To the untrained eye the 16 time world heavyweight champion Ric Flair looks like a proud legend who's sticking around to pass the torch the respectful way. The fact that we've been hearing the 16 time world heavyweight champion phrase for years now is the first lesson that untrained eye should learn at wrestling school. He isn't going to win that title ever again. In the best case scenario Ric Flair would have retired way before the 16 mark and we'd be looking back fondly saying "it's just not like the Ric Flair days." But he didn't and day after day we see the grizzled veteran who once flaunted himself in designer clothes, walk to the ring, take a sidewards backdrop and whooo when he can be bothered. Its time you all trained those eyes because The Nature Boy isn't sticking around because he loves the business, wants to pass the torch or because he's delusional and thinks he's still got it. Ric Flair is still wrestling because he has to. Do you really think a 58 year old man with countless nagging injuries, a serious inner ear problem and a legacy that shouldn't be tarnished would show up every day and lose to Carlito? No he'd be riding in his private jet and sipping wine that's twice his age.
If we go by what Ken Kennedy believed wrestling was like in Flair's day. Flair would have been partying all night, guzzling steroids and pills and living the rock star life. And to put it bluntly that's what he did for years and eventually lived beyond his means racking up a hefty debt to the IRS. As of this day, Ric Flair wrestles to eat. In 2005 Flair wasn't limousine riding with some fine women in the back, he was driving his pickup truck and then continued to attack another motorist because he was pissed about his divorce.
We all thought the Benoit tragedy was a shock, but it really wasn't. Flair's wife Beth filed for divorce citing alleged steroid use and alcohol abuse, in addition to incidents where he allegedly slapped, kicked, choked, and bit her. Whoo Flair's living the high life baby.
Ok, Ok it's turning in to a nasty rant. Flair "was" the man and I respect his career to the up most degree, but he is a prime example of how the wrestling culture can cause problems later in life. We hear stories about these wrestlers who are now old, washed up and lucky to be alive. They are bitter, have no money to show for their career and are constantly in pain. Yes they chose to live like that, yes WWE are not entirely responsible and yes not all wrestlers turned out that way, but when the most popular, most well respected and most talented wrestler in history is turning out like that then there really are problems.
If WWE had any heart they would pay off Ric's debts, buy him a home out right and finally let him relax, but no. They'd rather have Edge imitate Ric Flair's road rage and rub it in his face that they own him and that he has to work for them now WCW is dead. Give him a job in creative like Dusty. I'm sure Flair has better writing skills than the son of a plumber. Currently The American Dream picks up three paychecks from WWE. One for being a legend (24/7 and all that baloney,) one for being on the creative team and one for being semi active on TV as a performer. Ric gets a mid carders allowance with less benefits than the janitor, he wrestles a full house show schedule unlike HBK and Taker and regularly gets humiliated on TV by either losing to jobbers or by stupid imitations of his unfortunate real life issues.
How did Ric Flair go from designer to desperate?
It's been a long time since I posted a column outside the realms of my own real estate but I think I might get back in to it. If you enjoy my stuff visit my site http://wrestlingtruth.com
Thanks for reading.
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