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Why Did Wrestling Champ Ric Flair Show Up at WHNT?

Why Did Wrestling Champ Ric Flair Show Up at WHNT?

Posted: May 25th 2014 By: Denise Vickers

A very special guest unexpectedly showed up at the WHNT News 19 studios Friday morning. Quickly what started out as a relatively quiet morning turned into a thunder of ?WOOOOO?s? echoing throughout the building.

Seriously! No joke! Professional wrestling champion and celebrity Ric Flair was strutting through the WHNT halls decked out in a floor-length robe adorned with bright blue feathers and sequins spelling out ?Nature Boy? on the back.

Why was the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) 16-time World Champion at our station? He was here for a commercial shoot for 1st Family Mortgage at the request of Branch Manager Conrad Thompson.

WHNT Local Sales Manager, Nathan McGee, said he had no idea Flair would be showing up. ?Conrad told us we would just be doing something a little different today,? stated McGee.

And, wow, was it different.

The 65-year-old still projected the same high energy he did years ago in the wrestling ring and had station personnel doubled over in laughter as he adlibbed his lines for the commercial. To be sure, Flair found creative ways to integrate many of his iconic phrases like ?limousine-ridin,? ?jet-flyin,? and ?to be the man, you gotta beat the man? into the script for the 1st Family Mortgage commercial.

WHNT News 19 Interactive Content Manager, Claire Aiello, is one of Flair?s biggest fans. She has a photo of him posted above her desk. The vanity license plate on her vehicle says ?Flair? and her nickname is ?Claire Flair? ? a name given to her by a sports guy she used to work with. Unfortunately, Claire was out of the building on assignment when Flair showed up.

As soon as her co-workers in the newsroom found out that her favorite celebrity was in the building, they started blowing up her phone with texts and emails. A colleague took over for Claire so that she could race back to the station to meet Flair.

?I had no idea this was happening,? she said. ?But, dang, it made my day. He is just like you see on TV. Larger than life ? stylin? and profilin just like you?d expect. Funny, fired up and quite the flirt. The WOOOO is just a loud as it sounds, too. I loved meeting him!?

You?ll start seeing the commercial featuring Flair starting Monday, Memorial Day, on WHNT.

 

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Spotlight in History

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  • 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
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Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
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  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
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  • 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
04-30
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