Flair: Woooooo

NAME - Ric Flair

WWE CAREER - 1991-2008

TITLES -
WWE World Championship (2 times)
WWE Tag Team Championship (2 times, Roddy Piper and Batista)
WWE Intercontinental Championship (2005)

SPECIAL MOVE - Four-Figure Leglock

QUOTE - "Woooooo"

LEGEND RATING - 8/10

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It started in August 1991 and ended in March 2008, the remarkable story of how the Nature Boy, Ric Flair clawed his way back from the brink of death to make his way into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Flair's WWE career began in 1991, but it so nearly didn't. On October 4, 1975, a 26-year-old Flair was among five passengers onboard an improperly fuelled plane which crashed down in Wilmington, North Carolina.

After breaking his back in three places doctors told him he would never wrestle again. Forever defying the doubters, Flair was back up and wrestling soon after as he began the first of many notable feud's with Wahoo McDaniel in the NWA.

After putting pen to paper at the WWE, Flair wasted no time in introducing himself as the 'Real World Heavyweight Champion' regular throwing down challenges to rival legends Roddy Piper and Hulk Hogan.

At the 1991 edition of Survivor Series 'Team Flair' which included The Mountie, Ted Di Biase and The Warlord, joined Flair as they defeated Piper, Bret Hart, Virgil and Davey Boy Smith in a four-on-four elimination match.

The same night in Detroit also saw Flair stroll down to ringside during The Undertaker's WWE title fight against Hulk Hogan.

Randy's revenge

Flair placed a steel chair in the ring while the ref's back was turned as The Deadman delivered a deadly tombstone onto the weapon to claim the belt.

With Flair establishing himself as a true heavyweight in the WWE, he then battled it out, and won the 1992 Royal Rumble to claim the vacant world title.

However, the Nature Boy's title joy was short-lived as at WrestleMania VIII Randy Savage got his revenge on Flair after the latter claimed he was having a relationship with Elizabeth Savage - Randy's wife.

Never without a plan, Flair interrupted another title fight, this time between Savage and The Ultimate Warrior at Summerslam. After leaving Savage's knee in tatters, Flair regained the title when the pair met later in the year.

Once again Flair failed to retain the gold for any prolonged spell, as, just six weeks later he lost the belt to Bret Hart at a non-televised event in Saskatoon to hand "The Hitman" his first of five WWE Championships.

Mr.Perfect then brought an end to the Nature Boy's first stint in the WWE when he defeated Flair in a 'Loser Leaves the WWE' match on Monday Night RAW.

Just over eight years of WCW action followed for Flair before he burst back onto the WWE scene by joining Vince McMahon to become the co-owner of the company.

Motionless

The pair quickly began feuding and settled their differences in a Street Fight at the 2002 Royal Rumble. After defeating Vince in his first match back in the WWE, Flair then pitted his wits against old foe The Undertaker at WrestleMania XVIII.

A bloody and brutal battle ended with The Phenom finding the energy from somewhere to deliver a match-winning tombstone as Flair lay motionless in the ring.

After McMahon, with the help of Brock Lesner, had defeated the Nature Boy to gain sole ownership of the WWE - Flair was determined to give his career another run.

Despite being well past the ripe old age of 50, Flair became a part of Triple H's 'Evolution' stable in 2003, which also included Batista, Randy Orton and The Game himself.

The move proved a shrewd one as Flair and Batista linked up to win the RAW Tag Team title on two occasions. However, Edge and Chris Benoit ended the duo's run with a title win on RAW.

The Nature Boy then turned his attention to going solo as he took on Carlito for the Intercontinental title at Unforgiven in 2005. Another remarkably athletic display, considering his age, saw him defeat the Puerto Rican to become the thirteenth Triple Crown champion.

A brave defence of his title against Triple H followed, however the up and coming Shelton Benjamin proved too strong for Flair on RAW as he lost his belt.

Farewell

Another break from the WWE followed for Flair in 2006 before he again returned, this time walking straight into, and winning, an 'I Quit' match-up with Mick Foley at Summerslam.

The next chapter in Flair's glittering career came at Cyber Sunday when he partnered another old rival, Roddy Piper, to defeat Spirit Squad for his second Tag Team title.

However, their title reign lasted a mere eight days before they came up against Rated-RKO (Edge and Randy Orton) on RAW.

Further rather insignificant stages of Flair's career followed as he adopted a love-hate relationship with Carlito before being drafted to SmackDown in 2007.

This reacquainted Flair with Vince McMahon and the latter was determined to bring an end to the Nature Boy's career as he scheduled numerous Career-Threatening match-ups.

After clinging on to his WWE status with wins over Triple H, Umaga, MVP, Mr.Kennedy and the chairman himself, Flair's swansong fittingly came at WrestleMania XXIV.

Flair tussled with HBK Shawn Michaels in a match that had absolutely everything. However, a dose of Sweet Chin Music signalled the end of Flair's action-packed, and admittedly on and off, 17-year WWE career.

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