1 00:00:08,591 --> 00:00:10,931 - The most prestigious champion in the world, 2 00:00:10,969 --> 00:00:13,889 Nature Boy Ric Flair! 3 00:00:13,930 --> 00:00:15,060 [tense music] 4 00:00:15,098 --> 00:00:17,728 - They all want to be--whoo! 5 00:00:17,767 --> 00:00:19,807 Like the Nature Boy, 6 00:00:19,853 --> 00:00:21,903 but there can only be one. 7 00:00:21,938 --> 00:00:23,188 [upbeat music] 8 00:00:23,231 --> 00:00:24,731 - Ric Flair, 9 00:00:24,774 --> 00:00:27,744 the self-professed dirtiest player in the game. 10 00:00:27,777 --> 00:00:28,737 A villainous playboy... 11 00:00:28,778 --> 00:00:29,858 - Whoo! 12 00:00:29,904 --> 00:00:31,534 - Who openly displayed attributes 13 00:00:31,573 --> 00:00:34,953 that the modern society viewed as evil. 14 00:00:34,993 --> 00:00:36,833 - He was cocky. He was arrogant. 15 00:00:36,870 --> 00:00:39,120 - I'm not like every other Tom, Dick, and Harry 16 00:00:39,164 --> 00:00:40,754 that walks on your program. 17 00:00:40,790 --> 00:00:43,420 - And he was great at making me hate his guts. 18 00:00:43,460 --> 00:00:45,050 - When I'm in that ring, 19 00:00:45,086 --> 00:00:48,126 I don't care about anybody but me. 20 00:00:48,173 --> 00:00:50,433 - He'd use every dirty trick in the book. 21 00:00:50,467 --> 00:00:52,387 He's the dirtiest player in the game. 22 00:00:52,427 --> 00:00:54,637 - I'm the dirtiest player in the game. 23 00:00:54,679 --> 00:00:56,769 - Oh, my God! Right across his knee! 24 00:00:56,806 --> 00:00:58,886 - He could be incredibly vicious. 25 00:00:58,933 --> 00:01:02,273 - There's your pretty boy. Now he's ugly! 26 00:01:02,312 --> 00:01:04,112 - Ric is a Scarface-like figure. 27 00:01:04,147 --> 00:01:05,607 - Gold around my neck. 28 00:01:05,648 --> 00:01:09,318 Rolex watch around my wrist looking so fine. 29 00:01:09,361 --> 00:01:11,861 - He had everything that you wanted, 30 00:01:11,905 --> 00:01:12,985 and he reminded you. 31 00:01:13,031 --> 00:01:15,831 - I spent more money on spilled booze 32 00:01:15,867 --> 00:01:18,327 than you made in the last six months. 33 00:01:18,370 --> 00:01:20,960 - His brand wasn't always family-friendly. 34 00:01:20,997 --> 00:01:24,207 - I have four or five women every day of my life. 35 00:01:24,250 --> 00:01:26,590 - Ric Flair--whoo! 36 00:01:26,628 --> 00:01:29,298 was selling sex, drugs, and rock and roll. 37 00:01:29,339 --> 00:01:31,969 - Beautiful women, bright lights, 38 00:01:32,008 --> 00:01:36,928 the big city, limousine rides, jet flying son of a gun. 39 00:01:36,971 --> 00:01:40,431 - Nature was really living all of that. 40 00:01:40,475 --> 00:01:43,185 There was no pretend in any of it. 41 00:01:43,228 --> 00:01:49,318 - You got to be bored to death. The same woman every night? 42 00:01:49,359 --> 00:01:54,239 - Paying alimony to three women at one time was a lot of dough. 43 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:55,410 As a matter of fact, that's got to be 44 00:01:55,448 --> 00:01:57,158 some kind of record, right? 45 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,540 I'm not changing my lifestyle. 46 00:01:59,577 --> 00:02:01,497 - It was weird because you kind of hated him, 47 00:02:01,538 --> 00:02:03,418 but you loved hating him. 48 00:02:03,456 --> 00:02:05,956 - He appeals to what human beings want. 49 00:02:06,001 --> 00:02:08,291 We wanna be the Man. 50 00:02:08,336 --> 00:02:10,916 - Post Malone, my man. Whoo! 51 00:02:10,964 --> 00:02:12,554 all: Whoo! 52 00:02:12,590 --> 00:02:14,300 - To this day, if you say Ric Flair, 53 00:02:14,342 --> 00:02:15,342 the whole audience will go, "Whoo!" 54 00:02:15,385 --> 00:02:16,585 crowd: Whoo! 55 00:02:16,636 --> 00:02:18,636 - Diamond Ric Flair. all: Whoo! 56 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,220 - Everything was just so over the top with him. 57 00:02:21,266 --> 00:02:23,226 He loved the glamorous life, and who doesn't? 58 00:02:23,268 --> 00:02:25,228 - Whether you like it--whoo! 59 00:02:25,270 --> 00:02:28,570 Or don't like it, learn to love it! 60 00:02:28,606 --> 00:02:32,356 To be the man, daddy, you got beat the Man. 61 00:02:32,402 --> 00:02:34,572 [chuckles] 62 00:02:35,488 --> 00:02:38,408 [dramatic music] 63 00:02:38,450 --> 00:02:45,580 * * 64 00:02:58,094 --> 00:03:00,184 - When you're Ric Flair, 65 00:03:00,221 --> 00:03:02,431 when you're the world champion--whoo! 66 00:03:02,474 --> 00:03:04,644 When you're all there is! 67 00:03:04,684 --> 00:03:06,394 I mean, let's show them one time. 68 00:03:06,436 --> 00:03:08,016 Put that camera on this. Can you get something 69 00:03:08,063 --> 00:03:10,823 to show them what's happening right here? 70 00:03:11,524 --> 00:03:13,904 - Why are we so captivated by villains? 71 00:03:13,943 --> 00:03:17,073 - Villains are the people that drive stories. 72 00:03:17,113 --> 00:03:19,203 - You need people like me. 73 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,040 - Essentially, if you think about any great movie or story 74 00:03:22,077 --> 00:03:25,827 that's ever been told, there can't be a great hero... 75 00:03:25,872 --> 00:03:28,672 - Is he talking to me? - Without a great villain. 76 00:03:28,708 --> 00:03:30,958 - Target zero, right... 77 00:03:31,002 --> 00:03:32,302 here. 78 00:03:32,337 --> 00:03:33,797 - The best villains are the ones 79 00:03:33,838 --> 00:03:35,468 who know what they have to offer 80 00:03:35,507 --> 00:03:37,587 and they're not afraid to talk about it. 81 00:03:37,634 --> 00:03:40,434 - I want you to deal with your problems by becoming rich! 82 00:03:40,470 --> 00:03:41,810 all: Yeah! 83 00:03:41,846 --> 00:03:44,426 - In an era defined by excess, 84 00:03:44,474 --> 00:03:46,354 Flair stole the spotlight. 85 00:03:46,393 --> 00:03:48,523 - The Man. 86 00:03:48,561 --> 00:03:50,191 - You gotta understand I'm a hip-hop child, right? 87 00:03:50,230 --> 00:03:51,940 So seeing somebody like that 88 00:03:51,981 --> 00:03:53,571 wear jewelry, and had all the women, 89 00:03:53,608 --> 00:03:54,728 and had all the cars, 90 00:03:54,776 --> 00:03:57,566 it's like that's right up my alley. 91 00:03:57,612 --> 00:03:59,202 - He's not a demon. 92 00:03:59,239 --> 00:04:02,119 He's not a monster. He's a very real man. 93 00:04:02,158 --> 00:04:03,788 - Whoo! 94 00:04:03,827 --> 00:04:06,077 - A man who is better than you. 95 00:04:07,747 --> 00:04:10,787 - Every great villain has an origin story. 96 00:04:10,834 --> 00:04:13,254 - Wanna know how I got these scars? 97 00:04:13,294 --> 00:04:15,514 - And Ric Flair is no different. 98 00:04:15,547 --> 00:04:20,177 - They all wanna be--whoo! Like the Nature Boy. 99 00:04:20,218 --> 00:04:22,598 But there can only be one. 100 00:04:22,637 --> 00:04:26,057 - So just how did he become the Nature Boy? 101 00:04:26,099 --> 00:04:28,519 - I think I was born the Nature Boy, 102 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,020 much to the dismay of my parents. 103 00:04:31,062 --> 00:04:33,112 I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 104 00:04:33,148 --> 00:04:34,818 And I can remember as a kid, 105 00:04:34,858 --> 00:04:37,188 I liked watching wrestling on Saturday night. 106 00:04:37,235 --> 00:04:39,525 My birthday present every year 107 00:04:39,571 --> 00:04:41,741 was to take me to wrestling matches. 108 00:04:41,781 --> 00:04:44,031 I'm adopted, and couldn't have been adopted 109 00:04:44,075 --> 00:04:46,285 by two finer people. 110 00:04:46,327 --> 00:04:48,997 Parents were both so smart. 111 00:04:49,039 --> 00:04:51,999 My dad a double doctorate, my mom a master's. 112 00:04:52,042 --> 00:04:55,002 But I didn't inherit any of their genes. 113 00:04:55,045 --> 00:04:59,165 To say that I was difficult would be an understatement. 114 00:04:59,215 --> 00:05:02,675 I can remember, one night, when I was in seventh grade, 115 00:05:02,719 --> 00:05:04,469 I tied the sheets together, 116 00:05:04,512 --> 00:05:06,432 just like you see in the movies, 117 00:05:06,473 --> 00:05:09,023 got into my friend's Pontiac, who had borrowed it 118 00:05:09,059 --> 00:05:11,229 from his dad, who didn't have a driver's license. 119 00:05:11,269 --> 00:05:14,649 Then we headed over to a girl's slumber party. 120 00:05:14,689 --> 00:05:16,359 This ended up with me in jail 121 00:05:16,399 --> 00:05:19,529 6:00 a.m. on Father's Day. 122 00:05:19,569 --> 00:05:22,109 It was an experience, but you grow up fast. 123 00:05:24,074 --> 00:05:26,744 Got me to a place where the judge said to my parents 124 00:05:26,785 --> 00:05:29,445 it's either military school or boarding school. 125 00:05:29,496 --> 00:05:32,866 So my parents found a real nice boarding school. 126 00:05:32,916 --> 00:05:36,206 There's a lot to be said for going to boarding school 127 00:05:36,252 --> 00:05:37,962 in terms of the responsibility 128 00:05:38,004 --> 00:05:42,184 that you have to carry on your shoulders to grow up. 129 00:05:42,217 --> 00:05:43,637 Either make it or you don't. 130 00:05:43,677 --> 00:05:47,427 And I mean, a lot of kids just rely, go back, 131 00:05:47,472 --> 00:05:50,682 and fall down on your family's name. 132 00:05:50,725 --> 00:05:52,135 All the people in that school, 133 00:05:52,185 --> 00:05:55,555 90% of them came from very wealthy families. 134 00:05:55,605 --> 00:05:57,395 So I saw the lifestyle I wanted. 135 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,900 I just had to figure out how to afford it. 136 00:05:59,943 --> 00:06:01,653 Wasn't really much to fall back on. 137 00:06:01,695 --> 00:06:03,065 I wasn't gonna be a doctor. 