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Ric Flair Interview Recap

Posted: Dec 3rd 2008 By: CMBurnham

Ric Flair appeared on North Carolina's Superstation, FM Talk 101.1 during the Brad & Britt Show Wednesday morning. Flair called into the show from Los Angeles to talk about this weekend's huge events presented by Highspots.com in Greensboro & Charlotte featuring Ric Flair and others.

They talk about Flair's memories of the Starrcade '83 main event and winning the world title from Harley Race. Talk quickly shifts to this Friday night's show in Greensboro which will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Starrcade. Flair's Starrcade '83 robe and the original NWA World Championship belt that he won from Harley Race will both be on display in Greensboro.

When asked about his son Reid's progression in preparation for his debut match this Saturday night, Flair said he feels confident Reid is progressing well. Reid just came back from Harley Race's camp in Missouri and the Flair family couldn't be more excited about this weekend's events.

A caller asks Flair why the rumored WrestleMania VIII match with Hulk Hogan never materialized in 1992. Flair thinks it was largely due to Hogan wanting to do other projects and step away from the company at the time. Knowing that Hogan was more or less done (for the time being) after WrestleMania VIII, the logic according to Flair was that with him having just arrived in WWE a few months prior, there wasn't the time to properly do the Flair/Hogan feud right, so they didn't do it.

Another caller asks about a rumor that he attributes to an old Wrestling Observer Yearbook that David Von Erich was originally slated to dethrone Harley Race at the end of 1983 in the NWA Title reign that became Flair's. Flair puts over Dave Meltzer and the Observer newsletter but says he's never heard that rumor before and finds it hard to believe because David was thought of at the time as being too green to be ready for the full responsibilities of being champion. Flair does go on to say that he is sure David would have been NWA Champion in time had he lived.

Co-host Britt Whitmire asks Flair about the stories in Flair's book that he was dealing with anxiety issues in the latter years of his career and can't believe that Flair would ever doubt himself professionally, saying that's like Superman doubting himself. Flair's response? "Well, at the time I was around a lot of kryptonite."

Flair again talks about how excited he is to come back to Greensboro for this Friday night's card at Proehlific Park and says that Greensboro is home to him and "Ric Flair's New York." Tickets are available now at www.highspots.com

Co-host Brad Krantz asks Flair his thoughts about the industry today and how it seems that wrestlers are regarded as "pieces of meat" to be discarded at will. Flair says that couldn't be more wrong and puts over how much Vince McMahon cares about the talent. Flair says Vince is intolerant of things that bring down our industry and intolerant of people who don't want to work hard.

Tickets for both this Friday's card in Greensboro celebrating the 25th anniversary of Starrcade and this Saturday's card in Charlotte, which features not only Flair but also Hulk Hogan, are on sale now at www.highspots.com.

When asked about how Hulk Hogan's role on Saturday night's Charlotte card came to be, Flair says Hogan called him and needed a night out in Charlotte with the boys, so he told him to come on up. Flair says that his relationship with Hogan has always been great personally despite any professional turmoil over the years and calls Hogan a good person with a good heart. Hogan will referee the main event Saturday night which will see David Flair & Reid Flair team up with "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in their corner to face the Nasty Boys with Jimmy Hart in their corner.

Flair reiterates his love for Greensboro as the conversation shifts briefly to North Carolina politics. Flair says he gets frustrated with all the political turmoil which is what has kept him from running for NC Governor or Mayor of Charlotte. He likes being able to express his political views but wouldn't want to be obligated to them all day every day were he in office.

Conversation turns to the 1975 plane crash in Wilmington, NC and Flair calls it a "terrible, terrible day" for everybody in wrestling. Flair also tells a story of Wahoo McDaniel, who was Flair's scheduled opponent that night, coming to see him in the hospital after the crash, but kayfabe at the time was so strong that the hospital staff refused to let Wahoo in Flair's room and ultimately called the police, fearing that McDaniel might try to finish Flair off.

A caller asks Flair's thoughts on UFC & MMA's effect on wrestling. Flair calls UFC a rough, brutal sport where the guys earn their money, but that there's a short list of top tier marquee stars. Flair says he always liked Brock Lesnar personally and that Brock will be champ there for as long as he wants because physically he is just such a beast and so hard to handle. He can see where there would probably be a big crossover audience but ultimately feels like there's not a direct threat to wrestling because wrestling, especially now, is so different than straight up fighting.

The hosts wrap up the interview talking about what a privilege it has been to have Ric Flair on the show and how rich in history this area is for wresting, saying Jesus appearing at Madison Square Garden would not have been a bigger deal in the Carolinas than the early Starrcades were.

Flair reiterates one final time how he can't wait to come home this weekend for both huge events in Greensboro and Charlotte and reminds everyone that tickets are on sale at www.highspots.com to close the interview.

Tags: Ric Flair, NWA, WWE, David Von Erich, Wahoo McDaniel