Hall of Fame 101: Ric Flair

Real Name: Richard Fliehr
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 243 pounds
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Finishing Move(s): Figure 4 Leg Lock, Testicular Claw
Career Highlights: WWE Champion, WCW World Heavyweight Champion, WCW International World Heavyweight Champion, NWA World Heavyweight Champion, WWE Intercontinental Champion, WCW United States Champion, WWE World Tag Team Champion, 1992 Royal Rumble Winner, 13th Triple Crown Champion, WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2008 Inductee, and 2008 Slammy Award Winner for Match of the Year

Ric Flair, born Richard Morgan Fliehr on February 25, 1949, is a 100 percent legendary wrestling figure in all of sports entertainment and professional wrestling. Some classify Flair as Immortal, others classify him as a legend, most classify him as a Wrestling God. Flair is most known in professional wrestling as a sixteen time World Heavyweight Champion, which is combining the World Titles of the WWE, WCW, and NWA. Along with those accomplishments, Flair has won the first and only Royal Rumble Match to have the WWE Championship on the line, as well as winning the WWE World Tag Team Titles and the WWE Intercontinental Championship. He also was part of WCW, with either being managed by Woman and Miss Elizabeth, eventually managed by Debra McMichael, as well as being the founder and leader of the 4 Horseman. Flair is definitely a God in professional wrestling and his career has a lot to tell about that. But before we go into his wrestling career, let’s go into his personal life that shows what kind of man “The Nature Boy” is known as outside of the ring.

Flair has a couple of sons involved in the professional wrestling industry. His son, David Flair, is a former superstar in WCW that won a few titles for that specific organization, and also had a brief role in the WWE in 2002 when Flair was feuding with Undertaker leading up to Wrestlemania 18. His son, Reid Flair, is a current professional wrestler that has been signed by Total Nonstop Action (TNA), but has yet to make his debut or be recognized on TNA television as being signed with the company. Flair also has a daughter, Megan Fliehr-Ketzner, that is now married and has a daughter, Morgan Lee Ketzner, which makes Flair a grandfather. Flair’s got yet another daughter named Ashley that has appeared on several television programs of WCW, alongside with Reid and Megan.

Being married two times, Flair would end up getting married a third time to a lady named Tiffany VanDemark, whom was a fitness competitor, and they wed on May 27, 2006, but would later divorce on August 7, 2008 when she filed for the divorce. On November 11, 2009, Flair would marry his fourth wife, Jackie Beems, in Charlotte, North Carolina. But enough about the personal life of the God of professional wrestling. What about the career of the legendary “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.

In 1986, Jim Crockett, a legendary wrestling promoter, has put multiple NWA promotions into one single promotion called the National Wrestling Alliance and he built that company around Flair being the main heel champion of the company, the face of the company, like John Cena is to the WWE, but as a heel instead of a face. Throughout 1987, Flair would have some legendary matches with Barry Windham for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In September 25, 1987, Flair would lose his NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Ron Garvin due to his flamboyant ways he has acted behind the scenes in the NWA. Flair would regain the title, two months later, after he beat Ron Garvin at Starrcade 1987, the first Pay Per View of the now World Championship Wrestling (WCW), which was still affiliated with the NWA.

The now iconic and legendary Sting would be unknown in the late 1980s but would be a rising star and would step up to the plate and challenge Flair at the first ever Clash of the Champions Pay Per View, that ended in a time limit draw at 45 minutes. In late 1988, NWA and WCW booker, Dusty Rhodes, suggested that Rick Steiner beat Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship due to no finish agreement taking place on the Flair vs. Lex Luger bout and he would suggest that Rick Steiner beat Flair quickly at Starrcade. The plans would fall through and Flair would end up beating Lex Luger to retain the belt instead. However, due to backstage issues, Dusty Rhodes was released from his duties as booker and was replaced by JCP booker, George Scott. George Scott would immediate suggest bringing in Ricky “the dragon” Steamboat to have a few matches with Flair, which took place and would be some of the epic and legendary matches in all of NWA and WCW history.