138 00:06:03,113 --> 00:06:05,413 So I just found another way to make it, 139 00:06:05,448 --> 00:06:08,278 and I'm--I'm just happy and lucky 140 00:06:08,326 --> 00:06:09,786 that I wound up in wrestling. 141 00:06:11,079 --> 00:06:13,919 - In 1972, Flair was a far cry 142 00:06:13,957 --> 00:06:15,917 from becoming the Nature Boy. 143 00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:19,169 - I met Verne, Verne Gagne, AWA champion, 144 00:06:19,212 --> 00:06:21,552 and the promoter and the owner of AWA, 145 00:06:21,589 --> 00:06:22,799 the American Wrestling Alliance, 146 00:06:22,841 --> 00:06:24,471 who I'd met before 147 00:06:24,509 --> 00:06:26,259 because his son and I were friends in high school. 148 00:06:26,302 --> 00:06:29,222 Looked at me and said, "Yeah, we'll see what you got." 149 00:06:29,264 --> 00:06:31,104 That's how it all started. 150 00:06:31,141 --> 00:06:33,061 - You gotta know how to fall. If you don't know how to fall, 151 00:06:33,101 --> 00:06:34,191 you're going to get hurt. 152 00:06:34,227 --> 00:06:35,727 And if you're hurt, you can't wrestle. 153 00:06:35,770 --> 00:06:37,440 And if you can't wrestle, 154 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,110 you don't eat. 155 00:06:39,149 --> 00:06:40,689 It's that simple. 156 00:06:40,734 --> 00:06:44,404 - During the era in which Ric Flair came into wrestling, 157 00:06:44,446 --> 00:06:48,986 there weren't a lot of trainers better than Verne Gagne. 158 00:06:49,034 --> 00:06:51,124 - We had to run 2 miles the first day 159 00:06:51,161 --> 00:06:54,581 and then 500 free squats, 200 crunches. 160 00:06:54,622 --> 00:06:57,542 - 200. 161 00:06:57,584 --> 00:06:59,964 - In 30-degree weather in a barn. 162 00:07:00,003 --> 00:07:02,343 Once I got through that, I felt I could do anything. 163 00:07:02,380 --> 00:07:05,430 You've got Mr. Charisma, Mr. Excitement, Ric Flair, 164 00:07:05,467 --> 00:07:06,967 and you know who I got in my mind? 165 00:07:07,010 --> 00:07:11,100 I got the boy, Conway, with the funny-looking hairdo. 166 00:07:11,139 --> 00:07:13,679 - Everything we know about Ric Flair growing up 167 00:07:13,725 --> 00:07:15,305 is that he did get into trouble. 168 00:07:15,352 --> 00:07:20,232 And I think it was realizing that the stuff he did 169 00:07:20,273 --> 00:07:23,653 that got people so riled up had a real purpose 170 00:07:23,693 --> 00:07:25,493 in the world of professional wrestling. 171 00:07:25,528 --> 00:07:27,988 [bell dings] - Ric Flair... 172 00:07:30,825 --> 00:07:32,785 - Ric had been wrestling for a couple of years, 173 00:07:32,827 --> 00:07:37,287 and he was still figuring out who he was. 174 00:07:37,332 --> 00:07:39,082 - Nothing stood out about Ric Flair. 175 00:07:39,125 --> 00:07:41,705 And you got to stand out to make money. 176 00:07:41,753 --> 00:07:43,963 You got to stand out to have some kind of character 177 00:07:44,005 --> 00:07:46,415 that people are going to remember. 178 00:07:46,466 --> 00:07:48,676 He was kind of unspectacular. 179 00:07:50,887 --> 00:07:54,637 - We're driving 3,000 miles a week back then. 180 00:07:54,683 --> 00:07:56,523 I'd met this guy in a bar-- 181 00:07:56,559 --> 00:07:57,849 shocker, right? 182 00:07:57,894 --> 00:08:00,314 That told me he had a plane. He could fly us. 183 00:08:00,355 --> 00:08:03,645 So we'd been flying with the guy for about a month. 184 00:08:06,695 --> 00:08:09,525 The plane crash came in '75, October 4th. 185 00:08:09,572 --> 00:08:11,742 [dramatic music] 186 00:08:11,783 --> 00:08:14,203 We ran out of gas at 6,000 feet 187 00:08:14,244 --> 00:08:17,874 about a mile and a half from the runaway. 188 00:08:17,914 --> 00:08:20,544 The first engine pinned. 189 00:08:20,583 --> 00:08:22,003 He reached down to pull reserve. 190 00:08:22,043 --> 00:08:24,463 There was always reserve gas. 191 00:08:24,504 --> 00:08:26,054 Second engine pinned. 192 00:08:30,427 --> 00:08:33,637 [high-pitched ringing] 193 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:36,730 [siren wailing] 194 00:08:38,268 --> 00:08:40,148 The next thing I knew, I was getting put 195 00:08:40,186 --> 00:08:43,476 in one of these old military ambulances. 196 00:08:43,523 --> 00:08:44,823 I just remember them saying, 197 00:08:44,858 --> 00:08:47,188 "I think we're gonna lose this one." 198 00:08:47,235 --> 00:08:50,565 I thought they were talking about me. 199 00:08:50,613 --> 00:08:52,203 Pilot died. 200 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,490 Valentine and Bob Bruggers were paralyzed. 201 00:08:55,535 --> 00:08:57,245 I broke my back in three places. 202 00:08:57,287 --> 00:09:00,537 [machines beeping] 203 00:09:00,582 --> 00:09:02,252 I didn't think I'd ever be able to wrestle again. 204 00:09:07,797 --> 00:09:10,427 [siren wailing] 205 00:09:10,467 --> 00:09:13,387 - He has this horrible plane crash 206 00:09:13,428 --> 00:09:16,888 that he's somehow able to survive. 207 00:09:16,931 --> 00:09:18,391 And while he's in the hospital, 208 00:09:18,433 --> 00:09:21,313 it forces him to take a step back 209 00:09:21,353 --> 00:09:22,653 early in his career 210 00:09:22,687 --> 00:09:25,317 and to think about what it is 211 00:09:25,357 --> 00:09:26,897 that he wants to do with this thing. 212 00:09:28,651 --> 00:09:29,941 - I had lost a lot of weight. 213 00:09:29,986 --> 00:09:32,986 I went from 255 to 180 214 00:09:33,031 --> 00:09:35,451 while I was with a broken back. 215 00:09:35,492 --> 00:09:36,912 - Ric probably sitting there 216 00:09:36,951 --> 00:09:38,701 knowing, "I can't be in the ring. 217 00:09:38,745 --> 00:09:41,115 "I can't go out and be myself. 218 00:09:41,164 --> 00:09:43,004 "How do I turn this into a positive? 219 00:09:43,041 --> 00:09:45,091 What can I change?" 220 00:09:45,126 --> 00:09:47,086 - That's when he starts thinking about 221 00:09:47,128 --> 00:09:48,668 the Nature Boy Buddy Rogers. 222 00:09:48,713 --> 00:09:52,683 - Buddy "Nature Boy" Rogers strutting around the ring. 223 00:09:52,717 --> 00:09:56,347 - In the '60s, Nature Boy Buddy Rogers had a strut. 224 00:09:56,388 --> 00:09:59,598 But he had great promos, especially for the day. 225 00:09:59,641 --> 00:10:01,641 He was cocky, arrogant. 226 00:10:01,685 --> 00:10:04,145 - To a nicer guy it couldn't happen. 227 00:10:04,187 --> 00:10:07,477 - He had his shiny, sequined ring gear and jackets 228 00:10:07,524 --> 00:10:09,034 and things like that. 229 00:10:09,067 --> 00:10:10,817 - Ric Flair, who was a big fan of his 230 00:10:10,860 --> 00:10:13,030 and a student of the game, probably took that 231 00:10:13,071 --> 00:10:16,241 and was like, "Man, I could make this 100 times better." 232 00:10:19,035 --> 00:10:21,405 - And that's how it all started with Nature Boy. 233 00:10:22,414 --> 00:10:24,754 - I don't think that you could have a better example 234 00:10:24,791 --> 00:10:28,631 of a phoenix rising from the literal ashes of an airplane. 235 00:10:28,670 --> 00:10:31,590 - Nature Boy, Ric Flair! 236 00:10:32,549 --> 00:10:35,509 - The uncrowned world champion, the U.S. belt, 237 00:10:35,552 --> 00:10:38,302 the World Tag belt, doesn't make any difference. 238 00:10:38,346 --> 00:10:40,306 The new Ric Flair. 239 00:10:40,348 --> 00:10:41,848 - He almost died. He broke his back. 240 00:10:41,891 --> 00:10:43,351 He came back. 241 00:10:43,393 --> 00:10:45,523 And he said, "It's not enough for me to be Ric Flair. 242 00:10:45,562 --> 00:10:47,402 I have to become the Nature Boy." 243 00:10:47,439 --> 00:10:50,569 - Here I am, looking better than any man alive. 244 00:10:50,608 --> 00:10:54,108 The most gorgeous human being on the face of this Earth. 245 00:10:54,154 --> 00:10:57,494 - In 1978, I felt pretty comfortable with myself. 246 00:10:57,532 --> 00:10:59,242 The Nature Boy thing was kicking in. 247 00:10:59,284 --> 00:11:02,004 - Once he realized he was "the Man," 248 00:11:02,037 --> 00:11:05,537 I think that's where that evil persona really took over. 249 00:11:05,582 --> 00:11:07,582 - One of the biggest stars in wrestling today. 250 00:11:07,625 --> 00:11:09,085 He knows it. 251 00:11:09,127 --> 00:11:10,547 He's probably one of the biggest egotists. 252 00:11:10,587 --> 00:11:13,207 - And the presentation was all part of the package. 253 00:11:13,256 --> 00:11:16,426 - Ric walked in dressed to the nines, hair perfect, 254 00:11:16,468 --> 00:11:18,758 and had a swagger about him and a strut about him. 255 00:11:18,803 --> 00:11:23,183 - You can see that slightly cocky walk that he has. 256 00:11:23,224 --> 00:11:24,604 - Prior to Ric Flair, 257 00:11:24,642 --> 00:11:26,442 professional wrestling wasn't the sort of job 258 00:11:26,478 --> 00:11:28,148 that you showed up to in a suit. 259 00:11:28,188 --> 00:11:30,268 When you see somebody getting off of a team bus 260 00:11:30,315 --> 00:11:32,275 and for those, like, 90 seconds 261 00:11:32,317 --> 00:11:33,567 that they're being trailed by a camera, 262 00:11:33,610 --> 00:11:35,280 they have put on a three-piece suit 263 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,030 and a nice watch and a pair of sunglasses, 264 00:11:37,072 --> 00:11:38,532 there's a little bit of Ric Flair in all that. 265 00:11:38,573 --> 00:11:43,043 - We're talking about stylin' and profilin'. 266 00:11:43,078 --> 00:11:45,118 The most expensive stuff available. 267 00:11:45,163 --> 00:11:47,583 I saw Joe Namath, and I was gonna be better. 