#89 – Ric Flair’s Last Match

The scholars react to Ric Flair’s Last Match, both the event and the match – and look at the lengthy career and complicated legacy of the Nature Boy. WOO!!! Before diving into the meat of the episode, the scholars react to SummerSlam, focusing on the Last Man Standing match between Roman and Brock, and the […]

The scholars react to Ric Flair’s Last Match, both the event and the match – and look at the lengthy career and complicated legacy of the Nature Boy. WOO!!!

Before diving into the meat of the episode, the scholars react to SummerSlam, focusing on the Last Man Standing match between Roman and Brock, and the Becky and Bianca match and the subsequent fallout. They discuss early changes in WWE’s post-Vince era, and why it has them excited for what’s to come. (00:35)

Then, the scholars talk about Ric Flair – who he is, what he means to wrestling in and out of the ring, his gimmick, the things he credited in creating, and why it’s unsurprising that this isn’t his first retirement match. (22:15)

Then our scholars do a career retrospective on the life of Ric Flair; from his beginnings as part of an illegal adoption agency, to his early wrestling years and plane crash, through his ascent to best in the world status in the 80s as the Nature Boy, to his brief but memorable run in WWE in the 90s, to why he wasn’t used properly in WCW, to his role in Evolution and critically acclaimed retirement match, to his disastrous run in TNA, and all the pitfalls and tragedies along the way. (36:20)

Finally, the scholars review the good, bad, and ugly of Ric Flair’s Last Match- fake heart attacks included. They discuss how and if it changes his legacy, and why his post-match comments were troubling. (1:32:10)

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