Ric Flair

Real name: Richard Morgan Fliehr
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 243 lbs.
Date of birth: February 25, 1949
From: Edina, MN
Resides: Charlotte, NC
Pro debut: December 10, 1972
Trained by: Verne Gagne
Finishing move: Figure Four Leg Lock

Biography

– In 1967, Flair was a high school state heavyweight champion in Wisconsin.
– Flair battled George “Scrap Iron” Gadaski to a 10-minute draw in his 1972 pro debut for the AWA.
– “The Nature Boy” moved on to the NWA, where he beat Paul Jones to win his first title, the NWA Mid Atlantic Television title, which later became the NWA World Television title.
– On July 4, 1974, Flair and Rip Hawk defeated Paul Jones and Bob Bruggers in Greensboro, NC for the Mid Atlantic Tag Team title.
– On October 4, 1975, Flair was involved in a plane crash in Wilmington, NC, which resulted in “The Nature Boy” breaking his back in three different places. The doctors told him he would never wrestle again.
– Along with partner Greg Valentine, Flair captured the NWA World Tag Team title by defeating Gene and Ole Anderson on Christmas day 1976.
– Flair defeated Bobo Brazil for the NWA United States title in September 1977.
– On March 26, 1978, Flair and John Studd defeated Paul Jones and Ricky Steamboat in Greenville, SC for the Mid Atlantic Tag Team title.
– “The Nature Boy” pinned Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka on April 19, 1980 to recapture the U.S. title
– On September 17, 1981, Flair won his first world championship by defeating Dusty Rhodes in Kansas City, MO for the NWA title.
– On October 9, 1981, Flair defeated Jumbo Tsuruta in Tokyo, Japan in a best of three falls match to retain the NWA title.
– Flair defeated Bob Brown, George Welles, Bruce Reed, and David Von Erich on July 15, 1983 in St. Louis to win a one night tournament for the Missouri title.
– Flair calls his greatest moment in his wrestling career, Starrcade ’83 on November 24, 1983, where he defeated 7-time world champion Harley Race in a cage match in Greensboro, NC for his second NWA World Title.
– The late Kerry Von Erich defeated Flair for the NWA title in Irving, TX on May 6, 1984. Flair regained the title a few weeks later while on tour in Japan.
– On May 29, 1984, Flair defeated Ricky Steamboat in E. Rutherford, NJ to retain the NWA title.
– Flair downed Harley Race on February 24, 1985 at the NWA/AWA Star Wars in the Meadowlands.
– On June 1, 1985, Flair defeated Terry Taylor in New Orleans, LA to retain the NWA title.
– Flair successfully defended the NWA title against Butch Reed on August 10, 1985.
– At AWA’s Superclash I on September 28, 1985 in Chicago, IL, Flair successfully defended the NWA title against Magnum T.A.
– Flair formed the original Four Horsemen in 1986 with Ole and Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, managed by James J. Dillon.
– On August 9, 1986, Flair captured the NWA title from Dusty Rhodes in St. Louis, MO.
– Flair pinned Hiroshi Wajima in Tokyo on March 12, 1987.
– At Starrcade ’87, Flair successfully defended the NWA title against Ronnie Garvin in a steel cage match.
– World champion Flair beat Lex Luger by official decision of the Maryland State Athletic Commission when the match was stopped due to a cut on Luger at the 1988 Great American Bash.
– Flair again defeated Luger at the 1988 Starrcade in Norfork, VA.
– At Wrestle War ’89 in Nashville, TN, Flair cradled Steamboat to regain the NWA title.
– At the 1989 Great American Bash, Flair successfully defended the NWA title against Terry Funk.
– Sting and Flair defeated Funk and the Great Muta at Halloween Havoc ’89.
– At Starrcade ’90, the Black Scorpion was revealed to be Flair.
– Flair defeated Sting on January 11, 1991 for the NWA title in East Rutherford, NJ.
– At Wrestle War ’91, Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham, and Larry Zbyskzo defeated Sting, Brian Pillman, and the Steiner brothers in a “War Games” double cage match.
– On May 19, 1991, Flair successfully defended the NWA title against Tatsumi Fujinami at the first Superbrawl.
