Career Timeline of Ric Flair: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Ric Flair built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Ric Flair, born Richard Morgan Fliehr, is a highly celebrated and now retired American professional wrestler. He's broadly recognized as one of wrestling's all-time greats, with a career that extended for half a century. Flair achieved significant success and acclaim in the professional wrestling world.
1971: Wrestling Training
In the winter of 1971, Ric Flair trained as a professional wrestler with Verne Gagne at his first wrestling camp outside Minneapolis.
December 10, 1972: Wrestling Debut
On December 10, 1972, Ric Flair made his professional wrestling debut in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, battling George "Scrap Iron" Gadaski to a 10-minute draw while adopting the ring name Ric Flair.
1973: First Appearances in Japan
In 1973, Ric Flair made his first appearances in Japan with International Wrestling Enterprise (IWE) as part of an agreement between IWE and AWA, competing in IWE's "Big Summer Series" against various opponents.
May 13, 1974: NWA Debut
On May 13, 1974, Ric Flair debuted in Jim Crockett's Mid-Atlantic region in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), defeating Abe Jacobs.
February 9, 1975: Mid-Atlantic Television Championship Victory
On February 9, 1975, Ric Flair won his first singles title, defeating Paul Jones for the Mid-Atlantic Television Championship.
1975: Career Defining Plane Crash
In 1975, Ric Flair faced a career-threatening plane crash on October 4 in Wilmington, North Carolina, resulting in a broken back and a prognosis that he might never wrestle again. Also in 1975, on February 9, Flair captured his first singles title by defeating Paul Jones for the Mid-Atlantic Television Championship, holding it until August 8 when he lost it back to Jones. Later in 1975, Flair defeated Wahoo McDaniel on September 20 for the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship in a title vs. hair match.
January 1976: Return to Wrestling
In January 1976, Ric Flair returned to the ring just three months after a near-fatal plane crash, resuming his feud with Wahoo McDaniel.
May 3, 1976: Loss of Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship
On May 3, 1976, Ric Flair lost the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship back to Wahoo McDaniel.
April 4, 1977: Second Mid-Atlantic Television Championship
On April 4, 1977, Ric Flair defeated Rufus R. Jones to win his second Mid-Atlantic Television Championship during his tag team championship reign.
March 30, 1978: Stripped of Tag Team Championship
On March 30, 1978, Ric Flair and Greg Valentine were stripped of the World Tag Team Championship by NWA management due to continuously ending their matches via disqualification.
April 27, 1978: Flair challenges for the NWA United National Championship
On April 27, 1978, Ric Flair challenged for the NWA United National Championship but was unsuccessful.
April 1, 1979: Third United States Heavyweight Championship
On April 1, 1979, Ric Flair defeated Ricky Steamboat in a steel cage match to win his third United States Heavyweight Championship.
April 20, 1980: Fourth United States Heavyweight Championship
On April 20, 1980, Ric Flair defeated Jimmy Snuka to win the United States Heavyweight Championship for a fourth time.
January 27, 1981: Loss of US Title to Roddy Piper
On January 27, 1981, Ric Flair lost the United States Heavyweight Championship to Roddy Piper in a title versus title match, where Flair's title and Piper's Television Championship were on the line.
September 17, 1981: First NWA World Heavyweight Championship
On September 17, 1981, Ric Flair defeated Dusty Rhodes for his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
January 6, 1983: Unsanctioned Title Loss
On January 6, 1983, Ric Flair experienced an unsanctioned title loss to Carlos Colón Sr. in Puerto Rico, which was not officially recognized by the NWA.
March 1984: Title Exchanges in New Zealand and Singapore
In March 1984, Ric Flair lost the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Harley Race, but regained it in the span of three days in New Zealand and Singapore.
October 21, 1985: Flair wrestles Rick Martel in a double title match
On October 21, 1985, Ric Flair wrestled Rick Martel in a double title match, where Flair defended the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and challenged for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, but the match ended in a double countout.
July 26, 1986: Loss of Title to Dusty Rhodes
On July 26, 1986, Ric Flair lost the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Dusty Rhodes at The Great American Bash in a Steel Cage Match.
September 25, 1987: Flair loses NWA World Heavyweight Championship
On September 25, 1987, Ric Flair lost the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Ron Garvin in Detroit.
November 26, 1987: Flair regains NWA World Heavyweight Championship at Starrcade
On November 26, 1987, Ric Flair regained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Ron Garvin at WCW's first pay-per-view event, Starrcade, held in Chicago.