At the 1989 Chi-Town Rumble in Chicago, Illinois, Ricky “the dragon” Steamboat would beat Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. This would end up leading into a series of legendary bouts between the two with Steamboat being billed as the “family man”, with being accompanied by his wife and son, and Flair being billed as the “ladies man”. The most legendary match the two had was at Clash of the Champions 6: Ragin’ Cajun, Flair would face Ricky “the dragon” Steamboat in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match that would end in a 60 minute time limit draw that saw Steamboat retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Flair would, however, regain the belt from Steamboat on May 7, 1989 at WrestleWar. The match between the two at WrestleWar would be voted the best match of the year of 1989 by Pro Wrestling Illustrated and is considered by most, if not, all, as the “greatest match of all time in professional wrestling history”. After the match, Terry Funk would attack Flair, whom Funk was a judge for the match due to the pre match stipulation, and would give Flair the Texas Piledriver onto the judges’ table.

Flair would return months later after “recovering” from his kayfabe injury and would have a grueling, brutal, and emotional match with Terry Funk at The Great American Bash 1989 Pay Per View. Flair would win the match and retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and would continue to feud with Funk throughout the summer of 1989. Flair would reform the 4 Horseman, with recruiting of Sting into the faction, and they feuded with Terry Funk and his faction called J-Tex Corporation. At Clash of the Champions 9: New York Knockout, Flair and Funk would compete in an I Quit Match, which resulted in Funk stating “I Quit”. As pre match stipulation, Funk shook Flair’s hand after quitting in Flair’s Figure 4 Leg Lock.

Sting would challenge Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which led to Flair kicking Sting out of the 4 Horseman, and the two would rekindle their feud. Sting would, however, injure his knee, which the feud was put on hold and Lex Luger would be the main focal point for Flair as a feud to replace Sting until he returned. At the 1990 The Great American Bash Pay Per View, Flair would drop the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Sting, whom returned from knee injury. Flair would comeback as The Black Scorpion, but would be unmasked at Starrcade 1990, and would then regain back the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Sting on January 11, 1991.

The WCW would then split their ties with the NWA and Flair would be considered as the first ever WCW World Heavyweight Champion. At Clash of the Champions 14, Dixie Dynamite, Flair beat Scott Steiner to retain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but would lose to Tatsumi Fujinami at the WCW/New Japan Supershow, and would be recognized as the WCW World Heavyweight Champion in NWA, but would not be recognized as the champion in WCW because he gave Flair a Big Back Body Drop over the top rope, and in WCW, that is illegal and calls for a disqualification. Even though WCW and NWA split their ties, the title reigns are technically recognizing for each company, whereas Flair would beat Fujinami at SuperBrawl 1991 to become the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion, but retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. After this occurred, he would become the nine time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, which broke the record of Harley Race’s eight times as champion.

In the spring of 1991, Flair had some contract disputes with the President of WCW, Jim Herd, whom wanted Flair to take a pay cut, which was a cut of a massive amount of money he was originally making. Despite Flair being the face of the company, Jim Herd removed Flair as head booker and wanted to reduce his role even further in the company to save some money for WCW. According to Flair’s autobiography, “To Be The Man”, he stated “Jim Herd wanted me to change more than my role in WCW. He asked me to change my appearance by shaving my hair off, wear a diamond earring, and change my ring name to Spartacus, and what did I do you ask? I end up disagreeing with all changes and I was fired and the WCW World Heavyweight Championship was vacated, but then I got hired by the WWE”.

In August of 1991, Flair signed with the WWE and a month later, Flair appeared on television as one of the most despised, loathed, and hated heels the WWE has ever saw. Flair would appear originally with a big gold belt calling himself “The Real World Heavyweight Champion”, initially a stab at WCW’s title belt and him being the top champion for the company. Flair would be managed by his “financial advisor” Bobby “the brain” Heenan, and his “executive consultant” Mr. Perfect. At Survivor Series 1991, Ric Flair, “Million $ Man” Ted DiBiase, The Mountie, and The Warlord, accompanied by Mr. Perfect, Jimmy Hart, The Sensational Sherri, and Harvey Wippleman, defeated Rowdy Roddy Piper, Bret “Hitman” Hart, Virgil, and The British Bulldog in an 8 Man Tag Team Elimination Match. Later that night, Flair would interfere in the WWE Championship Match and would help Undertaker beat Hulk Hogan for Undertaker to win his first ever WWE Championship.

At the 1992 Royal Rumble Pay Per View, entering at entry number three, Ric Flair lasted nearly 60 minutes, which was a record broken at that time, and last eliminated Sid Justice to become the 1992 Royal Rumble Winner and win the vacant WWE Championship, which was a first in the WWE by having the WWE Championship on the line during a Royal Rumble Match, something that has never happened before 1992 and nothing that has happened ever since to this current year. Flair winning the WWE Championship during the 1992 Royal Rumble Match would also make even more history by having Flair be the second man, along with “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers, to win both the WWE Championship and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Something that has never been done before.

