were good in the history of the business not just guys from AEW the last three years.”
Ric Flair.
Ric Flair and AEW
If Tony Khan takes Flair’s advice on board, it may be a long time before the 16-time World Champion adds another Hall of Fame ring to his collection.
After leaving WWE in 2021, it was expected that Flair would manage his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo, but those plans were scrapped after the Dark Side of the Ring episode, documenting the Plane Ride from Hell.
Speaking about the infamous 2002 flight, Flair has denied all allegations of forcing a female flight attendant to touch his genitals.
