The Final Months of Ric Flair Wrestling in WWE

When Ric Flair returned from a hiatus at the end of 2007, he revealed to the fans that he would never retire from wrestling. This led to a frustrated Mr. McMahon coming down to the ring and berating Flair. McMahon angrily stated to Flair that every match of his will affect his future as an in-ring performer. If Flair were to lose another match, his career would be over.

This test started with Flair going against the then-WWE Champion, Randy Orton. Where it seemed that Orton was going to gain the victory, his rival, Chris Jericho, cost Orton the match, leading to Flair hitting a distracted Orton with a low-blow and rolling up to pick up the win. 

Unfortunately for Flair, his win over the champion was not enough to solidify himself. Flair was then ordered to wrestle one of his closest friends in wrestling, Triple H. This time, it was more than Flair’s career on the line. If Triple H lost to Flair, then he would be out of the Royal Rumble Match.

When it came to Triple H nearing a win on Flair, RAW General Manager William Regal pulled Flair to the apron and knocked him out with brass knuckles. This infuriated Triple H, as this meant Flair won via disqualification. 

Ric Flair’s Road to WrestleMania

At the start of 2008, Flair was facing challengers all across RAW and SmackDown. From beating talent such as William Regal, MVP, and Mr. Kennedy, it was inevitable that he would face someone who was at his level in wrestling. WrestleMania 24 was coming closer and closer, and Flair may have met his competition. Flair believed that Shawn Michaels would be a great opponent for him at WrestleMania.

On the other side, Michaels refused Flair’s WrestleMania challenge. Michaels didn’t want to wrestle Flair at WrestleMania because he felt that he would be responsible for ending the careers of someone he idolized. 

Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV

Being the resilient person Flair is, he was not taking no for an answer. Eventually, Michaels accepted Flair’s challenge, and they pulled an instant classic. At that point, it wasn’t just about Flair’s possible last matchup. It was about who was the best between two legends from different eras.

A match at that caliber made it evident that Flair was retiring. On the night before WrestleMania, Flair was inducted into the 2008 Hall of Fame. That induction brought more signs to the end of “The Nature Boy” as he delivered a long, heartfelt speech to the audience.

When Michaels and Flair went at it, they pulled no misses. From Michaels missed moonsault at ringside, to his dramatic “Sweet Chin Music” to Flair, everything was perfect. It was a full circle for even the referee, Charles Robinson, who was portrayed as “Lil’ Naitch” back in WCW.

The match was praised by wrestling fans and critics as it received such a positive reception. That bout was considered match of the night, and it was a great way to send off Flair. 

In front of Flair’s friends and family, he was able to leave with his head held high. The next night on RAW, Flair received a standard ovation from the entire WWE staff and fans. The round of applause brought so much emotion throughout the whole arena. With Fuel’s “Leave the Memories Alone” playing as the background music, it was regarded as one of the greatest farewells in WWE history.