268 00:11:47,624 --> 00:11:50,964 Diamond ring wearing, kiss-stealing--whoo! 269 00:11:51,002 --> 00:11:53,592 Wheeling, dealing, limousine-riding, 270 00:11:53,630 --> 00:11:55,920 jet-flying son of a gun. 271 00:11:55,965 --> 00:11:58,465 - He had everything that you wanted, 272 00:11:58,510 --> 00:12:00,010 and he reminded you 273 00:12:00,053 --> 00:12:02,313 that he had everything that you wanted. 274 00:12:02,347 --> 00:12:04,927 - Ric stood out and was different 275 00:12:04,974 --> 00:12:08,064 than everybody else every single night. 276 00:12:08,103 --> 00:12:11,153 - I dress myself in alligator shoes. 277 00:12:11,189 --> 00:12:14,359 I wear a $15,000 Rolex. 278 00:12:14,401 --> 00:12:16,071 Rolex owes me a commercial, man. 279 00:12:16,111 --> 00:12:19,321 A free one. [chuckles] 280 00:12:19,364 --> 00:12:21,034 Rolex, when? 281 00:12:22,450 --> 00:12:24,370 - Ric Flair's full of himself, 282 00:12:24,411 --> 00:12:26,371 and that's what makes it easy to boo him. 283 00:12:26,413 --> 00:12:29,373 But when he says, like, "You wish you had what I have," 284 00:12:29,416 --> 00:12:30,416 he's not wrong. 285 00:12:30,458 --> 00:12:32,958 - Whoo! Setting the world on fire. 286 00:12:33,003 --> 00:12:34,633 - Private jets? 287 00:12:34,671 --> 00:12:38,801 You didn't know of people who flew in private airplanes, 288 00:12:38,842 --> 00:12:41,182 and Ric Flair did this on the regular. 289 00:12:41,219 --> 00:12:43,679 - He was simply the personification of excess 290 00:12:43,722 --> 00:12:46,772 in a decade defined by materialism and greed. 291 00:12:46,808 --> 00:12:50,848 - I think the '80s were an ideal time for Ric. 292 00:12:50,895 --> 00:12:53,565 - "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" on TV, 293 00:12:53,606 --> 00:12:56,106 shows like "Dynasty" and greed is good, right? 294 00:12:56,151 --> 00:13:01,281 - Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. 295 00:13:01,322 --> 00:13:04,242 - Ric Flair was the Gordon Gekko of wrestling. 296 00:13:04,284 --> 00:13:07,334 - This is what all of them are wearing 297 00:13:07,370 --> 00:13:09,540 on Wall Street, Danny, huh? 298 00:13:09,581 --> 00:13:12,541 - If you had Michael Jordans, you were Ric Flair life. 299 00:13:12,584 --> 00:13:14,794 If you were wearing PRO-keds or Converses, 300 00:13:14,836 --> 00:13:15,916 you were just some wrestler 301 00:13:15,962 --> 00:13:17,512 he was gonna beat up that night. 302 00:13:17,547 --> 00:13:18,877 - When I'm in that ring, 303 00:13:18,923 --> 00:13:21,053 I don't care about anybody 304 00:13:21,092 --> 00:13:24,432 in the whole world but me. 305 00:13:25,388 --> 00:13:28,928 - He understood what a villain is supposed to do in the ring. 306 00:13:31,353 --> 00:13:34,193 The villain getting his butt kicked in the right spots 307 00:13:34,230 --> 00:13:36,110 is what makes a match work. 308 00:13:36,149 --> 00:13:39,279 - I can't help but feel that Dusty has it right here now. 309 00:13:39,319 --> 00:13:42,069 - You have to make a guy look like he's a guy 310 00:13:42,113 --> 00:13:45,033 that can beat you for that world championship. 311 00:13:45,075 --> 00:13:46,485 - Oh, he's upside down! 312 00:13:46,534 --> 00:13:48,704 - The toss into the turnbuckle, 313 00:13:48,745 --> 00:13:51,205 grab the bottom buckle, flip over, 314 00:13:51,247 --> 00:13:53,377 and run down the side of the ring 315 00:13:53,416 --> 00:13:55,876 is one of the most classic 316 00:13:55,919 --> 00:13:59,459 "watch the bad guy get what he deserves" moves. 317 00:13:59,506 --> 00:14:01,756 - And he brings him up very unceremoniously 318 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:03,090 right off the top. 319 00:14:03,134 --> 00:14:05,894 - The Flair on his knees, when he do like that 320 00:14:05,929 --> 00:14:07,469 and that hair be shaking. 321 00:14:07,514 --> 00:14:10,434 - And Flair cowering in the corner. 322 00:14:10,475 --> 00:14:13,765 - He was begging him, "Please, please don't do it." 323 00:14:13,812 --> 00:14:15,612 And the referee goes, "Oh come on." 324 00:14:15,647 --> 00:14:17,397 And then the guy turns his back, 325 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,070 and then Flair jumps up and punches him. 326 00:14:21,111 --> 00:14:24,321 - Flair, thumb to the eye of Sting. 327 00:14:24,364 --> 00:14:26,414 - Would really make you say, "Wait a minute, man. 328 00:14:26,449 --> 00:14:28,579 You can't be doing that to the good guys." 329 00:14:28,618 --> 00:14:31,748 - And there's his play-it-again slam. 330 00:14:31,788 --> 00:14:34,418 - There's your pretty boy. Now he's ugly. 331 00:14:34,457 --> 00:14:37,457 - When he got on your good guy, 332 00:14:37,502 --> 00:14:40,262 he could do it and be incredibly vicious. 333 00:14:40,296 --> 00:14:41,756 - Flair's got a chair! 334 00:14:41,798 --> 00:14:44,508 Oh, my God! Right across his knees. 335 00:14:44,551 --> 00:14:47,511 - I'm the dirtiest player in the game! 336 00:14:47,554 --> 00:14:49,974 - He calls himself the dirtiest player in the game. 337 00:14:50,015 --> 00:14:51,635 When you say that out loud, 338 00:14:51,683 --> 00:14:53,733 it takes a little bit of the sting off of it, right? 339 00:14:53,768 --> 00:14:56,268 It's like he's telling you who he is. 340 00:14:56,312 --> 00:14:58,692 - He's cheating. - Yes, he's cheating. 341 00:14:58,732 --> 00:15:00,862 - Hey, shut up! 342 00:15:00,900 --> 00:15:02,240 - He was leaving with that title, 343 00:15:02,277 --> 00:15:03,987 and that's what made him a great villain. 344 00:15:04,029 --> 00:15:09,659 - I am still the world heavyweight wrestling champion. 345 00:15:09,701 --> 00:15:13,331 - My dad being able to take you on this roller coaster 346 00:15:13,371 --> 00:15:15,421 and look like he was about to lose, 347 00:15:15,457 --> 00:15:17,127 but being the dirtiest player in the game, 348 00:15:17,167 --> 00:15:20,337 he was able to sneak one out, just makes you hate him more. 349 00:15:20,378 --> 00:15:22,418 Like you weren't even gonna win. 350 00:15:22,464 --> 00:15:27,264 - To be the man, daddy, you gotta beat the Man. 351 00:15:27,302 --> 00:15:29,682 - Being a man was about conquering. 352 00:15:29,721 --> 00:15:31,771 Ric Flair represented everybody's bully. 353 00:15:31,806 --> 00:15:34,426 - Sting. Oh, it's great. 354 00:15:34,476 --> 00:15:36,516 The first thing I wanna do 355 00:15:36,561 --> 00:15:40,691 when I get up in the morning is paint my face. 356 00:15:40,732 --> 00:15:44,742 - His ability to talk [...] is unparalleled. 357 00:15:44,778 --> 00:15:47,358 - He knew the buttons to push on people. 358 00:15:47,405 --> 00:15:51,025 - You got to be bored to death. 359 00:15:51,076 --> 00:15:53,826 The same woman every night? 360 00:15:53,870 --> 00:15:56,120 - It's kinda like that Floyd Mayweather disease 361 00:15:56,164 --> 00:16:00,594 where people pay a lot of money to watch this guy lose. 362 00:16:00,627 --> 00:16:03,127 - The whole world 363 00:16:03,171 --> 00:16:08,591 wants to shut Slick Ric up, bottom line. 364 00:16:08,635 --> 00:16:11,425 - Flair's obnoxious flaunting of wealth and status 365 00:16:11,471 --> 00:16:13,311 made for a perfect rivalry 366 00:16:13,348 --> 00:16:15,428 with the blue-collar working man. 367 00:16:15,475 --> 00:16:19,555 - Oh, oh. Here he comes! The American Dream. 368 00:16:19,604 --> 00:16:23,234 - Dusty Rhodes, also known as the American Dream, 369 00:16:23,274 --> 00:16:27,574 was a working-class guy who dared to stand up to the Man. 370 00:16:27,612 --> 00:16:31,702 - Get a dream, hold on to it, and shoot for the sky. 371 00:16:31,741 --> 00:16:35,251 - I wanted to see Dusty Rhodes beat the tar out him. 372 00:16:35,286 --> 00:16:37,746 Dusty Rhodes was the everyday working man, 373 00:16:37,789 --> 00:16:39,289 the son of a plumber. 374 00:16:39,332 --> 00:16:42,252 - Who's your favorite wrestler? - Dusty Rhodes. 375 00:16:42,293 --> 00:16:44,383 - He represented the average guy. 376 00:16:44,421 --> 00:16:45,591 That's why they loved him. 377 00:16:45,630 --> 00:16:46,590 That's why they connected with them. 378 00:16:46,631 --> 00:16:48,761 They felt like they were him. 379 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,050 - Dusty Rhodes, the man who has caught the heart 380 00:16:51,094 --> 00:16:54,434 and the fancy in the minds of people everywhere. 381 00:16:54,472 --> 00:16:56,772 - If you were the regular fan, 382 00:16:56,808 --> 00:16:59,768 rooting for the son of a plumber like Dusty Rhodes, 383 00:16:59,811 --> 00:17:01,771 there was no one worse than Ric Flair. 384 00:17:01,813 --> 00:17:06,993 He embodied all of this capitalistic greed. 385 00:17:07,027 --> 00:17:08,947 - This wasn't just a rivalry. 386 00:17:08,987 --> 00:17:11,027 This was class warfare, 387 00:17:11,072 --> 00:17:13,992 the working-class hero taking on the loud-mouth rich guy 388 00:17:14,034 --> 00:17:15,584 flaunting his spoils. 389 00:17:15,618 --> 00:17:17,788 - I want you to jump out of that TV. 390 00:17:17,829 --> 00:17:21,329 Yeah, you bad. Yeah, you bad, Ric. 391 00:17:21,374 --> 00:17:25,214 - Big Dust, you got no belt. You got no life. 392 00:17:25,253 --> 00:17:26,923 You got nothing to brag about. 393 00:17:26,963 --> 00:17:28,383 Nothing to stand on. 394 00:17:28,423 --> 00:17:30,263 - Don't talk about the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. 395 00:17:30,300 --> 00:17:33,510 I am the best, daddy. There is no other. 