– Flair entered the WWF after being fired by then WCW boss Jim Herd on July 2, 1991 for refusing to do the job for Lex Luger at the Great American Bash. Bobby “The Brain” Hennan served as Flair’s manager in the WWF.
– Flair defeated Jim Powers in his WWF debut on September 10, 1991 in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada.
– At the 1992 “Royal Rumble,” Flair won the battle royal to capture the vacant WWF title.
– After dropping the title to Randy Savage, “The Nature Boy” regained it on September 1, 1992 in Hershey, PA.
– On February 10, 1993, Flair wrestled his last match for the WWF. He faced Bret Hart in Dortmund, Germany. Flair returned to WCW at Superbrawl III.
– Flair eventually recreated the Four Horsemen, this time with Paul Roma, Ole and Arn Anderson.
– At Beach Blast ’93, Flair beat Barry Windham for the NWA/WCW title in Biloxi, MS.
– At Battlebowl ’93, Flair and Steve Austin defeated 2 Cold Scorpio and Maxx Payne.
– Flair beat Big Van Vader at the 1993 Starrcade in Charlotte, NC to capture the WCW title.
– At Superbrawl IV, Flair successfully defended the WCW title against Big Van Vader in a “thundercage” match.
– Flair pinned Barry Windham at the 1994 Slamboree to retain the WCW title.
– On May 3, 1995, Flair defeated Hiro Hase via submission.
– At the 1995 Great American Bash, Flair defeated Randy Savage.
– At Starrcade ’95 in Nashville, TN, Flair downed Savage to regain the WCW title.
– Flair again captured the WCW title in a steel cage match at Superbrawl VI in St. Petersburg, FL from “The Macho Man,” when Elizabeth turned against Savage.
– At Slamboree ’96, Flair and Savage defeated Eddy Guerrero and Arn Anderson.
– Flair and Arn Anderson defeated Steve “Mongo” McMichael and Kevin Greene at the 1996 Great American Bash.
– At the 1996 Bash at the Beach, Flair beat Konnan for the United States title in Daytona Beach, FL.
– Flair successfully defended the U.S. title against Eddy Guerrero at the 1996 Hog Wild.
– At the 1997 Slamboree, Flair, Roddy Piper, and Kevin Greene beat Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Syxx.
– Flair defeated Syxx at the 1997 Road Wild PPV.
– In the spring of 1998, Flair was sued by WCW for bypassing a “Thunder” show in favor of watching his ten-year old son win a wrestling tournament in Pontiac, MI.
– On the September 14, 1998 edition of “Nitro,” Flair reformed the horsemen with Arn Anderson, Dean Malenko, Chris Benoit and Steve “Mongo” McMichael.
– At 1999 “Uncensored,” Flair won his sixth WCW title from “Hollywood” Hogan in a first blood steel cage match.
– On May 15, 2000 on “Nitro” in Biloxi, MS, Flair pinned Jeff Jarrett for the WCW title.
– One week after Vince Russo stripped Flair of the WCW title, Kevin Nash handed “The Nature Boy” the gold title belt since he had never lost it.
– Father met son at the Great American Bash 2000 in Baltimore, MD. Flair defeated David to avoid being retired by his 21 year-old-son.
– The following night, Flair lost a match to Russo and his hair in the process. Russo and David also shaved Reid Flair’s head.
– On July 7, 2000, Flair under went rotator cuff surgery with Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL.
– Flair introduced himself as the new CEO of WCW on the October 30, 2000 edition of “Nitro.”
– On November 19, 2001, Flair re-entered the WWF as the figurehead “half owner” of the company.
– At the 2002 Royal Rumble, Flair defeated Vince McMahon in a streetfight match.
– On March 25, 2002, Flair and McMahon conducted the WWF brand extension draft. Flair drafted wrestlers for the WWF Raw brand.
– On the May 6, 2002 edition of “Raw,” Flair turned heel and attacked Steve Austin.
– Within weeks, Flair once again turned babyface.
– At the 2002 King of the Ring PPV, Flair defeated Eddy Guerrero.
– At Summerslam ’02, Flair defeated Chris Jericho with his figure four leg lock.
– Flair was in Triple H’s corner at Wrestlemania XIX as Helmsley defeated Booker T to retain the World title.
