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And In This Corner, It's the Nature Boy

And In This Corner, It's the Nature Boy

Posted: Feb 26th 2007 By: CMBurnham

It has to be interesting to see Ric Flair walking around a grocery store.

He's The Nature Boy. A living legend in professional wrestling. The 16-time world champion. An institution of a man who, in the ring, is seemingly ageless (he turned 58 on Sunday, actually).

What would you do if you saw Flair walking around the produce section of your supermarket?

Probably run up to him and yell his trademark, "Woooooo!" Right?

That's what happened to Flair a couple weeks back, when he was shopping with his wife and doing a phone interview.

"Someone just did that," Flair says. "Three times."

And he responded by slapping on a figure-four leglock?

Not quite.

"As long as people are respectable, I have no problem with it," he says. "I don't like it at dinner tables or restaurants, but aside from that I can handle it"

Flair can handle a lot, no doubt. He's still a key player in World Wrestling Entertainment, which is at the Save Mart Center at 5 p.m. today for its Raw program (which airs here at 9 p.m. on the USA Network and is live for the East Coast).

Flair still gets in the ring. Still dukes it out. Still takes bumps and falls that defy his age.

For about 25 years now, that's been Flair's life -- he's flamboyant and loud, strutting around the ring while notching victories and winning championships like the old Boston Celtics.

He's the guy who, right along with Hulk Hogan, brought professional wrestling into American's living rooms.

And while Hogan is off doing the reality TV thing, Flair is still grappling on the mat.

"It's a way of life for me," Flair says. "As long as I can do it, as they want me to do it, I'm gonna continue to.

"No. 1, I love the business. No. 2, I still have the ability to keep going and No. 3, I just have a passion for this business," he says. "I've had an unbelievable gift of good health, which I feel like I should take advantage of."

Of late, Flair isn't the main-eventer he once was. Sure, he gets his share of TV time and love from the crowds. But he's not as young as the other guys, doesn't have the sculpted figure, isn't as limber.

But he makes up for all that in know-how.

He has a strong influence in the locker room, helping along younger wrestlers, sharing what he's learned over the years.

"If I like someone, and I think they really care for the business, I'm more than happy to help them," Flair says. "It's kind of expected of me now. It's a role that I don't mind at all."

He helps bring credibility to the younger guys by teaming with them. Wrestlers like Triple H, Batista and, just this last week, Carlito have benefited from a Flair push.

"Ric Flair is looked at in the WWE locker rooms no differently than Jim Brown would be in a Cleveland Brown locker room, Gretzky in an Edmonton locker room or Michael Jordan in a Bulls' locker room," Jim Ross, the WWE's announcer and an executive vice president, wrote on his blog (www.jrsbarbq.com) this week.

"If young wrestlers don't watch every move an athlete like Flair makes in the ring and in match preparation and especially Ric's passion, then said youngsters are too stupid to be in this business," Ross wrote.

Of course, Flair won't be around forever. He knows that. And he already has in mind the way he wants his storied career to end.

And it's not about titles or matches, just respect.

"The most important thing to me is the respect of my peers," he says. "And not my peers of yesteryear, because I have that. But the guys I'm working with now. That is a very, very keen issue with me.

"To me, I'd like to wrestle for another year. I'd like to walk away with my head held high and know that I had the most illustrious career of anybody alive, in the history of our business. And I think I already have that."

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

  • 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
  • 04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
  • 04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 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 Titles
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
04-27
  • Yasu Fuji Apr 27th Today!
  • Siva Afi Apr 28th
  • Chance Snodgrass Apr 28th
  • Ichiban [2nd] Apr 28th
  • Sunshine Apr 29th
  • Joe McCarthy Apr 30th
  • Billie the Kiid Apr 30th
  • Dustin Tibbs Apr 30th
  • Anarchy [2nd] Apr 30th
  • Prince Maivia May 1st
  • Barrett Brown May 2nd
  • Americos May 2nd
  • Nightmare [1st] May 2nd
  • Big Bossman May 2nd
  • Kari Wright May 2nd
  • Don Fields May 2nd
  • Lester Welch May 3rd
  • Lily McKenzie May 3rd
  • Johnny Humble May 3rd
  • Malik Mayfield May 4th
  • El Hijo del Mascara Sagrada May 4th
  • Dory Funk May 4th
  • Jay Hazzard May 4th
  • Bull Schmitt May 4th
  • Olivier Vegos May 5th
  • Bill Watts May 5th
  • Zane Morris May 5th
  • El Gallardo May 5th
  • Princess Victoria May 5th
  • El Matador Dos May 5th
  • Pat O'Dowdy May 5th
  • Maria Brigitte May 5th
  • Miss Diss Lexia May 5th
  • Claire Watson May 6th
  • Hercules May 7th
  • Richie Adams May 8th
  • Jake Danielsson May 9th
  • Tito Santana May 10th
  • Billy Brown May 10th
  • Sunny War Cloud May 10th
  • Rook Tyler May 10th
  • Jerry Brown May 10th

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