396 00:17:33,553 --> 00:17:35,563 - It was the guy on the pedestal 397 00:17:35,597 --> 00:17:36,637 against the common man. 398 00:17:36,681 --> 00:17:38,931 - I'm tired of looking at hat. 399 00:17:38,975 --> 00:17:42,805 I'm just gonna slip it off and throw it out to the fans. 400 00:17:42,854 --> 00:17:45,444 Yeah, yeah! 401 00:17:45,482 --> 00:17:48,822 - He would talk about what a disgusting slob 402 00:17:48,860 --> 00:17:50,110 Dusty Rhodes was. 403 00:17:50,153 --> 00:17:53,993 - Dusty Rhodes, you're a country-talking fool. 404 00:17:54,032 --> 00:17:56,832 - But he knew that that was going to get under fans' skin. 405 00:17:56,868 --> 00:18:00,458 - I'm gonna beat you half to death because I have to. 406 00:18:00,497 --> 00:18:02,327 - He was the guy living in the biggest house 407 00:18:02,374 --> 00:18:03,834 in the biggest side of town. 408 00:18:03,875 --> 00:18:05,535 The other guy was the son of a plumber. 409 00:18:05,585 --> 00:18:08,165 Blue collar, white collar. It was classic. 410 00:18:08,213 --> 00:18:09,883 - Now is the time 411 00:18:09,923 --> 00:18:12,093 that the talking stops and the fighting begins. 412 00:18:12,133 --> 00:18:13,933 - A battle of two giants 413 00:18:13,968 --> 00:18:16,968 in the wrestling world here tonight. 414 00:18:17,013 --> 00:18:18,433 - The war between Flair and Dusty 415 00:18:18,473 --> 00:18:19,773 set a new standard 416 00:18:19,808 --> 00:18:22,438 for what an epic rivalry could become. 417 00:18:22,477 --> 00:18:24,557 - I wrestled Dusty in the Orange Bowl, 418 00:18:24,604 --> 00:18:27,324 and we had, like, 40,000 people. 419 00:18:27,357 --> 00:18:29,357 We did huge business. 420 00:18:30,402 --> 00:18:31,652 - While Flair and Rhodes 421 00:18:31,695 --> 00:18:33,775 were in all-out conflict, 422 00:18:33,822 --> 00:18:37,202 the U.S. was waging a cold war against the Soviet Union... 423 00:18:37,242 --> 00:18:40,202 - Soviets have been building their military strength. 424 00:18:40,245 --> 00:18:42,325 The Cold War went right on. 425 00:18:42,372 --> 00:18:43,792 - A real-life issue 426 00:18:43,832 --> 00:18:46,082 that was playing out in the ring. 427 00:18:46,126 --> 00:18:48,496 - Sports entertainment 101 is 428 00:18:48,545 --> 00:18:51,205 who was the U.S.'s enemy at this time? 429 00:18:51,256 --> 00:18:55,086 - Russia, number one. Iran, number one. 430 00:18:55,135 --> 00:18:57,925 USA--[spits] 431 00:18:57,971 --> 00:19:00,471 - You just plug that in. It's very easy. 432 00:19:00,515 --> 00:19:03,725 There's that sense of pride and nationalism. 433 00:19:03,768 --> 00:19:05,598 And if you have somebody that's representing that, 434 00:19:05,645 --> 00:19:07,725 people are gonna cheer for that person. 435 00:19:07,772 --> 00:19:10,402 - So fast forward to Nikita Koloff 436 00:19:10,442 --> 00:19:12,072 taking on a Ric Flair. 437 00:19:12,110 --> 00:19:14,820 And Ric Flair, even though we hated him 438 00:19:14,863 --> 00:19:19,083 and he was this evil guy, he was our evil guy. 439 00:19:19,117 --> 00:19:23,577 - And as we have seen so many times, a double-team. 440 00:19:23,621 --> 00:19:27,461 - Flair is locked in a cage. He's in peril. 441 00:19:27,500 --> 00:19:28,960 - And here's the American Dream 442 00:19:29,002 --> 00:19:30,712 as he got into the ring. 443 00:19:30,754 --> 00:19:34,924 - In comes Dusty Rhodes, the American Dream. 444 00:19:34,966 --> 00:19:37,796 - Coming to the aid of the world heavyweight champion 445 00:19:37,844 --> 00:19:40,434 is Dusty Rhodes, the world television champion. 446 00:19:40,472 --> 00:19:43,522 - Dusty comes out, and he helps Ric Flair. 447 00:19:43,558 --> 00:19:45,598 - And right now, Dusty has cleared the ring, 448 00:19:45,643 --> 00:19:47,193 and there they stand. 449 00:19:48,313 --> 00:19:51,903 And now we're going to see, Bob, look here, from behind, 450 00:19:51,941 --> 00:19:54,401 both the Andersons working over Dusty Rhodes. 451 00:19:54,444 --> 00:19:57,114 - And he turns on Dusty Rhodes. 452 00:19:57,155 --> 00:19:59,525 - Ric is not worried about red, white, and blue. 453 00:19:59,574 --> 00:20:01,874 Ric is worried about green at the end of the day. 454 00:20:01,910 --> 00:20:04,450 - And now it's a three on one. 455 00:20:04,496 --> 00:20:06,616 - Attacking Dusty, breaking his leg, 456 00:20:06,664 --> 00:20:08,254 beating on Dusty Rhodes. 457 00:20:08,291 --> 00:20:10,041 - The violence seemed real. 458 00:20:10,085 --> 00:20:14,755 You thought, "Man, Ric really wants to kill Dusty." 459 00:20:14,798 --> 00:20:15,838 - All of us sitting there like, 460 00:20:15,882 --> 00:20:18,052 how can we have been so stupid 461 00:20:18,093 --> 00:20:20,353 as to trust the dirtiest player in the game? 462 00:20:21,846 --> 00:20:24,766 - Fans were trying to climb the cage 463 00:20:24,808 --> 00:20:27,728 to get inside to help Dusty Rhodes. 464 00:20:27,769 --> 00:20:29,689 - Took us an hour to get out of the ring. 465 00:20:29,729 --> 00:20:32,319 We had heat, man, 466 00:20:32,357 --> 00:20:33,897 and it drove people crazy. 467 00:20:33,942 --> 00:20:37,532 - That face sure tells it all, Tony. 468 00:20:37,570 --> 00:20:38,990 - I'm the man 469 00:20:39,030 --> 00:20:43,160 that put Dusty Rhodes in a knee-high cast. 470 00:20:43,201 --> 00:20:44,411 Dusty Rhodes. 471 00:20:44,452 --> 00:20:45,582 - Get him, Ric! 472 00:20:45,620 --> 00:20:49,040 - It's only just begun. 473 00:20:53,420 --> 00:20:54,800 - With the sabotage on Dusty, 474 00:20:54,838 --> 00:20:56,628 Flair was a marked man. 475 00:20:56,673 --> 00:20:58,593 He needed reinforcements, 476 00:20:58,633 --> 00:21:00,303 so he created a faction of henchmen. 477 00:21:00,343 --> 00:21:03,473 - The Four Horsemen! That's what it's all about! 478 00:21:03,513 --> 00:21:06,563 The mastermind and all the talent. 479 00:21:06,599 --> 00:21:08,689 The new world Tag Team champions 480 00:21:08,727 --> 00:21:10,057 Ole and Arn Anderson. 481 00:21:10,103 --> 00:21:14,323 The new world TV champion Tully Blanchard. 482 00:21:14,357 --> 00:21:15,977 Four guys that could work and talk. 483 00:21:16,026 --> 00:21:17,146 Real simple. 484 00:21:17,193 --> 00:21:20,663 We are the studs in professional wrestling. 485 00:21:20,697 --> 00:21:23,237 - Obviously, Ric being the leader of the group. 486 00:21:23,283 --> 00:21:27,003 JJ Dillon, a manager of the Four Horsemen. 487 00:21:27,037 --> 00:21:30,077 Arn Anderson being that enforcer. 488 00:21:30,123 --> 00:21:31,833 And then you have someone like Ole Anderson, 489 00:21:31,875 --> 00:21:33,705 who was mean as can be. 490 00:21:33,752 --> 00:21:36,632 - How about it now, Rhodes, huh? How about it now? 491 00:21:36,671 --> 00:21:38,671 - And Tully Blanchard, he was smooth. 492 00:21:38,715 --> 00:21:40,175 He was the guy in the ring 493 00:21:40,216 --> 00:21:42,136 that maybe was the closest to Ric. 494 00:21:42,177 --> 00:21:44,137 - The Horsemen were sitting around 495 00:21:44,179 --> 00:21:45,469 having a little brewski, 496 00:21:45,513 --> 00:21:47,433 looking at a few ladies on the beach. 497 00:21:47,474 --> 00:21:50,814 - All you have to do is go like this, and everybody knows 498 00:21:50,852 --> 00:21:52,312 what you're talking about. 499 00:21:52,354 --> 00:21:55,484 - We talking Horsemen. 500 00:21:55,523 --> 00:21:59,403 - Ric Flair elevated every other member of that team. 501 00:21:59,444 --> 00:22:01,114 all: Whoo-hoo! 502 00:22:01,154 --> 00:22:02,204 - The group embodied 503 00:22:02,238 --> 00:22:04,118 everything that Flair stood for: 504 00:22:04,157 --> 00:22:08,617 money, women, and, of course, dirty deeds. 505 00:22:08,661 --> 00:22:11,081 - He's doing it again like before! 506 00:22:11,122 --> 00:22:12,502 - They weren't the biggest. They weren't the strongest. 507 00:22:12,540 --> 00:22:13,790 They weren't the fastest, 508 00:22:13,833 --> 00:22:15,293 but they were the most tight-knit. 509 00:22:15,335 --> 00:22:18,125 - There's Tully Blanchard and the Andersons 510 00:22:18,171 --> 00:22:20,761 and the Four Horsemen together. 511 00:22:20,799 --> 00:22:23,759 - If I was a wrestler, I'd be Killer Mike, 512 00:22:23,802 --> 00:22:25,512 and I'd be the fifth Horseman. 513 00:22:25,553 --> 00:22:29,353 - All for one, Horsemen, and one for all. 514 00:22:29,391 --> 00:22:31,101 [dramatic music] 515 00:22:31,142 --> 00:22:32,982 - The Four Horsemen became the blueprint 516 00:22:33,019 --> 00:22:36,399 to every faction to follow from that point forward. 517 00:22:36,439 --> 00:22:37,729 - They were the first. 518 00:22:37,774 --> 00:22:39,484 I was so influenced by it 519 00:22:39,526 --> 00:22:41,646 that I went off the rails of my career. 520 00:22:41,695 --> 00:22:43,315 - We are the D-Generation X. - D-Generation. 521 00:22:43,363 --> 00:22:46,913 - You made your rules, and we will break them. 522 00:22:46,950 --> 00:22:49,870 - Before DX, the nWo, 523 00:22:49,911 --> 00:22:52,331 and every iconic group that would follow, 524 00:22:52,372 --> 00:22:55,672 the Horseman revolutionized the industry. 525 00:22:55,709 --> 00:22:58,499 - Traveling from town to town, kicking butt. 526 00:22:58,545 --> 00:23:00,875 - We beat up who we want to beat up, 527 00:23:00,922 --> 00:23:02,342 when we wanna beat them up. 528 00:23:02,382 --> 00:23:04,592 - They just went around saying they were the best, 529 00:23:04,634 --> 00:23:06,224 and they were. 530 00:23:06,261 --> 00:23:09,391 - There is no greater faction in the history of pro wrestling 531 00:23:09,431 --> 00:23:11,021 than the Four Horsemen. 532 00:23:11,057 --> 00:23:12,847 - With the Horsemen by his side, 533 00:23:12,892 --> 00:23:14,482 Flair was unbeatable, 534 00:23:14,519 --> 00:23:17,269 winning championship after championship. 