“Woo!” After Charlotte made her RAW debut this week, who better to showcase on this week’s Flashback Friday other than her father: Ric Flair.

The wrestling career of Ric Flair is one of the greatest in WWE history and his resume is filled with multiple achievements that may never be touched. With so much glory inside of the wrestling ring, the real-life story of Richard Fliehr is far from spectacular. It’s a nightmare, filled with drugs, alcohol and bankruptcy.

If you’re looking for a long and intense summary on the personal struggles of Richard Fliehr, Grantland’s Shane Ryan wrote a terrific piece on him back in 2011. This column is meant to celebrate his wrestling achievements instead of the personal struggles, so the story of ‘The Nature Boy’ Ric Flair will be discussed in more detail, rather than the misfortune of Richard Fliehr. However, before Flair’s detailed wrestling resume is discussed, there are a few personal stories about Fliehr that are just too good to not be mentioned.

In 1998, DeAnn Siden began stalking Fliehr and threatened to kill him and her own daughter if he didn’t meet her. In 2002, while on a chartered flight back to America from Europe, Fliehr allegedly flashed his nakedness, according to two flight attendants in a 2004 lawsuit. In 2005, Fliehr left his second wife Elizabeth due to ‘safety, health and wellbeing,’ but it was his wife who seemed more concerned. In a divorce settlement, Elizabeth accused Fliehr of “cruel and barbarous treatment” that was highlighted by: excessive use of alcohol and prescription drugs, adultery, starting a fistfight with his son Reid at a wedding reception, abandoning the family and kicking her. Last but not least, following his third divorce in 2009, Fliehr was in debt roughly $1.7 million.

Those are just a few demons that Fliehr has faced in his personal life. Although they’re embarrassing to read, they’re important to know because this is a similar narrative for many wrestler’s outside of the ring. Life on the road can tear a person’s life apart and it’s very easy to lose sight of the important things when drugs and alcohol become a daily routine.

Besides all of the inner struggles that Richard Fliehr deals with everyday, his alter-ego Ric Flair is someone who has made millions of people happy and his catchprase “Woo!” has been replicated across the globe.

After leaving the American Wrestling Association in 1974—just two years after joining—Flair went to the National Wrestling Association (NWA). This is where his wrestling stardom would take off. Tragedy almost struck Flair, as his career was beginning when he was involved in a plane crash on October 4, 1975. Flair broke his back in three places during the crash, and although doctors said he would never wrestle again, he proved them wrong.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHG8lIlP64I[/youtube]

In 1977, Flair was able to win the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship and the legend of ‘The Nature Boy’ would rise from here. Flair’s feud with Dusty Rhodes, starting in 1981 is where he established himself as one of the best in NWA. Flair defeated Rhodes for his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship and would hold it eight more times during his time in the promotion. Flair’s feud with Rhodes produced awesome moments, including one of the greatest promo’s of all-time by the late Dusty Rhodes.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9py4aMK3aIU[/youtube]

Highlighting Flair’s career from 1985-1987 was his time with The Four Horseman. Forming a group with Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson and Trully Blanchard, they were one of the most electric and best groups that the WWE had ever seen. Also, when it come to promo’s, they also never disappointed.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJIjm063yyk[/youtube]

After becoming the best wrestler within NWA, Flair became the poster boy for Jim Crockett’s promotion from 1986 to 1991. In 1991, Flair was considered the first WCW World Heavyweight Champion after the NWA World Heavyweight Championship transformed into the WCW brand. After some discrepancies with Crockett, Flair was fired and would go to WWF.

Flair’s WWF career started tremendously, as he would win his first WWF Championship in an epic fashion during the 1992 Royal Rumble. Entering as the No. 3 participant, Flair lasted 60 minutes to win the Rumble and capture the vacant WWF title.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXMgdbjvE1E[/youtube]

For the next few years, Flair returned to WCW and spent most of his time as a part-time wrestler. With much anticipation that he would retire, Flair would go back-and-forth with Randy Savage for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, defeating each other on multiple occasions. By 1998, Flair began a huge feud with Eric Bischoff and ended up becoming the WCW President after defeating Bischoff in a match to earn it. The end of WCW was nearing and once the enviable happened, Flair went back to the WWE.

With roughly 30 years of experience in professional wrestling, Flair’s most vicious matches were still ahead of him. Flair teamed up with Batista, Randy Orton and Triple H to form Evolution, which was similar to a new-aged Four Horseman. The four wrestlers were dominant holding tag-team and world championship titles as a team. However, a Triple H feud with Orton and then Batista would end the group, and next was Flair.

Triple H’s attack with a sledgehammer on Flair was vicious and it created one of the most iconic promos of Flair’s career. Flair was never shy about bleeding during his time in professional wrestling and this was on full display during his feud with Triple H.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6hxJLsUjiQ[/youtube]

After having an incredible match with Triple H at Survivor Series 2005, Flair’s next bloody mess would come in 2006 against Mick Foley in an “I Quit” match. This match was an all-time great between two legends and the fact that he was able to go through so much pain at his age was something that seems unfathomable. However, he had an awesome performance and proved why he’s one of the best wrestlers of all-time.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eStv6uU8kD8[/youtube]

By 2008, Flair was a part-time wrestler in WWE and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame that very same year. One day after his induction, he was involved in his last classic match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV. Due to the “Career Threatening Match” stipulation, Flair was forced to retire after Michaels ended him with Sweet Chin Music. Saying “I’m sorry, I love you,” before kicking him was another iconic moment between two greats and Flair has no shortage of legendary moments within the business.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC3t-H8LU7k[/youtube]

Flair would continue his wrestling career with TNA, but that WrestleMania moment is where many would like to think that Flair’s in-ring wrestling career ended. It’s a perfect way to end the career of a legend. Although he didn’t win the match, he went out with a fight against ‘Mr. WrestleMania,’ Shawn Michaels.

Flair’s career and life story feels like something out of a movie. Despite the personal issues, Flair’s one of the best wrestlers to ever live and his iconic moments will live forever.

If you’ve missed an edition of Flashback Friday, click here. Share your favourite Ric Flair moments below.

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