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Flair's Last Match Might Be Tonight, But Fans Want More

Flair's Last Match Might Be Tonight, But Fans Want More

Posted: Mar 30th 2008 By: CMBurnham

Nobody wants this to be the end for Ric Flair. Not even Ric Flair.

After a crowd of 10,000 gave him a long standing ovation at his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday night at Amway Arena, fans started screaming for him to keep his career going. Taking a moment to collect himself, Flair had an answer.

"I'm not gonna retire!" he screamed. "I'll never retire!"

Then he belted out his trademark, "Wooooooooooo!" The crowd roared. On an emotional night featuring seven other inductees, fans waited until the end of the night to see their wheelin' and dealin' champ get his spot in the Hall.

Flair faces Shawn Michaels tonight at WrestleMania in a career-threatening match, one that many expect to be his last at Mania. But clearly the fans want more of Flair -- just like they want to see more of Dwayne " The Rock" Johnson.

When the former wrestler turned Hollywood superstar took the stage at the start of the festivities, he entered to chants of "Rocky! Rocky!" It was enough to think Johnson was getting the Hall honor.

But he was here to induct his father, Rocky Johnson, and grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia.

Johnson entertained the crowd, cracking jokes about former rival "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as fans chanted, "One more match!" Of course, Johnson delivered his famous phrase, "Can you smelllll what The Rock is cookinnnnnn' " and fans pleaded, "Please come back!" and "No More Movies!"

The former champion laughed. But after riling up the fans, he got serious, describing the profound influences his father and grandfather had on his wrestling career. High Chief Peter Maivia held different versions of the NWA Tag Team championship and trained Rocky Johnson.

Rocky Johnson became the first African-American World Tag Team Champion in 1983, known for his drop kicks.

"When I stepped into the ring for the first time the sole purpose was to make my family proud," Johnson said, pausing for a moment as tears welled in his eyes. He recalled saying to his dying grandfather, "I hope I've made you proud. Because I sure am so proud of you."

The others inducted Saturday were tag team brothers Gerald and Jack Brisco, wrestler and promoter Eddie Graham, announcer Gordon Solie, and former women's champ Mae Young.

 

Tags: Ric Flair, WWE, Gerald Brisco, Jack Brisco, Mae Young

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  • 2003 Ichiban [1st] became the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2003 The Heatseekers (Karl Davis & Rick Styles) became the TPW Tag Team Champions
  • 2003 Outcast def. Tyler Bateman for the TPW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 Ky-Ote became the 3DW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 Les Mayne became the 3DW Texoma Champion
  • 2008 2AM (Javi Hernandez & Kunna Keyoh) became the 3DW Dual Kombat Champion
  • 2008 Al Farat became the 3DW Violent Division Champion
  • 2008 Frankie Dee became the 3DW Femme Fatale Champion
  • 2008 Joshua Smith def. Al Farat for the 3DW Violent Division Champion
  • 2010 David Kyzer def. Outlaw for the SWCW Luchadore Champion
  • 2010 David Kyzer became the SWCW All-American Champion
  • 2021 Brandon Barricade def. Red for the ASP All Time Champion
  • 2021 Maui Mike & Malik Mayfield became the ASP Tag Team Champions

Week of Sun 04-21 to Sat: 04-27

  • 04-21 1967 The Assassins (Assassin 1 & Assassin 2) became the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 04-21 1979 Mike George def. Jerry Stubbs for the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-21 2006 Ray Martinez became the SRPW X Division Champion
  • 04-21 2007 Kareem Sadat def. K-Rob for the AACW Hardcore Champion
  • 04-21 2007 Team Shenanigans (Tyler Bateman & Kenny Campbell) def. The Re-Gex (Seth Shai & Mace) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-21 2017 Sam Stackhouse def. Spyder for the BPPW Oklahoma Champion
  • 04-21 2017 The Cursed (Blade [2nd] & Kuda) def. The Saints of Pro Wrestling (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 04-21 2018 The Untamed (Rex Andrews & Ryan Davidson) became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
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  • 04-21 2023 Franco D'Angelo def. Mr. Wobble for the TexPro Texas Champion
  • 04-21 2023 Franco D'Angelo def. Mr. Wobble for the TexPro Oklahoma Champion
  • 04-22 1940 Jesse James def. Danny McShain for the NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-22 1955 Ricki Starr def. Mike Clancy for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-22 1968 The Spoilers (Spoiler #1 & Spoiler #2/Smasher Sloan) def. Fritz Von Erich & Billy Red Lyons for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 04-22 1980 Terry Gordy def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW Louisiana Champion
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  • 04-22 2016 Brock Landers def. Mascara La Parka for the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
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  • 04-22 2017 Double D def. Randy Price for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 04-22 2017 Nikki Knight def. Skylar Slice for the ComPro Ladies Champion
  • 04-22 2018 Chaz Sharpe became the ASP Inter-County Champion
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  • 04-22 2018 Damon Windsor def. Chandler Hopkins for the IWR Revolutionary Champion
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  • 04-22 2023 Logan Knight def. Gemini [2nd] for the EPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-23 1966 Ramon Torres def. Lorenzo Parente for the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-23 1978 Ray Candy & Steven Little Bear def. Ernie Ladd & The Assassin for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 04-23 2004 Michael Barry became the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-23 2006 Tyler Bateman def. Seth Allen for the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 04-23 2006 Michael Faith became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 04-23 2016 Athena def. Erica for the IZW Queens Champion
  • 04-23 2022 The Blue Bolt def. Richie Adams for the WFC Prime Champion
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  • 04-24 1999 The Casualties of War (Grunt & Shrapnel) def. The East-West Express (J. J. Mustang & Joey Steiner) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 04-24 1999 Original Renegade def. Tarantula for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-24 2004 Dexter Hardaway became the NWA-OK X Division Champion
  • 04-24 2004 Tejas def. Al Jackson for the NWA Texas Champion
  • 04-24 2015 Rick Russo & Largus RagnaBrok became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 04-25 1971 Dusty Rhodes def. Sputnik Monroe for the TSW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 04-25 2003 Ichiban [1st] became the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-25 2003 The Heatseekers (Karl Davis & Rick Styles) became the TPW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-25 2003 Outcast def. Tyler Bateman for the TPW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-25 2008 Ky-Ote became the 3DW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-25 2008 Les Mayne became the 3DW Texoma Champion
  • 04-25 2008 2AM (Javi Hernandez & Kunna Keyoh) became the 3DW Dual Kombat Champion
  • 04-25 2008 Al Farat became the 3DW Violent Division Champion
  • 04-25 2008 Frankie Dee became the 3DW Femme Fatale Champion
  • 04-25 2008 Joshua Smith def. Al Farat for the 3DW Violent Division Champion
  • 04-25 2010 David Kyzer def. Outlaw for the SWCW Luchadore Champion
  • 04-25 2010 David Kyzer became the SWCW All-American Champion
  • 04-25 2021 Brandon Barricade def. Red for the ASP All Time Champion
  • 04-25 2021 Maui Mike & Malik Mayfield became the ASP Tag Team Champions
  • 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Champion
  • 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Champion
  • 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Champion
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04-25
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