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Nature Boy Had Flair For The Dramatic

Nature Boy Had Flair For The Dramatic

Posted: Apr 7th 2008 By: CMBurnham

"It's been said a million times that Ric Flair is arguably the greatest wrestler of all time. I'm still waiting to hear the argument."

-------------- Paul Levesque, a/k/a Triple H, March 29, 2008.

________________________

There isn't one, Trips. Not that you needed to be told.

He shared his entrance music with Elvis, and his singular undisputed excellence as well. Over the course of his 36-year career, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair settled the issue of wrestling's greatest ever in a decisive manner matched perhaps only by Michael Jordan in basketball.

Or perhaps not. Jordan's NBA comeback at 38 turned out to be ill-advised. Flair, meanwhile, stole the show at 59 -- 59! -- with his retirement match at WrestleMania eight days ago.

Wrestling's detractors like to throw around words like "fake." But it was never fake with Flair.

Suspending disbelief is the goal of the bastard athletic soap opera that is pro wrestling. Great performers do it most of the time. Good performers do it some of the time.

Flair did it every time. He did it every time regardless of the quality of the foe, the size of the crowd, televised or not. He did it hurt, he did it tired, he did it over 300 times per year in his prime, he did it for 60 minutes some nights, he did it twice some days, he did it while making his opponent look better than he really was and he did it far better than anyone else.

Having worked in the business, I'm as jaded as a wrestling fan can be. But when Shawn Michaels had Flair pinned at WrestleMania, I lifted my shoulder even as I sat watching on my living-room couch, trying to make Ric kick out one last time. That's how much Ric Flair still makes me believe.

Sadly, my help wasn't enough. As planned, Flair lost, and his career was over.

I'm still not sure why Flair is retiring. He's still a better in-ring performer than 90 percent of the WWE roster. When he's turned loose, he's still the best interview there is. People still want to see him.

But that's OK. Maybe it's time anyway.

And while Flair may be done as a full-time wrestler, it seems inevitable that we'll see a father-son tag team of Ric and Reid Flair on some special occasion. Reid is 20, and was born to be a wrestler. Let's just hope the burden isn't too heavy, because he has the toughest act ever to follow.

As much as Ric Flair has meant to me as a performer, he means more to me as a friend. We first met over 20 years ago when I profiled him for a local paper, and we worked together at World Championship Wrestling. He is a genuine, caring man, a great father, and while he's slowed down a bit in the party department, he's responsible for killing a frightening amount of my brain cells. I never have a better time than when I'm with Ric Flair. He made me a New York Times best-seller, too.

But friendship doesn't cloud my judgment when it comes to Ric as a performer. I could write about the Flair-Ricky Steamboat series in '89, Ric's glory days in the Mid-Atlantic territory, the Royal Rumble in '92, or all those great promos with the Four Horsemen, but that would be lost on most of you.

So just ask a wrestler who the best ever is. Ninety-nine percent will say Flair. No one in any profession is more beloved and respected by his peers.

Not only is Flair the greatest wrestler ever, but his name will never die. Never mind the video, never mind all the press clippings, never mind the books. Go to a wrestling show. Whether it's the WWE in Mellon Arena or an independent show in a little gym, just buy a ticket, sit down and wait for a wrestler to throw a chop like Flair was famous for.

"WHOOOOO!" Whether it's 15,000 fans or 15, I guarantee you will hear Ric Flair's trademark exclamation thunder from just about every larynx in the house. Today, tomorrow and forever.

There may be an encore, but there won't be a successor. They only made one.

 

Tags: Ric Flair, WWE

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  • 1959 Danny McShain def. The Zebra Kid for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 1960 Danny Hodge def. Angelo Savoldi for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 1979 Mark Lewin def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 1981 Bob Roop def. Super Destroyer for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 1985 Butch Reed def. Dutch Mantell for the MSW Television Title
  • 2012 Cody Jones def. Les Mayne for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 2016 Nathan Estrada def. Adrian Dell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 2016 Steven Cruze def. Seth Angel for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 2017 Future Hall of Famers/Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Damien Morte & Jermaine Johnson) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 2017 Ryan Davidson def. Aaron Anders for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 2017 Aaron Anders def. Brian Breaker for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
  • 2017 Wesley Crane def. Skyler Fayden for the UWE United States Title
  • 2023 Tyler Midas def. The Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title

