Vanity Flair: Stylish Wrestling Kingpin To Put Career On Line At WrestleMania
Posted: Mar 27th 2008 By: CMBurnham
When 16-time World Heavyweight wrestling champ Ric Flair steps into the ring at Wrestlemania XXIV on Sunday, he?ll be going up against the man he?s mentored for years and he?ll be putting his career at stake. At least that?s how the storyline goes: If Shawn Michaels pulls out a win over Flair, Flair must retire.
Flair ? real name Richard Fliehr ? has been a bright light in pro wrestling since he first took a lesson from Verne Gagne in 1972. The long blond hair (ideal for when Flair splits his forehead open during battle and ?puts on a crimson mask?), the wonderfully gaudy full-length robes, the brazen attitude, the technical skill, the grasp of in-ring psychology ? all of this has earned Flair the respect and admiration coworkers, and the cheers of crowds over the years. He broke his back during a plane crash in 1975, but he rebounded and has been going strong ever since. He borrowed his nickname ?Nature Boy? from the great wrestler ?Nature Boy? Buddy Rogers.
Recently named as an inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame, Flair took some time last week to share some thoughts about the business that?s made him an international superstar.
When did you first seriously think about becoming a pro wrestler?
In 1972. That was the year I started. I always liked it as a kid. I wasn?t over the top, but I did enjoy it. I met and was living with Ken Patera, who was an Olympic weightlifter. Ken had moved to Minneapolis with the arrangement that (wrestler and trainer) Verne Gagne would sponsor him for the ?72 Olympic games in Munich.
So that?s how you hooked up with Verne and started training?
Yes. When Verne talked to me about wrestling he said, ?I don?t accept quitters into this school. So if you start, you?re gonna finish.? I said that was no problem. But it was so hard, I quit twice. The first time I quit, he came over to my house and threw me out in my front yard and beat the crap out of me. I don?t mean he punched me, he just threw me around. He said, ?I told you that you weren?t going to quit and I?m telling you again now.? So I went about two more weeks, and it was so hard I quit again. I just didn?t go. He didn?t come to my house, he just called me and said, ?You be here in the next hour.? So I went back out there, and the rest is history (laughs).
What was so difficult for you?
I never envisioned the conditioning aspect of pro wrestling. I had no idea. The first day we got there, we were running two miles at his farm, doing 500 free squats, 200 pushups ? I about died the first day.
You?ve said in the past that Rick Steamboat was the greatest wrestler you ever competed against. Does that still stand?
That still stands. But the problem with that statement now is that there?s nobody better in the business than Shawn Michaels, who I?m wrestling at Wrestlemania.
What?s your opinion of the way Vince McMahon has run his wrestling company?
Not only is he a genius, I?ve never seen anybody that will tackle anything at any level, and never flinch.
You?re popular and respected in the business, and have reaped plenty of rewards. Has there been a downside?
No. I wish I?d stood up for myself a couple time in the ?90s, which I didn?t do. But other than that, the only problems I?ve had in this business were self-inflicted. Confidence problems.
Are you in any pain?
Not at all. I feel great.
So many wrestlers talk about nagging aches and pains every day.
Here?s what I say to some of them. What are you hurting from? What did you do yesterday that?s making you hurt today? We?ve got some 24-year-old kids that are talking about being hurt. But there?s no sympathy, man. You can?t approach a sport and be whining at 24 years of age. If you are, then you?re in the wrong business.
