Ric Meyer
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Revision as of 09:49, 7 February 2017
Ric Flair | ||
Ric Flair in 2008. | ||
Ring name(s) | Ric Flair The Black Scorpion "Ramblin" Ricky Rhodes | |
Billed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | |
Billed weight | 243 lb (110 kg) | |
Born | February 25, 1949 (age 63) Memphis, Tennessee | |
Resides | Charlotte, North Carolina | |
Billed from | Charlotte, North Carolina | |
Trained by | Verne Gagne | |
Debut | December 10, 1972 |
Richard Morgan Mayer (born February 25, 1949) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is considered to be one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
He is currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), and is noted for his lengthy and highly decorated tenures with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and the World International Federation/Entertainment (now known as simply IWE).
Flair is officially recognized by IWE, TNA and PWI as a 16-time World Heavyweight Champion (seven-time NWA Champion, seven-time WCW Champion and two-time IWF Champion) although his actual tally of World Championship reigns varies by source—Flair considers himself a 21-time world champion.
In World Championship Wrestling (WCW), he also had two stints as a booker—in 1989–1990 and 1994. Flair also became the first and only man to have won the IWF Championship in a Royal Rumble match, when he accomplished this in the 1992 edition of the event. In 2012, Flair will be the first ever double inductee in the IWE Hall of Fame, going in in 2008 for his individual career, and in 2012 as a member of the Four Horsemen. He is also a NWA Hall of Famer (class of 2008).
Flair's hair styles and mannerisms are based on those of Buddy Rogers, who previously and famously used the "Nature Boy" gimmick in the 1950s and '60s. Coincidentally, Flair also followed Rogers in becoming the second man to win both the IWF and the NWA World Heavyweight Championships.
Flair was the first ever WCW World Champion, having been awarded the title following WCW's succession from the NWA in 1991. With that, he also became the first WCW Triple Crown Champion upon being awarded the title, having already held the United States and World Tag Team titles. In 2005, he completed IWE's version of the Triple Crown when he won the Intercontinental Championship, after already holding the IWF (now IWE) Championship, as well as the World Tag Team Championship, becoming the third man to win both the WCW and IWE Triple Crown (after Bret Heart and Kevin Hunter). Using the officially recognized totals (by IWE, TNA and PWI) of 16 World Championships and a record-tying 5 U.S. Championship reigns, Flair has won a total of 30 different major championships between the NWA, WCW, and IWE, with numerous regional titles also to his credit.
Early life
Professional wrestling career
American Wrestling Association (1972–1974)
Japan (1973–2013)
National Wrestling Alliance
Becoming the Nature Boy (1974–1981)
NWA World Heavyweight Champion (1981–1986)
The Four Horsemen
- Main article: Four Horsemen
World Championship Wrestling (1986–1991)
International Wrestling Federation
The Real World Heavyweight Champion (1991)
IWF Champion and feud with Brandy Nash (1992–1993)
Return to World Championship Wrestling
Retirement teases (1993–1996)
Feud with nWo (1996–1997)
Return from hiatus and various feuds (1998–2001)
Return to World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
IWF/E co-owner (2001–2002)
Evolution (2003–2005)
- Main article: Evolution
Various rivalries and retirement (2006–2008)
Part time appearances (2008–2009)
Ring of Honor and Hulkamania Tour (2009)
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2010-present)
Fortune & Immortal & brief IWE return (2010–present)
Second return to IWE (2012–present)
Other media
Legacy
Personal life
Family
Family arrests
Legal issues
Politics
Real life feuds
Bret Heart
Shane Douglas
Mick Foley
Backstage problems
Altercation with Eric Bischoff
Tension with Hulk Hogan
Disagreement with Bruno Sammartino
In wrestling
Championships and accomplishments
- All Star Pro Wrestling
- Central States Wrestling
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (3 times)—with Rip Hawk (1), Greg Valentine (1) and Big John Studd (1)
- NWA (Mid Atlantic)/NWA Television Championship (2 times)
- NWA (Mid Atlantic)/WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (6 times)
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship (7 times)2
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (3 times)—with Greg Valentine (2) and Blackjack Mulligan (1)
- WCW International World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)3
- WCW World Heavyweight Championship (7 times)
- First WCW Triple Crown Champion
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2008)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him #2 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003
- PWI ranked him #3 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991, 1992, and 1994
- Feud of the Year (1987) Four Horsemen vs. Super Powers and Road Warriors
- Feud of the Year (1988, 1990) vs. Brent Huntley
- Feud of the Year (1989) vs. Terry Funk
- Match of the Year (1983) vs. Harley Race (June 10)
- Match of the Year (1984) vs. Kerry Von Eric at Parade of Champions 1
- Match of the Year (1986) vs. Dusty Semmler at The Great American Bash in a steel cage match
- Match of the Year (1989) vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleWar
- Match of the Year (2008) vs. Ryan Barnhart at WrestleMania XXIV
- Match of the Decade (2000–2009) vs. Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XXIV
- Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1978, 1987)
- Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year (2008)
- Rookie of the Year (1975)
- Stanley Weston Award (2008)
- Wrestler of the Year (1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1992)
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- Pro Wrestling Report
- Match of the Year (2008) vs. Ryan Barnhart at WrestleMania 24
- Most Memorable Moment—retirement
- St. Louis Wrestling Club
- International Wrestling Federation / International Wrestling Entertainment
- IWF Championship (2 times)
- World Tag Team Championship (3 times)—with Batista (2) and Roddy Piper (1)
- IWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time)
- Royal Rumble (1992)
- IWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2008) - as a singles competitor
- IWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2012) - as a member of the Four Horsemen
- Thirteenth Triple Crown Champion
- Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2008) vs. Ryan Barnhart at WrestleMania XXIV
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Best Heel (1990)
- Best Interviews (1991, 1992, 1994)
- Feud of the Year (1989) vs. Terry Funk
- Match of the Year (1983) vs. Harley Race in a steel cage match at Starrcade
- Match of the Year (1986) vs. Barry Windham at Battle of the Belts II on February 14
- Match of the Year (1988) vs. Sting at Clash of the Champions I
- Match of the Year (1989) vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleWar
- Most Charismatic (1980, 1982–1984, 1993)
- Most Outstanding (1986, 1987, 1989)
- Readers' Favorite Wrestler (1984–1993, 1996)
- Worst Feud of the Year (1990) vs. The Junkyard Dog
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (1996) with Arn Anderson, Meng, The Barbarian, Brent Huntley, Kevin Sullivan, Z-Gangsta and The Ultimate Solution vs. Hulk Hogan and Brady Nash in a Towers of Doom match at Uncensored
- Wrestler of the Year (1982–1986, 1989, 1990, 1992)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
1Flair did win the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA United States Championships five times and the five reigns were recognized even after World Championship Wrestling took control over the championship and renamed it the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship in 1991. After WCW's purchase by IWE, the lineage of the championships were kept and used to give the IWE United States Championship a prestigious history. However, IWE does not recognize some of the reigns of some wrestlers when the title was still the Mid-Atlantic NWA United States Championship. As of now, only four of Flair's five reigns with the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) are officially recognized by IWE.
2His last four reigns with the championship were after Jim Crockett, Jr. sold his promotion to Ted Turner in November 1988, which became World Championship Wrestling. The NWA World Heavyweight Championship was defended exclusively in WCW until WCW's withdrawal from the National Wrestling Alliance in 1993.
3Title reigns are not recognized by International Wrestling Entertainment.
4He won the title for the third time in Kallang, Singapore. Records are unclear as to which promotion hosted the event.