February 20, 1989: Ricky Steamboat wins NWA World Heavyweight Championship
On February 20, 1989, at Chi-Town Rumble in Chicago, Ricky Steamboat defeated Ric Flair to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
May 7, 1989: Flair defeats Steamboat to regain the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
On May 7, 1989, at WrestleWar, Ric Flair regained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Ricky Steamboat. This match was voted 1989's "Match of the Year" by Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
July 23, 1989: Flair defeats Terry Funk at The Great American Bash
On July 23, 1989, at The Great American Bash, Ric Flair defeated Terry Funk, which led to a feud and the reformation of The Four Horsemen.
July 7, 1990: Flair loses NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Sting
On July 7, 1990, Ric Flair dropped the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Sting at The Great American Bash.
January 11, 1991: Flair regains NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Sting
On January 11, 1991, after Sting was unmasked as The Black Scorpion at Starrcade in 1990, Ric Flair regained the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Sting.
May 19, 1991: Flair defeats Fujinami to reclaim the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
On May 19, 1991, at SuperBrawl I in St. Petersburg, Florida, Ric Flair defeated Tatsumi Fujinami to reclaim the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and retain the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
August 1991: Flair signs with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)
In August 1991, Ric Flair signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), marking a new chapter in his career.
February 1992: Flair faces Roddy Piper in inconclusive title-versus-title matches
In February 1992, Ric Flair faced Intercontinental Champion Roddy Piper in a series of inconclusive title-versus-title matches.
April 1992: Flair tours Japan with the SWS promotion
In April 1992, Ric Flair toured Japan with the Super World of Sports (SWS) promotion. He teamed with The Natural Disasters to defeat Ashura Hara, Genichiro Tenryu, and Takashi Ishikawa in a six-man tag team match.
July 1992: Flair and Mr. Perfect sow distrust between Savage and Warrior
In July 1992, as Savage prepared to defend the title against The Ultimate Warrior at SummerSlam, Flair and Mr. Perfect sowed distrust between the two by suggesting that they would back one or the other during their match.
September 15, 1992: Flair defends WWF Championship against Genichiro Tenryu
On September 15, 1992, Ric Flair defended the WWF Championship against Genichiro Tenryu at a Wrestle Association R event in Yokohama, Japan; the match ended in a draw.
November 1992: Flair teams with Razor Ramon at Survivor Series
In November 1992, Ric Flair teamed with Razor Ramon to take on Savage and Perfect at the Survivor Series.
1992: WrestleMania Headliner
In 1992, Ric Flair co-headlined WrestleMania after winning that year's Royal Rumble, marking a significant achievement in his career.
January 1993: Flair appears in the Royal Rumble
In January 1993, Ric Flair appeared in the Royal Rumble.
February 11, 1993: Flair makes his last appearance with the WWF
On February 11, 1993, Ric Flair made his last appearance with the WWF before returning to WCW, fulfilling his remaining house show commitments and participating in the WWF's "Winter Tour '93" of Europe.
February 1993: Flair triumphantly returns to WCW
In February 1993, Ric Flair returned to WCW as a hero, hosting a talk show called A Flair for the Gold due to a "no-compete" clause.
September 1993: WCW leaves the NWA
In September 1993, WCW left the NWA, during Flair's tenth reign as NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
June 1994: Unification Match and Alliance with Sherri
In June 1994, at Clash of the Champions XXVII, Ric Flair defeated Sting in a unification match, merging the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship with the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. This solidified Flair's heel turn after his alliance with Sherri was revealed, when she helped him win the match after pretending to side with Sting. Subsequently, Flair feuded with Hulk Hogan.
April 29, 1995: Match Against Antonio Inoki in North Korea
On April 29, 1995, Ric Flair wrestled Antonio Inoki in front of 190,000 spectators in Pyongyang, North Korea, at the May Day Stadium. This was a losing effort in a joint show between New Japan Pro-Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling.
December 1995: WCW World Heavyweight Championship Win at Starrcade
In December 1995 at Starrcade, Ric Flair won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Flair defeated Lex Luger and Sting by countout and then defeated Randy Savage with help from the Four Horsemen, marking a significant milestone in his career.
July 17, 1996: Flair challenges Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
On July 17, 1996, Ric Flair challenged Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in NJPW but was unsuccessful.
September 1996: WarGames Match Loss at Fall Brawl
In September 1996, at Fall Brawl, Ric Flair and Arn Anderson teamed with Sting and Lex Luger to lose to the nWo (Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and an impostor Sting) in the WarGames match when Luger submitted to the impostor Sting's Scorpion Deathlock.
October 1996: Jeff Jarrett's Attempt to Join The Four Horsemen
In October 1996, Jeff Jarrett came over to WCW from the WWF and wanted to join the Four Horsemen. Flair was in favor, but the other Horsemen were not.