Week of Sun 07-19 to Sat: 07-25

  • 07-19 1968 Fritz Von Erich & Grizzly Smith def. The Spoiler & Gary Hart for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 07-19 1968 Jack Dalton [1st] & Jim Dalton became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champions
  • 07-19 1971 Thunderbolt Patterson & Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine & Wahoo McDaniel for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 07-19 1982 Bill Irwin def. Brian Adias for the WCCW Television Title
  • 07-19 2008 Dane Griffin def. Les Mayne for the 3DW Texoma Title
  • 07-19 2013 Big Daddy Moore became the BPPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 07-19 2019 Shawn Sanders became the ASP Inter-County Champion
  • 07-19 2019 Xavior def. Paul Puertorico for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 07-19 2019 Team Boner (Drake Gallows & Mascara La Parka) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 07-19 2024 Father Padge became the MajCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 07-19 2024 Brandon Warhawk became the MajCW Flawless Champion
  • 07-19 2024 Hell's Kitchen (The Canadian Red Devil & The Lunchador) became the MajCW Tag Team Champions
  • 07-19 2024 Lunchador became the MajCW 24/7 On Call Champion
  • 07-19 2024 Nightwolf became the MajCW Native American Champion
  • 07-19 2024 Cardinal Sin def. Lunchador for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 07-19 2024 Jason Simon/Bishop Simon def. Nightwolf for the MajCW Native American Title
  • 07-19 2024 Deacon Hendrix def. Cardinal Sin for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 07-19 2024 Tyler Shade def. Deacon Hendrix for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 07-20 1961 Waldo Von Erich def. Tony Martin for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 07-20 1979 Gino Hernandez & El Gran Markus def. Jose Lothario & El Halcon for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 07-20 1986 Eddie Gilbert & Sting def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the UWF Tag Team Titles
  • 07-20 2008 The Forsaken (Michael Faith & Halo) def. Limited Edition (Les Mayne & Dane Griffin) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 07-20 2013 Drake Gallows became the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 07-20 2013 Kareem Sadat became the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 07-20 2014 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) became the WFC Tag Team Champions
  • 07-20 2018 Double D def. Colby Black for the MSWA eXpress Title
  • 07-20 2026 Vincent Cross def. Bang Bang Bennett for the RDW Na'Cho Momma's Hardcore Title
  • 07-21 1947 Buddy Rogers def. Dale Levin for the NWA Midwest World Title
  • 07-21 1979 Bill Watts & Buck Robley def. The Assassin & The Angel [1st] for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 07-21 2012 The Mercenary became the UWE United States Champion
  • 07-21 2012 L. J. McDaniels became the SWCW Womens Champion
  • 07-21 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Jake O'Brien for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 07-21 2012 Angel Blue def. Venus for the IZW Queens Title
  • 07-21 2018 Drake Gallows def. Alex Royal for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 07-21 2018 Alex Royal def. Drake Gallows for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 07-22 1959 Danny McShain def. The Zebra Kid for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 07-22 1960 Danny Hodge def. Angelo Savoldi for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
  • 07-22 1979 Mark Lewin def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 07-22 1981 Bob Roop def. Super Destroyer for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 07-22 1985 Butch Reed def. Dutch Mantell for the MSW Television Title
  • 07-22 2012 Cody Jones def. Les Mayne for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 07-22 2016 Nathan Estrada def. Adrian Dell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 07-22 2016 Steven Cruze def. Seth Angel for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 07-22 2017 Future Hall of Famers/Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Damien Morte & Jermaine Johnson) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 07-22 2017 Ryan Davidson def. Aaron Anders for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 07-22 2017 Aaron Anders def. Brian Breaker for the ComPro Heavyweight Title
  • 07-22 2017 Wesley Crane def. Skyler Fayden for the UWE United States Title
  • 07-22 2023 Tyler Midas def. The Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 07-23 1967 Karl Kox def. Waldo Von Erich for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 07-23 1979 Kerry Von Erich & Bruiser Brody became the WCCW Texas Tag Team Champions
  • 07-23 2004 Rocco Valentino def. Justin Lee for the TPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 07-23 2005 Tyler Bateman def. John O'Malley for the MSWA Tri-State Title
  • 07-23 2011 John E. Stone def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 07-23 2011 Double D def. Michael Barry for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 07-23 2011 Teila & El Hoto Loco def. Chris Von Luhr & Jason Noal for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 07-23 2011 Chris Von Luhr & Jason Noal def. Teila & El Hoto Loco for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 07-23 2021 Ky-Ote def. Dane Griffin for the TexPro Oklahoma Title
  • 07-24 1983 Magnum T. A. & Jim Duggan def. Ted DiBiase & Mr. Olympia for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 07-24 2005 Brandon Groom & American Anarchy became the NWA-U Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
  • 07-24 2010 The Hardcore Connection (Maniac Mike & Shane Sanchez) def. X-Rated (Bobby Star & Kevin James Sanchez) for the SWCW Tag Team Titles
  • 07-24 2010 Kareem Sadat became the SWCW Hardcore Champion
  • 07-24 2010 Brandon Walker def. Jonathan Cross for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 07-24 2010 Jonathan Cross def. Brandon Walker for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 07-24 2019 Antonio Vega def. Shawn Sanders for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 07-24 2020 Derek James def. Alex Royal for the BPW Oklahoma Title
  • 07-24 2020 Size Matters (Sam Stackhouse & Mike Starr) def. Legend Has It (Thrash & Killbane) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 07-24 2020 Ethan Cole def. Tommy Dean for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 07-24 2022 Sam Stackhouse became the WCR Heavyweight Champion
  • 07-25 1957 Duke Keomuka def. Bull Curry for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 07-25 1962 Hiro Matsuda & Don Kent def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 07-25 1966 Tony Borne def. Louie Tillet for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 07-25 1977 Captain USA def. Bruiser Brody for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 07-25 1980 Ken Mantell became the MSW Louisiana Champion
  • 07-25 1981 Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton def. Ed Wiskowski & Mike George for the TSW Tag Team Titles
  • 07-25 1983 Jimmy Garvin def. Kevin Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 07-25 1988 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. John Tatum & Jack Victory for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 07-25 2009 Team SuperBad (El Super Colibri & Justin Lee) def. Crazy Beautiful (Brett Taylor & Michael York) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 07-25 2015 La Famiglia (Luke Grayson & Thomas Knight) def. Seth Angel & Adrian Dell for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 07-25 2020 Real Dirty Brawlers (Brawler Morrison & Thrash) def. Tommy Dean for the WFC Tag Team Titles
  • 07-25 2020 Jon Cross def. Luke Langley for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 07-25 2020 Tim Rockwell def. Jon Cross for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 07-25 2021 Thrash def. Luke Savage for the ASP Mid-American Title
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