There was a planned rivalry between Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan set to take place for the WWE Championship to culminate at Wrestlemania 8, but it was scrapped due to Hulk Hogan’s steroid scandal against Mr. McMahon and the WWE. This would see a substitute for Hogan whereas Ric Flair would defend the WWE Championship against “Macho Man” Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 8. During their rivalry leading up to Wrestlemania 8, Flair had stated he had a previous relationship with Miss Elizabeth, per storyline and not in reality, and he stated he had pictures to prove it. The photos were revealed and were doctorate, which meant fake and not legitimate photos of the two together. Flair would, however, lose the WWE Championship to “Macho Man” Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 8.

Flair and Mr. Perfect were sowed upon to be in the corner of “Macho Man” Randy Savage and The Ultimate Warrior during their match at Summerslam, but instead of backing them up, they attacked them both, thus Flair injuring Savage’s knee. Flair would use the “injured” knee to his advantage and would win the WWE Championship for the second time in his career, but would have a short title reign as Bret “Hitman” Hart would become the WWE Champion at a House Show on October 12, 1992. At Survivor Series 1992, Flair teamed up with Razor Ramon to take on “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Mr. Perfect, which saw Savage and Mr. Perfect win the match via disqualification. On an episode of Monday Night Raw, Flair lost a Loser Leaves Town Match to Mr. Perfect, and thus, was leaving the WWE, but in reality, he left to go back to WCW. Flair would complete his commitments to the WWE by doing all his House Show obligations, and he would then leave the WWE on February 10, 1993 to go back to WCW.

The typical release from contract for the WWE has a 90 day no compete clause in every superstars contracts and thus, Flair was unable to wrestle in WCW for those 90 days, however, he would still appear in WCW and host his own talk show segment called “A Flair for the Gold”. Flair’s talk show would consist of Arn Anderson has a costumer at the bar and Wendy Barlow would be as the French maid, Fifi, on the set. WCW, still unified with the NWA on certain aspects, would see Flair beat Barry Windham to become the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion at Beach Blast 1993 with Flair winning the belt for a tenth time, and then WCW would complete leave the NWA affiliation for good and would be its own separate entity in September of 1993. Vader, the current WCW World Heavyweight Champion, would defend the belt against Flair at Starrcade 1993 and if Flair lost, he’d be forced to retire from professional wrestling for good. Flair would beat the monster and would win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship for the second time.

In June of 1994, Flair, the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, would face Sting, the WCW International World Heavyweight Champion, would compete against each other in a Unification Title Match, merging the belts together, with Flair coming out on top and becoming the new WCW International World Heavyweight Champion and retaining the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, with Flair being the last holder of the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship. Flair would start turning heel again, which he does best, and would beat Ricky “the dragon” Steamboat some months later and would beat him in controversial fashion. At Bash at the Beach 1994, Hulk Hogan would beat Ric Flair to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Flair and Hogan’s feud would continue up until Halloween Havoc 1994 in a Retirement Match, which Flair lost and would take several months off, with Flair returning by being said to have nagged Hogan for months until he accepted the fact that Flair can come back to wrestle. He would return to compete and manage some up and coming superstars.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage would arrive in WCW in late 1994, which saw his feud with Ric Flair rekindle. The two would feud for several years with the titles switching back and forth several times. At SuperBrawl 6, Flair beat Savage to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship after Miss Elizabeth betrayed Savage and aligned herself with Flair. Flair would also add another title to his impressive résumé, the WCW United States Championship after he beat Konnan to win the belt at Bash at the Beach on July 7, 1996. Flair, however, would vacate the belts due to an arm injury he suffered in a match with Kensuke Sasaki over in Japan.

In late 1996 and throughout 1997, Flair played a major role in the storyline with the New World Order (nWo) which saw the 4 Horsemen lead war against Hollywood Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall. Flair would also feud with Rowdy Roddy Piper, Syxx, and his old nemesis from the WWE, Curt Hennig (formerly Mr. Perfect in the WWE). Curt Hennig would be offered a spot in the 4 Horsemen, but would, however, turn his back on Flair and the rest of the 4 Horsemen, and would bash Flair’s head into the cage at Fall Brawl during the WarGames Match, that saw Flair’s absence for a month, and then a return and feud with Curt Hennig over the WCW United States Championship, which Hennig won from Steve McMichael. Flair would challenge for the title against Hennig at Halloween Havoc and World War 3, losing on both attempts at the title.