535 00:23:17,313 --> 00:23:20,073 - Ric Flair is the champion again! 536 00:23:20,108 --> 00:23:23,738 - You're history, Luger! Whoo! 537 00:23:25,572 --> 00:23:27,072 - So by the late '80s, 538 00:23:27,115 --> 00:23:29,775 Ric Flair sorta starts to distance himself 539 00:23:29,826 --> 00:23:31,326 from the Four Horsemen. 540 00:23:31,369 --> 00:23:34,659 As he distanced himself from the Four Horsemen, 541 00:23:34,706 --> 00:23:36,286 he kind of got back into his craft, 542 00:23:36,332 --> 00:23:39,212 which is being an incredible wrestler. 543 00:23:39,252 --> 00:23:41,212 And that kind of started this rivalry 544 00:23:41,254 --> 00:23:43,054 with Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat. 545 00:23:43,089 --> 00:23:45,839 - You're gonna be mine. Don't make a mistake. 546 00:23:45,884 --> 00:23:47,344 - One-hour time limit 547 00:23:47,385 --> 00:23:49,885 for the heavyweight championship of the world. 548 00:23:49,929 --> 00:23:52,179 And now Flair, double arm suplex. 549 00:23:52,223 --> 00:23:53,313 Great move! 550 00:23:53,350 --> 00:23:55,560 - His working the ring was insane. 551 00:23:55,602 --> 00:23:57,062 - Flair, great movement. 552 00:23:57,103 --> 00:23:58,943 Oh, busts him--my God-- on the top. 553 00:23:58,980 --> 00:24:01,400 - Flair was going 60 minutes a night. 554 00:24:01,441 --> 00:24:03,611 60 minutes in the main event. 555 00:24:04,861 --> 00:24:07,951 - I am, and you ask the female audience, 556 00:24:07,989 --> 00:24:10,329 the 60-minute man, pal. 557 00:24:10,367 --> 00:24:13,827 So if you can hang in there, think about it. 558 00:24:13,870 --> 00:24:16,920 - People start to look at Ric Flair, like "Huh. 559 00:24:16,956 --> 00:24:18,626 "I know this guy cheats a lot, 560 00:24:18,667 --> 00:24:20,877 "but he really wrestles his ass off. 561 00:24:20,919 --> 00:24:22,749 He can go." You know? 562 00:24:22,796 --> 00:24:24,336 - It showed the world 563 00:24:24,381 --> 00:24:27,381 that once you put the microphone down, 564 00:24:27,425 --> 00:24:32,845 Ric Flair is every bit as good a wrestler as he says he is. 565 00:24:32,889 --> 00:24:34,139 - A slam. 566 00:24:34,182 --> 00:24:36,522 But Flair inside. One, two-- 567 00:24:36,559 --> 00:24:38,439 - He did it! - He did it! 568 00:24:38,478 --> 00:24:40,188 [cheers and applause] 569 00:24:40,230 --> 00:24:44,110 And Flair has done it. Flair has done it. 570 00:24:44,150 --> 00:24:46,440 - As his fame and fortune continued to grow, 571 00:24:46,486 --> 00:24:47,986 so did his arrogance. 572 00:24:48,029 --> 00:24:50,119 - Take a look at that, huh? 573 00:24:50,156 --> 00:24:54,236 Arnold Schwarzenegger, be glad you're making movies. 574 00:24:54,285 --> 00:24:56,615 - But the manner in which he did it 575 00:24:56,663 --> 00:24:59,253 made his presence undeniable. 576 00:24:59,290 --> 00:25:01,960 - Ric is a Scarface-like figure... 577 00:25:02,002 --> 00:25:04,002 - Say good night to the bad guy. 578 00:25:04,045 --> 00:25:07,545 - Because he appeals to what human beings want. 579 00:25:07,590 --> 00:25:08,680 We wanna be the Man. 580 00:25:08,717 --> 00:25:10,967 - I'm rich. I'm famous. 581 00:25:11,011 --> 00:25:14,181 I'm unparalleled in sports today. 582 00:25:14,222 --> 00:25:15,852 I'm the Man. 583 00:25:15,890 --> 00:25:18,440 - Ric Flair is the reason I sit here right now 584 00:25:18,476 --> 00:25:22,646 with a Rolex on my arm and $150,000 Mercedes outside. 585 00:25:22,689 --> 00:25:24,069 It's not that I thought 586 00:25:24,107 --> 00:25:25,937 that that's what I needed to be cool. 587 00:25:25,984 --> 00:25:29,824 He was cool, and that was everything he had. 588 00:25:29,863 --> 00:25:32,573 - I think, secretly, deep down inside, 589 00:25:32,615 --> 00:25:34,155 we all wanted to be that guy. 590 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,700 But Ric Flair was the epitome of that. 591 00:25:36,745 --> 00:25:38,865 - A part of us is like, wow. 592 00:25:38,913 --> 00:25:41,333 It's flash, right? It's wealth. 593 00:25:41,374 --> 00:25:44,174 It's all of the things that a lot of people 594 00:25:44,210 --> 00:25:46,050 would aspire to in real life. 595 00:25:47,213 --> 00:25:49,383 - The girls over here are hollering. 596 00:25:49,424 --> 00:25:51,054 [cheering] 597 00:25:51,092 --> 00:25:53,262 Slick Ric, you know. Hey. 598 00:25:53,303 --> 00:25:55,433 - He wanted to be the guy that got all the girls. 599 00:25:55,472 --> 00:25:56,812 When you think of him, that's just the thing 600 00:25:56,848 --> 00:25:58,428 that is attached. 601 00:25:58,475 --> 00:26:00,385 - I tell you, the lifestyle of this man 602 00:26:00,435 --> 00:26:02,305 never ceases to amaze. 603 00:26:02,354 --> 00:26:05,074 - Hulk was selling milk and cookies. 604 00:26:05,106 --> 00:26:07,686 - These are the very best vitamins on the market. 605 00:26:07,734 --> 00:26:09,614 - Ric Flair--whoo! 606 00:26:09,652 --> 00:26:13,072 Was selling sex, drugs, and rock and roll. 607 00:26:13,114 --> 00:26:16,124 - Hulk Hogan had cartoons, but what he didn't have 608 00:26:16,159 --> 00:26:18,159 was the ability to walk into any club 609 00:26:18,203 --> 00:26:20,543 and every woman in that club 610 00:26:20,580 --> 00:26:23,790 instantly think "I wanna ride Space Mountain tonight." 611 00:26:23,833 --> 00:26:26,503 - You don't have to go to Disney World 612 00:26:26,544 --> 00:26:27,924 to find Space Mountain. 613 00:26:27,962 --> 00:26:29,262 It's right here. 614 00:26:29,297 --> 00:26:32,047 I just made it up one day. [laughs] 615 00:26:32,092 --> 00:26:35,432 One night, a woman--whoo! Just screamed out, 616 00:26:35,470 --> 00:26:38,560 "It's like--it's like--whoo! Space Mountain." 617 00:26:38,598 --> 00:26:41,728 And next thing I knew, it was, like, national news. 618 00:26:41,768 --> 00:26:43,228 And I got news for you. 619 00:26:43,269 --> 00:26:45,809 When you get on Space Mountain, you'll be like this-- 620 00:26:47,190 --> 00:26:50,570 Drinks on the Nature Boy. [laughs] 621 00:26:50,610 --> 00:26:53,150 [dramatic music] 622 00:26:53,196 --> 00:26:56,236 I spent more money on spilled booze 623 00:26:56,282 --> 00:26:59,202 than you made in the last six months. 624 00:26:59,244 --> 00:27:00,914 - The Nature Boy's avarice lifestyle 625 00:27:00,954 --> 00:27:02,414 wasn't an act. 626 00:27:02,455 --> 00:27:05,325 He lived it 24/7. 627 00:27:05,375 --> 00:27:06,535 - Where does that character end, 628 00:27:06,584 --> 00:27:08,634 and where does the real guy begin? 629 00:27:08,670 --> 00:27:11,260 We don't really know that at all. 630 00:27:11,297 --> 00:27:13,257 - It's who he truly was. 631 00:27:13,299 --> 00:27:17,469 The Ric Flair character was so strong 632 00:27:17,512 --> 00:27:20,222 that I think it overtook his life. 633 00:27:24,227 --> 00:27:28,647 - No, this is the WWE. 634 00:27:28,690 --> 00:27:31,150 - By 1992, Flair had yet 635 00:27:31,192 --> 00:27:34,152 to style and profile his way through the WWE. 636 00:27:34,195 --> 00:27:36,905 - There he is in all his regal-ness. 637 00:27:36,948 --> 00:27:39,578 - At WWE's Royal Rumble event, 638 00:27:39,617 --> 00:27:42,827 Flair outlasted 29 other superstars 639 00:27:42,871 --> 00:27:45,331 to win the WWE championship. 640 00:27:45,373 --> 00:27:50,803 - It's Flair from behind. Oh, yes. Yes! 641 00:27:50,837 --> 00:27:54,167 - It was the pinnacle of his career and his life. 642 00:27:54,215 --> 00:27:56,175 - The promo that Ric Flair cut after winning 643 00:27:56,217 --> 00:28:00,307 the 1992 Royal Rumble and becoming the WWE champion 644 00:28:00,347 --> 00:28:03,177 is the most important Ric Flair promo there is. 645 00:28:03,224 --> 00:28:09,114 - I'm gonna tell y'all with a tear in my eye, 646 00:28:09,147 --> 00:28:13,317 this is the greatest moment in my life. 647 00:28:13,360 --> 00:28:14,610 - 'Cause he says, "With a tear in my eye, 648 00:28:14,652 --> 00:28:16,532 this is the greatest moment of my life." 649 00:28:16,571 --> 00:28:18,241 He doesn't say, "This is the greatest moment 650 00:28:18,281 --> 00:28:19,871 of my professional life." 651 00:28:19,908 --> 00:28:23,198 He says, "This is the greatest moment of my life." 652 00:28:23,244 --> 00:28:25,044 - It's the greatest moment of my life. 653 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,250 - It is a real acknowledgment 654 00:28:27,290 --> 00:28:30,130 that there is nothing more important to him 655 00:28:30,168 --> 00:28:32,628 than being at the top of his industry. 656 00:28:32,671 --> 00:28:35,131 And that includes family, and that includes friends, 657 00:28:35,173 --> 00:28:36,343 and that includes anything 658 00:28:36,383 --> 00:28:39,393 that might happen outside of this universe. 659 00:28:39,427 --> 00:28:41,807 - Whoo! [laughs] 660 00:28:41,846 --> 00:28:43,846 - That was his life. That's who he was. 661 00:28:43,890 --> 00:28:48,940 I think Ric Flair was 100% committed to pro wrestling. 662 00:28:48,978 --> 00:28:51,858 - I live and die 663 00:28:51,898 --> 00:28:57,858 and breathe each day of my life for this business. 664 00:28:57,904 --> 00:28:59,164 - For 15 years, 665 00:28:59,197 --> 00:29:01,447 Flair's deviant actions in the ring 666 00:29:01,491 --> 00:29:04,581 fueled his lavish lifestyle outside of it. 667 00:29:04,619 --> 00:29:09,579 Everything I have is because my name is Ric Flair. 668 00:29:09,624 --> 00:29:12,714 - But it was getting out of control. 669 00:29:12,752 --> 00:29:17,262 The line between the character and the man was gone. 670 00:29:17,298 --> 00:29:18,878 - I mean, it wasn't a gimmick. 