Supplemental Information
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Spotlight in History
- 1971 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
- 1978 Jose Lothario def. Assassin 1 for the TSW Louisiana Champion
- 1985 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
- 2008 Michael Barry def. Angel Williams for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
- 2008 New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
- 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
- 2009 Jermaine Johnson def. Ky-ote Joe for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
- 2013 Mike Foxx def. Tim Storm for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
- 2013 Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) def. The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
- 2013 The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) def. Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
- 2014 Kevin Morgan & became the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 2014 Jordan Jacobs def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 2014 Claudia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
- 2014 The Brotherhood (Kyng Benjamin & Akuma Jones) def. A. C. Slaughter (Aaron Anders & Clint Cassidy) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
- 2014 Fuel def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
Week of Sun 09-15 to Sat: 09-21
- 09-15 1969 The Medics (Medic #1 & Medic #2) def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 09-15 1980 Junkyard Dog & Terry Orndorff def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 09-15 1986 Black Bart def. Chris Adams for the WCCW World Champion
- 09-15 2007 Sudden Impact (Sudden Impact 1 & Sudden Impact 2) def. Texas, Inc. (Bernard Funk & Tim Rockwell) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
- 09-15 2007 Anthony Jackson def. AWOL for the ComPro Heavyweight Champion
- 09-15 2007 Shane Morbid def. Justin Lee for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
- 09-15 2012 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
- 09-15 2018 Chavo Guerrero, Jr. def. MVP for the WCR Heavyweight Champion
- 09-15 2019 Chaz Sharpe def. James Southard for the ASP Inter-County Champion
- 09-15 2023 Jastin Taylor def. Sam Stackhouse for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
- 09-16 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
- 09-16 1988 Michael Hayes & Steve Cox def. The Samoan SWAT Team (Fatu & Samu) for the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
- 09-16 2005 Lily McKenzie def. Chiquita Suzuki for the SRPW Womens Champion
- 09-16 2006 Michael Barry def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
- 09-16 2006 Ryan Davidson became the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 09-16 2017 Paige Turner def. Erica for the IZW Womens Champion
- 09-16 2017 Skyler Fayden def. Riker for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
- 09-16 2017 Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter became the UWE Tag Team Champions
- 09-16 2022 Shane Taylor def. Johnny Bedlam for the TexPro Heavyweight Champion
- 09-16 2023 Red James def. Ozzy Hendrix for the EPW Internet Television Champion
- 09-17 1979 The Spoiler & Mark Lewin def. Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Champion
- 09-17 2004 Bobby Dalton def. Shane Morbid for the SRPW Hardcore Champion
- 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCB Heavyweight Champion
- 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCB Dual Kombat Champion
- 09-17 2008 Michael Faith became the TCBW Heavyweight Champion
- 09-17 2008 High Society (Al Farat & Thomas Trump) became the TCBW Dual Kombat Champion
- 09-17 2010 Dane Griffin def. Cody Jones for the NWA-OK Texoma Champion
- 09-17 2010 Aerial Assault (Ky-ote Joe & Montego Seeka) became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
- 09-17 2010 Michael Faith def. Dane Griffin for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
- 09-17 2016 Mr. Nasty def. Brian Breaker for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
- 09-18 1967 Chati Yokouchi & Togo Shikuma def. Danny Hodge & Skandar Akbar for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 09-18 2005 Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch def. The Hurricane & Rosey for the WWE RAW World Tag Team Champion
- 09-18 2005 Ric Flair def. Carlito for the WWE Intercontinental Champion
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- 09-19 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. Michael Hayes & Steve Cox for the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
- 09-19 2014 Simply Irresistible (Matthew Palmer & James Johnson) def. The Dark Circle (Mace Malone & Apoc) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
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- 09-19 2015 Brian Breaker def. Clint Cassidy for the UWE United States Champion
- 09-19 2015 Zakk Sinizter def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
- 09-19 2015 Jon Cross became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
- 09-19 2019 MVP became the WCR Imperial Champion
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- 09-19 2021 Maui Mike def. Thrash for the ASP Mid-American Champion
- 09-19 2021 Brixton Barricade def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Champion
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- 09-19 2021 Double D def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP 5-Star Champion
- 09-20 1971 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
- 09-20 1978 Jose Lothario def. Assassin 1 for the TSW Louisiana Champion
- 09-20 1985 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
- 09-20 2008 Michael Barry def. Angel Williams for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
- 09-20 2008 New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
- 09-20 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
- 09-20 2009 Jermaine Johnson def. Ky-ote Joe for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
- 09-20 2013 Mike Foxx def. Tim Storm for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
- 09-20 2013 Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) def. The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
- 09-20 2013 The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) def. Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
- 09-20 2014 Kevin Morgan & became the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 09-20 2014 Jordan Jacobs def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 09-20 2014 Claudia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
- 09-20 2014 The Brotherhood (Kyng Benjamin & Akuma Jones) def. A. C. Slaughter (Aaron Anders & Clint Cassidy) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
- 09-20 2014 Fuel def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
- 09-21 1954 Johnny Valentine def. Joe Christie for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
- 09-21 2002 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 09-21 2012 Tim Storm became the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
- 09-21 2012 Kyra Maya became the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
- 09-21 2013 Nasty Swag (Robert Lee & Ace Archuleta) became the UWE Tag Team Champions
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