February 1997: Jeff Jarrett Joins the Four Horsemen
In February 1997, Ric Flair finally let Jeff Jarrett join the Four Horsemen, despite the other members' reluctance.
July 1997: Jeff Jarrett Kicked Out of The Four Horsemen
In July 1997, Ric Flair kicked Jeff Jarrett out of The Four Horsemen due to the instability he caused within the group.
September 1997: Curt Hennig Turns on Flair and The Four Horsemen at Fall Brawl
In September 1997 at Fall Brawl, Curt Hennig turned on Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen after being offered a spot in the group, slamming the cage door onto Flair's head.
September 14, 1998: Surprise Return and Reformation of the Four Horsemen
On September 14, 1998, Ric Flair made a surprise return to WCW television and ceremoniously reformed the Four Horsemen with Steve McMichael, Dean Malenko, and Chris Benoit.
December 1998: Loss to Eric Bischoff at Starrcade
In December 1998, Ric Flair lost a match to Eric Bischoff at Starrcade after interference from Curt Hennig.
1998: WCW Appearances with Beth and Children
Between 1998 and 2000, Ric Flair's second wife, Beth, and their children made periodic appearances in WCW.
1999: David Flair in WCW
From 1999 to 2001, Ric Flair's elder son, David Flair, worked for WCW as a professional wrestler.
1999: Late Career
In 1999, Ric Flair was approaching the later stages of his wrestling career, continuing to perform in various wrestling promotions, maintaining his presence in the wrestling world.
2000: WCW Appearances with Beth and Children
Between 1998 and 2000, Ric Flair's second wife, Beth, and their children made periodic appearances in WCW.
March 2001: Final Nitro Match Against Sting
In March 2001, Ric Flair lost the final match of Nitro to Sting, recreating their second match from 1995, marking the end of WCW before its purchase by the WWF.
November 19, 2001: Return to WWF as Co-Owner
On November 19, 2001, Ric Flair made a return to the WWF on Raw following the end of the "WCW/ECW Invasion," taking on the on-screen role of co-owner of the WWF.
2001: David Flair in WCW
From 1999 to 2001, Ric Flair's elder son, David Flair, worked for WCW as a professional wrestler.
January 20, 2002: Street Fight Win Against Vince McMahon at Royal Rumble
On January 20, 2002, at the Royal Rumble, Ric Flair defeated Vince McMahon in a Street Fight.
September 2002: Heel Turn at Unforgiven
In September 2002 at Unforgiven, during a World Heavyweight Championship match between Triple H and Rob Van Dam, Ric Flair turned heel by interfering and helping Triple H win.
2002: David Flair in WWF
In 2002, Ric Flair's elder son, David Flair, made two televised appearances in the WWF during the run-up to WrestleMania X8.
June 2003: Win Over Shawn Michaels at Bad Blood
In June 2003 at Bad Blood, Ric Flair defeated Shawn Michaels after Randy Orton struck Michaels with a chair.
January 2004: World Tag Team Championship Defense at Royal Rumble
In January 2004 at the Royal Rumble, Ric Flair and Batista successfully defended the World Tag Team Championship against the Dudley Boyz in a tables match.
February 2004: World Tag Team Championship Defense with Batista
In February 2004, Ric Flair successfully defended the World Tag Team Championship with Batista against The Dudley Boyz twice.
February 7, 2005: Singles Match Loss to Shawn Michaels in Japan
On February 7, 2005, Ric Flair lost to Shawn Michaels in a singles match on Raw, broadcast from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.
2005: Last Heel turn
Ric Flair turned heel for the first time since 2005.
November 5, 2006: World Tag Team Championship Win at Cyber Sunday
On November 5, 2006, at Cyber Sunday, Ric Flair and Roddy Piper captured the World Tag Team Championship from the Spirit Squad.
November 26, 2006: Sole Survivor at Survivor Series
On November 26, 2006, at Survivor Series, Ric Flair was the sole survivor of a match against the Spirit Squad, teaming with Ron Simmons, Dusty Rhodes, and Sgt. Slaughter.
2006: "I Quit" Match at SummerSlam
In 2006, Ric Flair and Mick Foley worked a program where Flair took part in some of the bloodiest and most violent matches of his career, particularly at SummerSlam 2006, in an "I Quit" match featuring barbed wire and thumbtacks.
September 2007: Ric Flair Finance Opens
In September 2007, Ric Flair opened a financial business called Ric Flair Finance.
2007: Reid Flair Signs with WWE
Near the end of 2007, Ric Flair's younger son Reid Flair signed a developmental contract with WWE.