671 00:29:18,925 --> 00:29:21,965 This was the life that he ended up leading. 672 00:29:22,012 --> 00:29:23,302 - Come on up here, ladies. 673 00:29:23,346 --> 00:29:25,596 Let this camera get a little bit of look at you. 674 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:27,230 Jan, darlin', 675 00:29:27,267 --> 00:29:30,347 I didn't expect to see you for another week or two. 676 00:29:30,395 --> 00:29:33,935 - Nature was really living all of that. 677 00:29:33,982 --> 00:29:37,442 There was no pretend in any of it. 678 00:29:37,485 --> 00:29:38,855 - Can you believe these women? 679 00:29:38,903 --> 00:29:41,993 Now you know why I come into this television station 680 00:29:42,032 --> 00:29:44,242 a little weary once in a while. 681 00:29:44,284 --> 00:29:49,164 I have to fulfill all the dreams, the desires, 682 00:29:49,205 --> 00:29:53,285 the wishes, and the lusts of thousands of young women 683 00:29:53,335 --> 00:29:56,625 all throughout this great country. 684 00:29:56,671 --> 00:29:59,631 - The best was in Baltimore, when I woke up in the morning, 685 00:29:59,674 --> 00:30:02,264 and there were two chicks, and she said, 686 00:30:02,302 --> 00:30:04,012 "You threw your Rolex in a bowl of spaghetti 687 00:30:04,054 --> 00:30:05,314 "last night at Sabatino's 688 00:30:05,347 --> 00:30:07,517 and said you had 11 other ones." 689 00:30:09,017 --> 00:30:11,897 - His occupation has made it difficult at times 690 00:30:11,936 --> 00:30:13,476 to have a family. 691 00:30:13,521 --> 00:30:16,731 Now he is in the final weeks of an expensive divorce. 692 00:30:16,775 --> 00:30:19,145 - Paying alimony to three women at one time 693 00:30:19,194 --> 00:30:20,994 was a lot of dough. 694 00:30:21,029 --> 00:30:22,489 As a matter of fact, 695 00:30:22,530 --> 00:30:24,490 that's got to be some kind of record, right? 696 00:30:24,532 --> 00:30:29,752 Three women, same family, alimony. 697 00:30:29,788 --> 00:30:31,658 Good Lord. 698 00:30:31,706 --> 00:30:38,086 I am so high on being Ric Flair each day of my life. 699 00:30:38,129 --> 00:30:40,339 - You play that role enough, 700 00:30:40,382 --> 00:30:42,842 that's like a cop going undercover, 701 00:30:42,884 --> 00:30:45,934 and sometimes they get so lost in it, 702 00:30:45,970 --> 00:30:48,060 they never come back. 703 00:30:49,849 --> 00:30:51,809 - I probably neglected my family a little bit, 704 00:30:51,851 --> 00:30:56,521 but it's been successful for me in promoting myself 705 00:30:56,564 --> 00:30:58,984 and making me successful in professional wrestling. 706 00:30:59,025 --> 00:31:01,735 - He doesn't apologize for being who he is. 707 00:31:01,778 --> 00:31:04,488 The Nature Boy is Ric Flair. Ric Flair is the Nature Boy. 708 00:31:04,531 --> 00:31:06,831 - The womanizer, the king, 709 00:31:06,866 --> 00:31:11,076 the man that makes wrestling go round and round. 710 00:31:11,121 --> 00:31:13,461 - I think I was very naive to it. 711 00:31:13,498 --> 00:31:15,708 Just like, this is my dad. He has bleached blonde hair. 712 00:31:15,750 --> 00:31:18,090 He brings his big gold belt to show and tell, 713 00:31:18,128 --> 00:31:19,248 and that was normal for me. 714 00:31:20,588 --> 00:31:22,918 - Are you okay? - Mm-hmm. 715 00:31:22,966 --> 00:31:24,506 - I'm gonna miss you both. 716 00:31:26,261 --> 00:31:30,431 The WWE isn't big enough for me. 717 00:31:30,473 --> 00:31:31,933 [emotional music] 718 00:31:31,975 --> 00:31:34,095 Vince came to me and said, "I'm going to start 719 00:31:34,144 --> 00:31:35,354 "going with youth. 720 00:31:35,395 --> 00:31:36,895 And I know they want you back," 721 00:31:36,938 --> 00:31:39,898 'cause WCW never stopped calling from the day I left. 722 00:31:39,941 --> 00:31:42,741 "You can stay, and I'll have to push you down the card, 723 00:31:42,777 --> 00:31:45,657 or you can leave on top." And I said, "I'll go back." 724 00:31:45,697 --> 00:31:52,117 WCW, the Nature Boy is back to rock and roll. 725 00:31:52,162 --> 00:31:54,292 Whoo! 726 00:31:54,330 --> 00:31:57,790 - In 1993, Flair returned to WCW, 727 00:31:57,834 --> 00:31:59,254 but times were changing. 728 00:31:59,294 --> 00:32:00,464 - Thanks again, Ric. 729 00:32:00,503 --> 00:32:01,883 I know you're on your way back to Charlotte. 730 00:32:01,921 --> 00:32:02,961 - Thank you. 731 00:32:03,006 --> 00:32:04,466 - In an era of grunge, 732 00:32:04,507 --> 00:32:06,587 darker and edgier villains were in the spotlight. 733 00:32:06,634 --> 00:32:09,264 Suddenly the flamboyant Nature Boy 734 00:32:09,304 --> 00:32:11,644 wasn't the Man like he used to be. 735 00:32:11,681 --> 00:32:16,901 - WCW had started the nWo, whose entire cause for being 736 00:32:16,936 --> 00:32:19,356 was to strip down anything 737 00:32:19,397 --> 00:32:22,477 and everyone that WCW ever held dear. 738 00:32:22,525 --> 00:32:24,395 - By the time the NWO started emerging 739 00:32:24,444 --> 00:32:25,904 and really blowing up 740 00:32:25,945 --> 00:32:29,115 and overshadowing so much of the other talent, 741 00:32:29,157 --> 00:32:32,827 I probably didn't look at guys like Ric Flair 742 00:32:32,869 --> 00:32:34,789 the way a lot of other people did. 743 00:32:34,829 --> 00:32:39,419 the Man is more of a coward than he is a fossil. 744 00:32:39,459 --> 00:32:41,129 And that was my mistake. 745 00:32:41,169 --> 00:32:43,339 And that hurt Ric. 746 00:32:43,380 --> 00:32:47,720 - You suck. You, I hate your guts. 747 00:32:47,759 --> 00:32:50,799 It's natural to say something if your feelings are hurt 748 00:32:50,845 --> 00:32:53,465 or you think that you've been under-recognized 749 00:32:53,515 --> 00:32:54,845 or you haven't been appreciated. 750 00:32:54,891 --> 00:32:57,941 Bischoff, I ain't leaving. 751 00:32:57,977 --> 00:32:59,227 - Wait a minute! 752 00:32:59,270 --> 00:33:01,060 - When Ric was in the character 753 00:33:01,106 --> 00:33:03,566 of the Nature Boy, he could do no wrong 754 00:33:03,608 --> 00:33:05,818 and was the most confident person in the world. 755 00:33:05,860 --> 00:33:10,490 But the human behind that was much more insecure. 756 00:33:10,532 --> 00:33:12,742 - Ric Flair was put in positions 757 00:33:12,784 --> 00:33:15,544 where he was shown as inferior. 758 00:33:15,578 --> 00:33:18,328 - Now they're shaving Ric Flair's head! 759 00:33:18,373 --> 00:33:20,833 - You don't change Ric Flair. 760 00:33:20,875 --> 00:33:23,705 You don't move Tom Brady from quarterback to tight end. 761 00:33:23,753 --> 00:33:25,803 Guy's winning you Super Bowls. 762 00:33:25,839 --> 00:33:27,669 It's the same thing with Ric Flair. 763 00:33:27,716 --> 00:33:30,586 Guy's a 16-time world champion. 764 00:33:30,635 --> 00:33:32,135 - Whoo! 765 00:33:32,178 --> 00:33:37,268 - When you allow the glory that a character receives 766 00:33:37,308 --> 00:33:40,058 to become your own personal glory, 767 00:33:40,103 --> 00:33:42,563 then any tragedy that that character receives 768 00:33:42,605 --> 00:33:45,025 also has to become your personal tragedy. 769 00:33:45,066 --> 00:33:49,776 And that's a trap that I think Ric Flair found himself in. 770 00:33:49,821 --> 00:33:52,121 - I was broken. 771 00:33:52,157 --> 00:33:54,527 I don't think but a few people understand 772 00:33:54,576 --> 00:33:56,786 how much that impacted my life. 773 00:33:56,828 --> 00:33:58,828 You know, trying to be written off. 774 00:33:58,872 --> 00:34:01,712 - This is the last Nitro on the Turner Network, 775 00:34:01,750 --> 00:34:03,880 and we're going out with a bang. 776 00:34:03,918 --> 00:34:07,208 - As the doors of WCW closed in 2001, 777 00:34:07,255 --> 00:34:08,755 the question remained. 778 00:34:08,798 --> 00:34:11,508 Was this the end for the Nature Boy Ric Flair? 779 00:34:17,390 --> 00:34:20,440 - Forever their names will be linked to greatness in WCW. 780 00:34:20,477 --> 00:34:22,767 - And tonight, he and Ric Flair 781 00:34:22,812 --> 00:34:25,482 are gonna finish off Nitro. 782 00:34:25,523 --> 00:34:29,943 - I remember the night of the last WCW Nitro. 783 00:34:29,986 --> 00:34:31,606 It was weird. 784 00:34:31,654 --> 00:34:33,574 Seeing him come out in just a black t-shirt 785 00:34:33,615 --> 00:34:35,485 and a short mom cut 786 00:34:35,533 --> 00:34:37,123 just kind of threw me for a loop for a little bit. 787 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:39,000 I was like, "Oh." 788 00:34:40,246 --> 00:34:42,576 You can kind of see in his face that, like, 789 00:34:42,624 --> 00:34:44,794 this isn't the Ric Flair I kinda grew up with. 790 00:34:44,834 --> 00:34:48,004 He just almost looked like a shell of his former self. 791 00:34:48,046 --> 00:34:53,126 - Sting defeats Ric Flair here on the final telecast 792 00:34:53,176 --> 00:34:55,386 on WCW Monday Nitro. 793 00:34:56,179 --> 00:34:57,809 - There was a small part of me thinking like, 794 00:34:57,847 --> 00:34:59,597 "Damn, this might be the last time 795 00:34:59,641 --> 00:35:01,981 we ever see Ric Flair wrestle." 796 00:35:02,018 --> 00:35:04,728 - I don't like anything about that last Nitro 797 00:35:04,771 --> 00:35:07,521 except that it closed. 798 00:35:07,565 --> 00:35:09,105 Vince called me about a year later and said, 799 00:35:09,150 --> 00:35:10,530 "What are you gonna do?" 800 00:35:10,568 --> 00:35:13,108 I said, "I don't know." I hadn't thought about it. 801 00:35:13,154 --> 00:35:17,874 Right now, I'm just going out to the country club at 5:00. 