– At Bad Blood ’03 in Houston, TX, Flair defeated Shawn Michaels.
– At Armageddon ’03, Flair and Dave Batista defeated the Dudley Boyz in a “tag team turmoil” match to capture the World Tag Team title in Orlando, FL. Earlier in the evening, Flair was in Randy Orton’s corner as he defeated Rob Van Dam for the Intercontinental title.
– Flair and Batista successfully defended the World Tag Team title against the Dudley Boyz in a “tables” match at the 2004 Royal Rumble.
– On February 7, 2004 in Saitama, Japan, Flair and Batista beat the Dudley Boyz to successfully defend the World Tag Team titles.
– At Wrestlemania XX in New York, NY, Evolution (Flair, Batista, and Randy Orton) defeated Mick Foley and The Rock.
– On the March 22, 2004 edition of “Raw,” Flair and Batista defeated Booker T and Rob Van Dam to regain the World Tag Team title in Detroit, MI.
– At Unforgiven ’05 in Oklahoma City, OK, Flair defeated Carlito to capture the Intercontinental title.
– Flair successfully defended the Intercontinental title at Taboo Tuesday ’05 against Triple H in a bloody steel cage match.
– On May 27, 2006 in the Grand Cayman Islands, Flair married fitness competitor and personal trainer Tiffany VanDermark, Flair’s third marriage.
– At Vengeance ’06, Flair defeated Mick Foley in two straight falls (second via disqualification).
– At Summerslam ’06, Flair defeated Foley in an “I Quit” match.
– Flair and Roddy Piper defeated the Spirit Squad at Cyber Sunday ’06 in Cincinnati, OH to capture the WWE Tag Team titles.
– At Survivor Series ’06, Team Flair (Flair, Simmons, Rhodes and Sgt. Slaughter) defeated the Spirit Squad.
– On March 22, 2007, Flair was inducted into the GERWECK.NET Hall of Fame.
– Flair defeated Carlito at Judgment Day ’07.
– On the June 11, 2007 edition of “Raw,” Flair was drafted to the Smackdown roster.
– Flair defeated MVP at the 2008 Royal Rumble.
– At No Way Out ’08, Flair defeated Mr. Kennedy.
– On March 29, 2008, Flair was inducted (by Triple H) into the WWE hall of fame in Orlando, FL.
– In August 2008, Flair and WWE parted ways.
– On December 6, 2008, David and Reid Flair (with Father Ric in their corner) defeated The Nasty Boys in Charlotte, NC. Hogan served as the special guest referee.
– On April 4, 2009 in Houston, TX, Flair inducted Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat into the WWE Hall of Fame.
– Flair debuted in TNA on January 4, 2010.
– In June 2012, Flair and TNA departed ways, months after Flair was inducted into the WWE hall of fame a second time as part of the Four Horsemen.
– Flair returned to WWE in December 2012, appearing as a presenter at the annual Slammy Awards
– In 2016, Flair began regularly accompanying his daughter Charlotte to the ring, but Charlotte would turn on him in May
– WWE celebrated Flair’s 70th birthday with a special episode of Raw on February 25, 2019. Flair was attacked by Batista at the event to set up the WrestleMania match between Batista & Triple H
– Flair helped Triple H to defeat Batista at WrestleMania 35
– In January 2021, Flair began a storyline relationship with Lacey Evans
– With Evans real-life pregnancy having cancelled the storyline in February, Flair was removed from television
– Flair was granted his WWE release on August 3, 2021
– Flair accompanied Andrade El Idolo to the ring for his TripleMania XXX match against Kenny Omega. Flair would get involved in the match by chopping Omega and applying the Figure 4 to Omega’s manager Konnan
– Flair made an appearance for the NWA in August
– In May 2022, Flair announced that he would be stepping into the ring for one final match in July of that year
– At the ‘Ric Flair’s Last Match’ event, Flair teamed with Andrade to defeat Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal
– Flair debuted for AEW in October 2023, as a ‘gift’ from Tony Khan to Sting
– Flair was ringside for the Sting, Darby Allin & Adam Copeland vs. Christian Cage, Nick Wayne & Luchasaurus match at Full Gear 2023