In April of 1998, Flair would disappear from television after he was sued by Eric Bischoff, the Owner of WCW, for no showing a television taping of WCW Thunder. The lawsuit would be settled, and Flair would surprisingly return to WCW on September 14, 1998 and would reunite the 4 Horsemen, along with Steve McMichael, Chris Benoit, and Dean Malenko. Several months later, Flair would begin a feud with Eric Bischoff, the Owner of WCW and the leader and manager of the nWo. The two would compete at Starrcade 1998 and saw Bischoff victorious due to interference from former 4 Horsemen member, Curt Hennig. The next night on WCW Nitro, Flair acted crazy, more so like a drunk would, and would strip to his boxers and handcuff himself to the ring, which would lead to Flair demanding a rematch against Bischoff for the ownership of WCW. Despite interference from the nWo on behalf of Bischoff, Flair would win the match and would be granted ownership and presidency over WCW. Flair, whom is power crazy, would give himself a match against Hollywood Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship at SuperBrawl, which saw Hogan win after Flair’s son, David Flair, would betray his own father and cost him the match. Flair would sign a rematch, continuing his power rage, against Hollywood Hogan in what was called the first ever First Blood Barbed Wire Steel Cage Match with both Flair’s WCW presidency and ownership on the line against Hogan’s WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Flair bled first, but Hogan still lost the match due to bias favoritism from referee, Charles Robinson, whom was nicknamed as “Lil’ Naitch” due to his similarities of blonde hair and his idolization of Flair. This saw a rare double turn which Flair turned heel and Hogan turned face, with Charles Robinson refereeing all of Flair’s matches.

Flair started abusing his powers as “on air president and owner of WCW”, just like Bischoff did in the past when he had the power and control, with Flair favoring villains more than fan favorites, which saw Flair and his son, David, back together and Flair giving his son the WCW United States Championship and doing everything and anything to keep his son the champion. Flair would form a stable/faction of followers, which included Arn Anderson, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Diamond Dallas Page, Chris Kanyon, and Bam Bam Bigelow to keep things in order with Flair to run the asylum. Flair’s ownership, presidency, and power abusing came to an end on WCW Nitro on July 19 when he put his power on the line against Sting, which Sting won when the referee was out cold and a returning Eric Bischoff would signal the timekeeper to ring the bell to give Sting the win since Sting had Flair in the Scorpion Death Lock. Sting would hand over ownership and presidency to Eric Bischoff thinking Bischoff would be better off with the responsibility than he could.

The last full year of being in business, 2000, Flair won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship two more times. The WWE would purchase WCW in March of 2001, which saw Flair as the leader of a group called the Magnificent Seven. The final episode of WCW Nitro saw Flair give an emotional speech about the company and the final match of WCW Nitro would beat Flair losing to Sting, which symbolized the first ever main event of WCW Nitro back in 1995.

Flair would have a hiatus from professional wrestling, but would return as Co-Owner of the WWE, alongside Mr. McMahon, due to the fact that the Alliance Invasion storyline ended at Survivor Series, and the next night on Raw from Charlotte, North Carolina, saw Flair come in with style as Co-Owner. Flair would face Mr. McMahon in a Street Fight at the 2002 Royal Rumble Pay Per View, which saw Flair win the match via submission. He would then begin a feud with Undertaker, with Undertaker trying to get Flair to accept his challenge for a match at Wrestlemania 18, but Flair denied, whereas Undertaker attacked Arn Anderson, Flair’s best friend, and David Flair, Flair’s son. Flair finally accepted and the two met in a No Holds Barred Match at Wrestlemania 18, that saw Undertaker become 10 and 0 at Wrestlemania.

The ownership storyline would continue throughout early 2002 that saw Flair own Raw and McMahon own Smackdown, which Flair feuded with Austin, but Austin abruptly left the WWE due to contractual issues, and Flair would face McMahon with the winner gaining sole ownership of the WWE, which McMahon won due to interference from Brock Lesnar. Flair would have other matches, including with Eddie Guerrero and Chris Jericho. At Unforgiven 2002, Flair lost to Jericho for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, but later in the night, Flair came to the ring and helped Triple H retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship over Rob Van Dam by assaulting RVD with a sledgehammer.

