What is there that can be said about 'Nature boy' Ric Flair? Some would say he's a jealous, insucure bragot who's full of him self, others would say he's an old has-been who doesn't know when to walk away, me? I, and many others would say that Flair was one of, if not the, greatest wrestler (and entertainer!) in history, with a career spanning decades and the record for most world title wins (16, although it's disputed the actual amount), he has the respect of numerous pundits and wrestlers (I'll use that word until I die), so why is this?
Although only old timers and hardcore fans could see Flair in his rookie years of the 70s, it's gonna be dificult for me to profile his whole career, so I'm gonna study Flair in his prime, that being the early 80s to mid-90s. Some people say that wrestling isn't just about wrestling (oxymoron), that a true star needs charisma, great verbiage and presence, Flair had all those in spades. Whether it was during an interview, with his 'custom made suits' or during an entrance, with the sequin robes, he looked like a star, someone who was top of the world and looked like a champion. His large blonde hair was a look that got peoples attention, something that superstars need up their sleeves to become huge. His mic work was truely out of this world, personally I see Flair as the greatest talker of all time and it's hard to argue, everything he said, he said with poigancy and exuberence, his monologues had the audience in the WTBS studios screaming, on their feet and in the palm of his hand. His mic work was something that needs to be studied, someone who puts himself over, but with a degree of arogence to remain heel, who puts the company and the profession over, who makes the championship seem as valuable as it can be and makes his opponents look good, but good enough for the arogent heel.
Now to the crux of the matter, his in ring work, in 1975 Flair was in a plane crash that caused severe damage to his back, this would deterierate most wrestlers ring work, but all Flair did was do a more slow, methodical offence and be careful where he lands on his back. Flairs ring work has been in question for quite some time, some would argue that he was repetitive in his offence and selling, maybe, but was that all bad? Every wrestler has a set of signature moves they use every match, Flairs spits were always entertaining and good to watch (Flair flop divides some people) and this repeticism was more of an advantage than a flaw. When working with all sorts, from the Stings and Ricky Steamboats to the Lex Lugers and Hulk Hogans, the spots could work with any wrestler, Flair didn't use alot of power moves due to his back, so a match against a 300 pounder would have similer flow to that against a 250 pounder, this style was impregnable that he could have good matches against guys green as grass and stellar matches against those in his league, thus making him a good candidate for greatest wrestler ever. Classic matches against Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, Barry Windham, Sting, Lex Luger (see!) and Ricky Steamboat, made him probably the best wrestler of that decade and gaining numerous wrestler of the year awards.
But then the future came, age caught up with the nature boy, but again, the methodical style made his matches a decent effort, and with the right opponents (e.g Shawn Michaels) he could has pretty good matches for a man in his 50s, although he's faffing about in TNA (soon to be Impact) this doesn't negate what Flair was in his prime, and even now he could have a better match than those in their mid 20s. Flair has said that he would probably die in a wrestling ring, which would be the sign of the ultimate wrestler.
From a young, rich delinquent to a catty old man, somewhere inbetween he achieved creatness and set a standard that only the great could come close to, a man whose matches and promos I could watch all day, in the words of Flair himself "To be the man, you gotta beat the man" and if anyone could beat Flair in ring work, mic skills, presence and charisma, then they'd be the man in my book, I don't mean to be cliche but WOOOOOOO!
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