802 00:35:17,909 --> 00:35:21,119 Depending on what kind of mood I'm in, sometimes at 4:00. 803 00:35:21,162 --> 00:35:22,832 He said, "You want to come back to work?" 804 00:35:22,872 --> 00:35:25,172 and I said, "Yeah, I'd love to." 805 00:35:25,208 --> 00:35:28,498 - In 2002, Ric Flair returned to WWE, 806 00:35:28,545 --> 00:35:30,005 but his trademark swagger 807 00:35:30,046 --> 00:35:33,296 that made the Nature Boy so iconic was gone, 808 00:35:33,341 --> 00:35:34,841 and his confidence was shot. 809 00:35:36,886 --> 00:35:39,556 - I was down on myself. I just walked away, saying, 810 00:35:39,597 --> 00:35:40,767 "God, you could do so much better. 811 00:35:40,807 --> 00:35:42,597 Why don't you get it, Ric?" 812 00:35:42,642 --> 00:35:44,102 And it hurt. No pain. 813 00:35:44,144 --> 00:35:46,814 Just anxiety, right? 814 00:35:46,855 --> 00:35:48,265 I've wrestled a couple of matches 815 00:35:48,314 --> 00:35:50,484 where I couldn't feel my hands from anxiety. 816 00:35:50,525 --> 00:35:52,645 I'd pinch myself. 817 00:35:52,694 --> 00:35:55,454 - When you no longer think that you're the Man, 818 00:35:55,488 --> 00:36:00,118 then the very building blocks that created the Nature Boy 819 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:02,040 kinda ceased to exist. 820 00:36:02,078 --> 00:36:04,158 - A villain needs to have self-confidence. 821 00:36:04,205 --> 00:36:06,665 A villain needs to know that he could do anything 822 00:36:06,708 --> 00:36:08,208 and beat anyone. 823 00:36:08,251 --> 00:36:11,631 Once you take that away, the villain becomes vulnerable, 824 00:36:11,671 --> 00:36:13,511 and now it's not a villain anymore. 825 00:36:13,548 --> 00:36:16,888 Now that villain is just like you and me. 826 00:36:16,926 --> 00:36:19,096 - What Flair needed was inspiration. 827 00:36:20,972 --> 00:36:24,142 - You see, in this industry, just like in life, 828 00:36:24,184 --> 00:36:26,524 everything evolves. 829 00:36:26,561 --> 00:36:29,061 And what you see in this ring before you 830 00:36:29,105 --> 00:36:32,775 is the greatest example of evolution you will ever see. 831 00:36:34,569 --> 00:36:36,609 - Evolution was a new four-man faction, 832 00:36:36,654 --> 00:36:38,744 including main event stalwart Triple H, 833 00:36:38,782 --> 00:36:40,992 legendary icon Ric Flair, 834 00:36:41,034 --> 00:36:44,374 and newcomers Batista and Randy Orton. 835 00:36:44,412 --> 00:36:46,622 - Evolution was based kinda on the Four Horsemen. 836 00:36:46,664 --> 00:36:51,384 - So whether you like it or not, learn to love it. 837 00:36:51,419 --> 00:36:55,219 - Four guys dress nice. The ladies love them. 838 00:36:55,256 --> 00:36:58,796 - What made the dynamic of Evolution so special 839 00:36:58,843 --> 00:37:00,893 is that they weren't all on the same plane. 840 00:37:00,929 --> 00:37:03,259 You had Ric Flair. He's kind of the mentor. 841 00:37:03,306 --> 00:37:05,676 He's kind of looking out for everybody. 842 00:37:05,725 --> 00:37:07,515 - That was one of the luckiest things 843 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:09,310 I had early in my career was him. 844 00:37:09,354 --> 00:37:12,654 Took me under his wing. I learned a lot from Ric. 845 00:37:12,691 --> 00:37:16,281 - I was all for it, but it took me a while to figure out. 846 00:37:16,319 --> 00:37:18,659 Self-confidence issues. 847 00:37:18,697 --> 00:37:20,277 - He didn't have the confidence in himself, 848 00:37:20,323 --> 00:37:23,283 but Batista, myself, and Hunter 849 00:37:23,326 --> 00:37:25,366 had the confidence for him. 850 00:37:25,412 --> 00:37:29,672 - And standing before you, Evolution with all the gold. 851 00:37:29,708 --> 00:37:31,668 - And Ric was a part of something 852 00:37:31,710 --> 00:37:34,590 that was the top of the business, 853 00:37:34,629 --> 00:37:36,459 so Ric felt big. 854 00:37:36,506 --> 00:37:38,086 - Whoo! It's LA, bitch. 855 00:37:38,133 --> 00:37:40,973 We're going down to the Strip to party--whoo! 856 00:37:41,011 --> 00:37:42,141 With a champ. 857 00:37:42,178 --> 00:37:44,388 - Ric felt like, "Okay, this is on me. 858 00:37:44,431 --> 00:37:46,561 I'm the top dog again." 859 00:37:46,599 --> 00:37:48,179 - Ric played the part. Ric was the part 860 00:37:48,226 --> 00:37:50,306 and never forgot it. 861 00:37:50,353 --> 00:37:53,613 - All night long! Whoo! 862 00:37:53,648 --> 00:37:55,528 - In Evolution, Flair found new life 863 00:37:55,567 --> 00:37:57,487 doing what he did best: 864 00:37:57,527 --> 00:37:58,487 breaking the rules. 865 00:37:58,528 --> 00:38:01,278 - And a low blow. 866 00:38:01,322 --> 00:38:03,702 - It was a huge plus in my life, 867 00:38:03,742 --> 00:38:06,082 you know, to kind of be where I was a year ago 868 00:38:06,119 --> 00:38:07,789 and kind of down on the business 869 00:38:07,829 --> 00:38:10,579 and, you know, not really happy with myself and my role, 870 00:38:10,623 --> 00:38:12,293 and now things just keep getting 871 00:38:12,334 --> 00:38:13,844 bigger and better for me. 872 00:38:13,877 --> 00:38:15,667 - When he got that groove back, 873 00:38:15,712 --> 00:38:17,092 look out, man. 874 00:38:17,130 --> 00:38:19,550 - Flair's done it! Flair's done it! 875 00:38:19,591 --> 00:38:22,761 The Nature Boy is the intercontinental champion! 876 00:38:22,802 --> 00:38:24,512 - It brought new life into him. 877 00:38:24,554 --> 00:38:25,764 - Whoo. - Whoo! 878 00:38:25,805 --> 00:38:27,175 - Whoo! - Whoo! 879 00:38:27,223 --> 00:38:29,143 - We're having a whoo fest. - Oh, my gosh. 880 00:38:29,184 --> 00:38:30,354 - Whoo! Whoo! 881 00:38:30,393 --> 00:38:32,063 Whoo! 882 00:38:32,103 --> 00:38:34,313 I was back here, wrestling full time, and it was fun. 883 00:38:34,356 --> 00:38:37,686 - The maestro, the Man for four decades. 884 00:38:37,734 --> 00:38:39,694 - He's been in our lives for so long, 885 00:38:39,736 --> 00:38:42,066 but he's been remarkably consistent. 886 00:38:42,113 --> 00:38:45,583 - 16-time world heavyweight champion. 887 00:38:45,617 --> 00:38:48,447 - With Ric Flair now in the twilight of his career, 888 00:38:48,495 --> 00:38:50,035 something unexpected happened. 889 00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:52,370 The bad guy had become beloved. 890 00:38:52,415 --> 00:38:57,795 - The level of respect that you have paid me is unbelievable. 891 00:38:58,922 --> 00:39:01,682 - My dad has always been a bad guy. 892 00:39:01,716 --> 00:39:03,386 The difference is, now he's beloved 893 00:39:03,426 --> 00:39:06,806 because he's that respected, because he is the industry. 894 00:39:06,846 --> 00:39:08,886 - So when it got to the end and you went, 895 00:39:08,932 --> 00:39:11,852 "Oh, he may not get to be that guy 896 00:39:11,893 --> 00:39:13,193 I loved to boo anymore." 897 00:39:13,228 --> 00:39:18,268 - And I love being the Nature Boy! 898 00:39:18,316 --> 00:39:21,606 - Nobody really wants to let that go. 899 00:39:21,653 --> 00:39:24,613 - To appreciate him now so much just 900 00:39:24,656 --> 00:39:26,486 for everything that he's done. 901 00:39:26,533 --> 00:39:30,793 - It no longer became about hero-villain. 902 00:39:30,829 --> 00:39:33,459 It just became about contribution, 903 00:39:33,498 --> 00:39:37,338 which was as much, if not more 904 00:39:37,377 --> 00:39:40,297 than any other name that you could mention. 905 00:39:40,338 --> 00:39:44,718 - The chairman of the WWE, Mr. McMahon, made the mandate 906 00:39:44,759 --> 00:39:46,719 that the next match that Flair lost, 907 00:39:46,761 --> 00:39:48,681 he would retire. 908 00:39:48,722 --> 00:39:51,602 - The next match that you lose, Ric, 909 00:39:51,641 --> 00:39:54,311 will be your last. 910 00:39:54,352 --> 00:39:58,362 And Ric insisted that he needed to beat the best, 911 00:39:58,398 --> 00:40:02,608 because to be the man, you've got to beat the Man. 912 00:40:02,652 --> 00:40:04,612 - Shawn Michaels, 913 00:40:04,654 --> 00:40:10,244 I want to wrestle you at WrestleMania. 914 00:40:10,285 --> 00:40:12,865 - And if Ric couldn't beat Shawn Michaels, 915 00:40:12,912 --> 00:40:15,922 then Ric didn't want to do this anymore. 916 00:40:15,957 --> 00:40:17,577 - From my standpoint, 917 00:40:17,625 --> 00:40:20,625 it was something that I really took seriously. 918 00:40:20,670 --> 00:40:23,130 I can show the love and appreciation 919 00:40:23,173 --> 00:40:27,393 that I had for the guy that I watched growing up. 920 00:40:27,427 --> 00:40:31,427 It would be my honor to wrestle you at WrestleMania. 921 00:40:33,350 --> 00:40:36,480 - In 2008, Ric Flair's farewell match 922 00:40:36,519 --> 00:40:39,309 was a fitting celebration of an epic career. 923 00:40:39,356 --> 00:40:43,026 - Tonight, we celebrate Nature Boy Ric Flair. 924 00:40:43,068 --> 00:40:44,358 - Whoo! 925 00:40:48,156 --> 00:40:52,656 - The look on Shawn Michael's face tells a story. 926 00:40:52,702 --> 00:40:54,912 Flair wants to fight. 927 00:40:59,709 --> 00:41:02,459 - My God, what a shot! 928 00:41:02,504 --> 00:41:05,594 all: One, two, three. 929 00:41:05,632 --> 00:41:08,012 [match bell chimes] 930 00:41:08,051 --> 00:41:10,141 - It's one of my fondest memories. 931 00:41:12,639 --> 00:41:17,019 - Over 70,000 fans paying their respects 932 00:41:17,060 --> 00:41:20,940 to the greatest to ever lace a pair of boots. 933 00:41:22,315 --> 00:41:26,855 - I was blown away, like, to see the respect, 934 00:41:26,903 --> 00:41:31,533 and have the farewell that he did. 935 00:41:31,574 --> 00:41:32,624 It was incredible. 