In the upcoming months into years, Flair would manage a group called Evolution, with the leader being Triple H, and his two members being young, up and coming superstars, Randy Orton and Batista. Flair would win the WWE World Tag Team Titles with Batista twice, once in late 2003 and once in early 2004. Triple H would rest throughout the summer of 2005 due to his loss to Batista at Vengeance 2005, after Evolution basically folded, Flair would become face again and feud with Kurt Angle and then with Carlito by beating him to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Triple H would return and feud with his now former best friend and partner, Ric Flair, with the two facing off for Flair’s WWE Intercontinental Championship in a Steel Cage Match at Taboo Tuesday 2005, which saw Flair victorious. The two would meet again at Survivor Series in a Last Man Standing Match, but the title was not on the line, and it saw Triple H victorious after he hit Flair in his surgically repaired back with a sledgehammer.

Flair would begin a feud with Edge and would beat Edge via disqualification to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship at New Year’s Revolution 2006, which Edge attacked Flair with his Money in the Bank briefcase. Flair would later lose the WWE Intercontinental Championship, but the feud with Edge would culminate for the WWE Championship in a TLC Match in early 2006 after Edge won the WWE Championship later on at New Year’s Revolution when cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase. Edge would beat Flair to retain the WWE Championship. Flair would then begin a feud with his real life rival, Mick Foley, and the two would end their feud at Summerslam 2006 in an I Quit Match which Foley quit when Flair threatened to assault Melina. Flair would then begin a feud with The Spirit Squad and a match happening at Cyber Sunday for the WWE World Tag Team Titles. The fans selected Rowdy Roddy Piper as Flair’s partner, and the two would win the WWE World Tag Team Titles, but lose them to Edge and Randy Orton on Raw a few weeks later. Piper would be injured with a disc problem in Piper’s back, which led to them losing the belts. At Survivor Series 2006, Flair would team up with legends, Ron Simmons, Dusty Rhodes, and Sgt. Slaughter, with their manager being Arn Anderson, to take on four members of The Spirit Squad, with the legends winning the march with Flair as the sole survivor. Flair would leave television to go to court for his divorce hearings, which saw Flair return on December 11, 2006, teaming with Triple H and Shawn Michaels to take on Edge, Randy Orton, and Kenny Dykstra, which saw Flair’s team win. Flair would lose a match at New Year’s Revolution 2007 to Kenny Dykstra.

Flair began teaming with Carlito, with their manager being Torrie Wilson. The two would lose to Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch in a #1 Contenders Tag Team Match for a shot at the WWE World Tag Team Titles. Before Wrestlemania 23 went live on Pay Per View, Flair and Carlito beat Chavo Guerrero and Gregory Helms in an Interpromotional Tag Team Lumberjack Match in the Dark Match. After weeks of conflict, Carlito attacked Flair and the two broke up. The two former partners would face off at Judgment Day 2007 that saw Flair made Carlito submit to the Figure 4 Leg Lock.

Flair would then feud with MVP and would lose a match against MVP for the WWE United States Championship at Night of Champions 2007. Flair would then join forces with Batista to face The Great Khali, but Flair was “injured” and taken off of television for the time being.

After three months of a hiatus, Flair returned in November of 2007 announcing he’d never retire from professional wrestling. Mr. McMahon announced that may be true, but if Flair loses one more match, he’d retire for good. Flair would go on to beat Randy Orton, Triple H, Umaga, William Regal, and Mr. McMahon himself on various episodes of Raw. Flair would also beat MVP in a Career Threatening Match at Royal Rumble 2008 and defeat Mr. Kennedy at No Way Out 2008.

Flair would be given the honor of immortality when he was inducted as the head of the class into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2008 by being inducted by Triple H. Flair would have a Career Threatening Match against Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 24, which Flair lost and was forced to retire. The next night on Raw, Flair would have his farewell speech, which turned out to be much more with Arn Anderson, Dean Malenko, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Chris Jericho, the 4 Horsemen, Mr. McMahon, and the rest of the WWE locker room and the fans giving a standing ovation for the legendary career of “The Nature Boy”.

Flair wouldn’t remain retired, however, as we went to Total Nonstop Action (TNA) where he currently works. He managed superstars, such as AJ Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode, James Storm, Douglas Williams, Desmond Wolfe, Rob Terry, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Matt Morgan, and Abyss. Flair currently is in TNA working as a manager for Immortal, alongside with Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff.

Flair’s career is legendary and he is most certainly a Wrestling God. He has done a lot in his career and is currently making history in TNA as we speak. All hail “The Nature Boy”. We’re not worthy. Woo!

Next time on Hall of Fame 101...

“Million $ Man” Ted DiBiase