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Profile: Ric Flair
One of the biggest names in the history of American wrestling, 16-time world champion and WWE 'Triple Crown' winner Ric Flair is the oldest active performer in the company today, and is cited as an inspiration in the careers of many other current stars including Shawn Michaels and Triple H.
The Nature Boy won his first NWA World Heavyweight Title on September 17, 1981, defeating Dusty Rhodes, and held the gold until 1983 when he lost to Harley Race. Both men would prove tough opponents for Flair over the years, along with Terry Funk and other big names in the NWA at the time, as he notched up multiple reigns with the title. As champion, Flair travelled between the various territories in the United States and around the world, defending his belt against local contenders and earning his reputation as a "kiss stealing, wheeling-dealing, jet flying, limousine riding son of a gun."
Along the way, Flair compiled an elite faction known as The Four Horsemen, originally comprised of himself, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard, with JJ Dillon as manager. The group would see many incarnations however, with only Ric and Arn as constants. The primary goal of The Horsemen was to protect Flair and his championship, though on most occasions the other members were top-level competitors themselves and would often add other titles to the stable. At one point in 1988, Flair was NWA World Champion, Arn and Tully were NWA World Tag Team Champions, and new member Barry Windham was NWA United States Champion.
For most of the 1990s, The Nature Boy was synonymous with World Championship Wrestling, with WCW World Titles adding to his NWA accolades. In 1991 however, a dispute over reclaiming his deposit for the NWA title belt (which all champions had to pay at the time) led to Flair joining the World Wrestling Federation, claiming to be the REAL World's Champion by wearing the belt of which he was still in possession. He backed up his claim by becoming a two-time WWF Champion, first by winning the 1992 Royal Rumble and secondly by defeating Randy Savage in September that year. In early 2003, after losing to former associate Mr Perfect on an early episode of Monday Night Raw.
Despite being a dream match that fans had wanted to see for years, the Federation never booked Ric Flair vs Hulk Hogan on television or pay-per-view during his year and a half with the company. WCW capitalized on the demand when Hogan signed in June 1994, with Flair losing the WCW World Title to The Hulkster the following month. They would go on to have several matches against each other during their WCW tenure.
On the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro after the company was purchased by the WWF in March 2001, Flair challenged and lost to Sting, a former Horsemen member and regular rival throughout Sting's NWA and WCW career. On the same night, The Nature Boy made an empassioned speech against Vince McMahon and in support of WCW, the future of which looked uncertain.
In November that year, Flair returned to the Federation as a babyface, surprising the evil Mr McMahon as the new on-screen co-owner of the WWF. Their rivalry led to the brand extension, with McMahon having sole control of SmackDown and Flair reigning over Raw. Vince would however regain full ownership of both brands, leaving Ric to return to the ring as an active wrestler.
Since then, The Nature Boy has battled the likes of The Undertaker and Mick Foley, joined Triple H in the Evolution stable, won the Intercontinental and World Tag Team Titles, and released an autobiography. After several false retirements, there appears to be no stopping the legend. Is a seventeenth world title reign out of reach? In the words of the man himself, "diamonds are forever, and so is Ric Flair!"
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