936 00:41:32,659 --> 00:41:33,949 [emotional music] 937 00:41:33,993 --> 00:41:35,833 - To have that reception 938 00:41:35,870 --> 00:41:39,210 was really the ultimate achievement. 939 00:41:39,249 --> 00:41:40,829 - The WrestleMania farewell 940 00:41:40,875 --> 00:41:43,245 closed an important chapter in the book of Ric Flair. 941 00:41:44,587 --> 00:41:47,217 But the Nature Boy wasn't done just yet. 942 00:41:53,972 --> 00:41:56,982 - Last night, I wrestled 943 00:41:57,017 --> 00:42:02,307 my very last match at WrestleMania. 944 00:42:02,355 --> 00:42:04,265 You shouldn't be sad about the fact 945 00:42:04,315 --> 00:42:06,895 that you're not gonna see me out here. 946 00:42:06,943 --> 00:42:09,073 You should really rejoice in the fact 947 00:42:09,112 --> 00:42:14,242 that I have had the greatest wrestling career 948 00:42:14,284 --> 00:42:17,084 in the history of pro wrestling! 949 00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:20,710 [cheers and applause] 950 00:42:20,749 --> 00:42:23,129 - Ric Flair's one-of-a-kind personality 951 00:42:23,168 --> 00:42:25,048 is still influencing society. 952 00:42:25,086 --> 00:42:27,296 - Stylin' and profilin'. 953 00:42:27,339 --> 00:42:30,129 - Perhaps no superstar in history 954 00:42:30,175 --> 00:42:33,215 has more influence on pop culture than Ric Flair. 955 00:42:33,261 --> 00:42:35,681 - Can I get two claps and a Ric Flair? 956 00:42:35,722 --> 00:42:36,722 all: Whoo! 957 00:42:36,765 --> 00:42:38,845 - Whoo! - Whoo! 958 00:42:38,892 --> 00:42:42,152 - He is so influential, people doing the Ric Flair strut 959 00:42:42,187 --> 00:42:43,557 and whooing during games. 960 00:42:43,605 --> 00:42:45,315 all: Whoo! 961 00:42:45,357 --> 00:42:46,607 - I don't think I ever would have realized 962 00:42:46,649 --> 00:42:48,649 how much that would have transcended 963 00:42:48,693 --> 00:42:50,863 and become such an amazing part of pop culture. 964 00:42:50,904 --> 00:42:53,374 - Whoo! To be the man, 965 00:42:53,406 --> 00:42:56,026 you've got to beat the Man, okay? 966 00:42:56,076 --> 00:42:58,366 - Rolex-wearin'... all: Whoo! 967 00:42:58,411 --> 00:43:00,001 - Kiss-stealing... all: Whoo! 968 00:43:00,038 --> 00:43:02,168 - Wheeling, dealing... all: Whoo! 969 00:43:02,207 --> 00:43:04,827 - Limousine-riding... all: Whoo! 970 00:43:04,876 --> 00:43:06,706 - Ric Flair. all: Whoo! 971 00:43:06,753 --> 00:43:08,003 - Son of a gun. all: Whoo! 972 00:43:08,046 --> 00:43:10,216 - It endeared him to many people. 973 00:43:10,256 --> 00:43:13,926 Post Malone wanted to meet him. [laughs] 974 00:43:13,968 --> 00:43:17,008 - Post Malone, my man. Whoo! 975 00:43:17,055 --> 00:43:18,425 all: Whoo! 976 00:43:18,473 --> 00:43:20,433 - * Whoo! I got the Ric Flair * 977 00:43:20,475 --> 00:43:22,885 * Limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing * 978 00:43:22,936 --> 00:43:24,846 * Wheeling, dealing son of a gun * 979 00:43:24,896 --> 00:43:26,396 - All those records are dope. 980 00:43:26,439 --> 00:43:28,569 All of those can be directly attributed 981 00:43:28,608 --> 00:43:29,978 to how Flair made us feel. 982 00:43:30,026 --> 00:43:32,356 His relevancy is unmatched. 983 00:43:32,404 --> 00:43:35,704 There has never been someone as loved or hated 984 00:43:35,740 --> 00:43:37,080 but followed as Ric Flair. 985 00:43:37,117 --> 00:43:38,657 - Whoo! Whoo! 986 00:43:38,702 --> 00:43:40,372 - He's such a GOAT that he was relevant to me 987 00:43:40,412 --> 00:43:43,042 when I was 5; he's relevant to me at 45. 988 00:43:43,081 --> 00:43:45,461 That's a 40-year span of being 989 00:43:45,500 --> 00:43:48,380 one of the absolute best villainous characters 990 00:43:48,420 --> 00:43:50,460 in a sports and entertainment world. 991 00:43:50,505 --> 00:43:51,625 - I love women. 992 00:43:51,673 --> 00:43:53,843 I'll take that as a compliment. Whoo! 993 00:43:53,883 --> 00:43:56,553 - He appealed to the different senses of entertainers 994 00:43:56,594 --> 00:43:59,724 and athletes that made you continually like him. 995 00:43:59,764 --> 00:44:01,024 - Whoo! 996 00:44:01,057 --> 00:44:03,477 I influenced culture. [laughs] 997 00:44:03,518 --> 00:44:04,598 - * Heyo * 998 00:44:04,644 --> 00:44:07,614 [dramatic music] 999 00:44:07,647 --> 00:44:08,937 * * 1000 00:44:08,982 --> 00:44:10,862 - A two-time hall of famer, 1001 00:44:10,900 --> 00:44:13,450 the Nature Boy's incredible legacy inside the ring 1002 00:44:13,486 --> 00:44:16,276 shines through a new Flair these days. 1003 00:44:16,322 --> 00:44:19,582 - Charlotte Flair was built for the grand stage. 1004 00:44:19,617 --> 00:44:21,907 - Bow down to the Queen. 1005 00:44:21,953 --> 00:44:24,793 - Known as the Queen, his daughter, Charlotte Flair, 1006 00:44:24,831 --> 00:44:27,041 possesses the same narcissistic traits 1007 00:44:27,083 --> 00:44:28,923 as her father. 1008 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:33,470 - No one compares to me. 1009 00:44:33,506 --> 00:44:36,506 Whoo! 1010 00:44:36,551 --> 00:44:38,221 - Whoo! 1011 00:44:38,261 --> 00:44:39,931 - As good as Ric Flair was, 1012 00:44:39,971 --> 00:44:43,601 how head and shoulders he was above everybody at his time, 1013 00:44:43,641 --> 00:44:45,981 I think the same goes to Charlotte. 1014 00:44:46,019 --> 00:44:48,859 - My daughter does stuff now that nobody can do. 1015 00:44:48,897 --> 00:44:50,857 - This is incredible! 1016 00:44:50,899 --> 00:44:53,649 - The best female athlete in the history of our business. 1017 00:44:53,693 --> 00:44:57,953 - When you talk about the pride that Ric Flair has had... 1018 00:44:57,989 --> 00:45:01,989 - $1,000 shoes, big Rolex watches. 1019 00:45:02,035 --> 00:45:05,535 - Now we realize that he's showing pride 1020 00:45:05,580 --> 00:45:08,790 in what may be his greatest creation. 1021 00:45:08,833 --> 00:45:10,963 And it wasn't the alligator shoes. 1022 00:45:11,002 --> 00:45:12,802 It was Charlotte. 1023 00:45:12,837 --> 00:45:16,167 - A 12-time women's champion. 1024 00:45:16,216 --> 00:45:17,626 - Well, I'm like, I'm 5'10", 1025 00:45:17,676 --> 00:45:19,296 I'm blonde, and I'm super athletic. 1026 00:45:19,344 --> 00:45:20,934 What is there not to like? 1027 00:45:20,970 --> 00:45:22,350 Oh, yeah, but my last name's Flair. 1028 00:45:22,389 --> 00:45:24,469 I am a franchise player. 1029 00:45:24,516 --> 00:45:26,886 - Custom-made from head to toe. 1030 00:45:26,935 --> 00:45:28,345 - A genuine superstar. 1031 00:45:28,395 --> 00:45:31,015 - The greatest wrestler of all time. 1032 00:45:32,273 --> 00:45:33,363 - That's what he always told me. 1033 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:36,030 You have to be unapologetic. 1034 00:45:36,069 --> 00:45:40,779 Long live the Queen! 1035 00:45:40,824 --> 00:45:46,834 - Whoo! The Nature Boy is here to stay forever and ever. 1036 00:45:46,871 --> 00:45:49,711 Whoo! 1037 00:45:51,292 --> 00:45:52,792 - So what are we to make 1038 00:45:52,836 --> 00:45:54,496 of the Nature Boy Ric Flair? 1039 00:45:54,546 --> 00:45:57,416 - You pattern your life after Ric Flair, 1040 00:45:57,465 --> 00:45:59,425 and you'll be someone. 1041 00:45:59,467 --> 00:46:01,797 - He believed he was the best 'cause he was the best. 1042 00:46:01,845 --> 00:46:03,175 I believe he was the best 1043 00:46:03,221 --> 00:46:04,351 'cause he told me he was the best. 1044 00:46:04,389 --> 00:46:06,599 It's a circle like that. It's weird. 1045 00:46:06,641 --> 00:46:10,521 - Really hard to believe that so much man 1046 00:46:10,562 --> 00:46:13,192 could be wrapped in such a good-looking package. 1047 00:46:13,231 --> 00:46:15,441 - He was cocky. He was arrogant. 1048 00:46:15,483 --> 00:46:18,033 And he was great at making me hate his guts. 1049 00:46:18,069 --> 00:46:19,609 - If you're a lawyer 1050 00:46:19,654 --> 00:46:22,664 who wishes he was making the money I'm making, 1051 00:46:22,699 --> 00:46:25,239 you better sit down and shut up! 1052 00:46:25,285 --> 00:46:28,365 - He insulted us. He made us jealous. 1053 00:46:28,413 --> 00:46:31,923 - My shoes cost more than your house. 1054 00:46:31,958 --> 00:46:35,128 - But above all, he always entertained us. 1055 00:46:35,170 --> 00:46:40,050 - Bright lights, big city, it is Nature Boy! 1056 00:46:40,091 --> 00:46:41,431 - It doesn't matter 1057 00:46:41,468 --> 00:46:43,298 if he's the dirtiest player in the game. 1058 00:46:43,345 --> 00:46:44,885 It doesn't matter how full of himself he is. 1059 00:46:44,929 --> 00:46:47,849 It doesn't matter if you want what he has. 1060 00:46:47,891 --> 00:46:49,731 - [laughing] 1061 00:46:49,768 --> 00:46:51,308 - He's Ric Flair. 1062 00:46:51,353 --> 00:46:53,693 - I'm a kiss-stealing, wheeling, dealing, 1063 00:46:53,730 --> 00:46:54,940 limousine-riding, 1064 00:46:54,981 --> 00:46:58,231 jet-flying son of a gun. 1065 00:46:58,276 --> 00:47:00,066 With me, what you see is what you get. 1066 00:47:00,111 --> 00:47:02,161 Hasn't changed in 72 years. 1067 00:47:02,197 --> 00:47:04,367 [laughing] 1068 00:47:04,407 --> 00:47:06,077 - He didn't think about it. He just did it. 1069 00:47:06,117 --> 00:47:07,577 I'm gonna make you hate me, 1070 00:47:07,619 --> 00:47:09,829 and I'm gonna do it every single night. 1071 00:47:09,871 --> 00:47:12,041 Was my dad justified? 1072 00:47:12,082 --> 00:47:15,172 He's a 16-time world heavyweight champion. 1073 00:47:15,210 --> 00:47:16,130 You tell me. 1074 00:47:16,169 --> 00:47:17,919 - Diamonds are forever, 1075 00:47:17,962 --> 00:47:19,342 and so is Ric Flair. 1076 00:47:19,381 --> 00:47:22,471 [echoing] Whoo!