It's a common opinion among many pro wrestling fans that "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair is the greatest wrestler in the history of the business. He is the sixteen time World Champion and possibly the most beloved in-ring worker of all time.
Flair spent most of the 1980s as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, traveling around the globe defending the title. He feuded with the likes of Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, The Von Erich's, Magnum TA, just to name a few. He built the reputation of classy champion with his custom robes, his designer suits and his unmatched charisma. He was loved by many fans around the country, especially in the Carolina's, where he made a name and home for himself. He also spent time as a magnificent heel. In that role, he formed the greatest stable in history-The Four Horsemen.
Flair and The Four Horsemen took the wrestling world by storm. In the NWA they held all the gold. They cut the best promos, you believed that they were better than everyone else. They did this with steadfast confidence and backed it up with undeniable ability in the ring. Flair and his brethren solidified their claims by living the lifestyle outside of the ring as well.
The stable would see many variations, but the backbone was always Ric Flair. He achieved brief success in WWE as well, before returning to the eventual WCW and stalling in a sustained lull due to bad booking. However, this couldn't tarnish his legacy as his foundation was strong enough to weather the storm.
After WCW's demise, eventually Flair returned to his glory as a prevalent performer in WWE in the twilight of his storied career. Again, he assisted in the development of young stars in the faction of Evolution.
He put the final touches on his legendary career with a classic match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV and a trip into the WWE Hall of Fame.
The Nature Boy will unquestionably remain on the top of lists of greatest wrestlers. To quote Flair, "to be the man, you have to beat the man", he made a career proving that point. Woooo!
