Was Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes the best rivalry in wrestling?

How many people can say that they have a shirt with two of their favorite wrestlers on it? I CAN.

This post is inspired by a T-shirt I purchased at Shibe Vintage Sports in Philadelphia. While myself and other members of the TSFJ family canvased through a bevy of cool shirts, the great Dillon Friday spotted one with Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes.

At that time, two things crossed my mind: One was “I have to buy the T-shirt!” and the other was a question for true wrestling fans. Is the rivalry between Flair and Rhodes the best in wrestling history?

As I glared in awe of the shirt, my mind flashed back to the great matches of the two wrestling gods etched on the tee. I reminisced about Starrcade in 1985, the infamous cage match at the Great American Bash and other matches that made their rivalry unlike any other.

Leaving the store, I wanted to style and profile down South 13th Street, but I didn’t want to embarrass my friends. On the other end, I was close to running down Rhodes’ famous “Hard Times” promo because I spent extra money. Although I put a small dent in my bank account, it was worth every penny.

In the 1980s, the duo aided the meteoric rise of pro wrestling. While Hulk Hogan gets a ton of credit and rightfully so, Flair and Rhodes brought an element of entertainment, classic promo and one-of-a-kind wrestling matches that put the sport in a different stratosphere.

To call the rivalry between Flair and Rhodes the best in wrestling history is not a stretch. Their styles of wrestling may not resonate with the fans of today, but separately and together, they were spectacular. Their showmanship created a rare chemistry. It also helped that their characters were polar opposites from each other. The weekly conundrum fans faced of picking between the two heightened their interests.

In the ring, Flair was a showman as seen with his sparkling robes and fancy boots. On top of the runway look, he always surrounded himself around beautiful women. Flair’s style in the squared circle was braggadocios, dramatic and manipulative compared to his nemesis. Like Rhodes, what made Flair so great was his ability to use words. It was Muhammad Ali-like, and fans fed off of his charisma. He often boasted about his Rolex watches, limousines, parades of women and, of course, the alligator shoes.