Ric Flair’s Retirement From the Ring

Ric Flair has officially retired from the ring. He ends on a 35-year career, going into the WWE Hall of Fame this year and going out in a match with Shawn Michaels. Honestly, you couldn’t find a better opponent to go out on and match as well. The celebration he received on Monday Night Raw was classy and fitting for a man who deserves recognition. You do not have to like Ric Flair at all, but you have to give him credit where credit is due. He is currently and probably will remain the only wrestler in history to have ever been the NWA, WCW, and WWE World Champion in wrestling history. There is no one that can ever claim such a feat and probably will never happen either.

The first time I saw Ric Flair wrestle would be in the early 90s in WCW just before he came to WWE. He was a top wrestler and could be either a face or a heel depending on the situation. The biggest dream match at the time was him against Hulk Hogan since both men were the top stars of their respective companies. Ric Flair was at one point the face of the NWA while Hulk Hogan was the face of the WWE. When he came to the WWE back in 1991, it was huge. He was the top champion of the organization and took the belt with him calling himself “The Real World’s” Champion. Lawsuits were coming if it wasn’t seen on TV but because of NWA tradition at the time, you put in a $25,000 deposit and once you lose the championship, you get it back plus interest. So it came to giving Flair the money and then the championship would be given to them and it happened.

His biggest moment would be in the Royal Rumble 1992. He drew number three and lasted over an hour to win the WWE Title thus making him to this date the only man to have ever been NWA, WCW, and WWE World Champion. That’s a huge accomplishment but the dream match with Hogan and Flair never happened on TV in WWE at the time.