February 2008: Retirement Stipulation Matches in Japan
In February 2008, Ric Flair wrestled Mr. Kennedy and William Regal in Japan under the stipulation that he would retire if he lost.
March 31, 2008: Farewell Address on Raw
On March 31, 2008, Ric Flair delivered his farewell address on Raw. Many current and retired superstars came out to thank Flair, including Shawn Michaels, The Four Horsemen, Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race, Chris Jericho, The Undertaker, and Vince McMahon.
June 16, 2008: Post Retirement Appearance on Raw
On June 16, 2008, Flair made his first post-retirement appearance on Raw to confront Chris Jericho about his actions during a rivalry with Shawn Michaels. He challenged Jericho to a fight in the parking lot, but Triple H stopped Jericho.
March 2009: Ring of Honor Debut
In March 2009, Ric Flair signed with Ring of Honor (ROH) and appeared at the Stylin' And Profilin' event, clearing the ring after an ROH World Championship match. He served as the company's ambassador and appeared on Ring of Honor Wrestling in May to cement his role.
June 2009: No Contact from WWE since June
In June 2009, Ric Flair had not had any contact from WWE. He had stated his loyalty to WWE but had waited six months for a call before deciding to sign with TNA.
November 21, 2009: Return to the Ring in Australia
On November 21, 2009, Ric Flair returned to the ring as a villain on the "Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin" tour of Australia, losing to Hulk Hogan in the main event of the first show.
January 4, 2010: TNA Debut on Impact!
On January 4, 2010, Ric Flair made his debut appearance for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on Impact!, arriving via limo and observing the main event between A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle. He later signed a one-year deal with the company.
January 25, 2011: Pulled out of TNA Maximum Wooo! Tour
On January 25, 2011, Ric Flair reportedly pulled out of TNA's Maximum Wooo! tour of Europe mid–tour after monetary disputes. He returned to the tour on January 27 in Glasgow, Scotland, and wrestled on January 29 in London.
May 12, 2011: Return to TNA Television
On May 12, 2011, Ric Flair returned to television in a non-wrestling role on an episode of Impact Wrestling.
September 2011: Last Match and Tricep Injury
In September 2011, Ric Flair had the last match of his career against Sting on an episode of Impact Wrestling, where he tore his left triceps on a superplex spot.
March 31, 2012: Second WWE Hall of Fame Induction
On March 31, 2012, Ric Flair was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for the second time, as part of The Four Horsemen, becoming the first two-time inductee.
April 2012: Contract Termination and Lawsuit
In April 2012, Ric Flair tried to have his TNA contract terminated, which led to TNA filing a lawsuit against WWE for contract tampering and eventually firing Flair on May 11.
May 17, 2012: Ashley Flair Signs with WWE
On May 17, 2012, it was reported that Ric Flair's daughter Ashley had signed with WWE, adopting the ring name Charlotte, which was later changed to include the Flair surname.
December 3, 2012: Announces Retirement
On December 3, 2012, Ric Flair announced in an interview that he would never wrestle again, owing chiefly to an on-air heart attack suffered by Jerry Lawler.
December 17, 2012: WWE Return at Slammy Awards
On December 17, 2012, Ric Flair returned to WWE at the Slammy Awards, presenting the Superstar of the Year award to John Cena, and later being assaulted by The Shield.
2013: Sporadic Appearances in WWE
Throughout 2013, Ric Flair appeared sporadically on WWE's main roster as The Miz's mentor, and also occasionally on NXT accompanying his daughter Charlotte.
April 28, 2014: Endorsement of The Shield
On April 28, 2014, Ric Flair appeared on Raw and showed his endorsement for The Shield, turning his back on Evolution.
2014: NXT Appearances
In 2014, Ric Flair occasionally appeared on NXT, accompanying his daughter Charlotte to the ring.
August 2015: Interruption of Jon Stewart
In August 2015, Ric Flair interrupted Jon Stewart on Raw, telling him that the world title record would eventually be broken.
January 2016: Villainous Traits
In January 2016, Ric Flair and Charlotte began displaying villainous traits with Flair often getting involved in Charlotte's Divas Championship defenses, turning heel.
November 14, 2017: Appearance on Smackdown
On November 14, 2017, Ric Flair made a surprise appearance during SmackDown to congratulate his daughter Charlotte Flair, who won the SmackDown Women's Championship. They shared an emotional moment on the ramp and did his iconic strut.
February 25, 2019: 70th Birthday Celebration
On February 25, 2019, WWE celebrated Ric Flair's 70th birthday on Raw. During the closing moments, Flair was attacked by Batista.
May 2020: Transfer of "The Man" Rights to WWE
In May 2020, Ric Flair transferred the rights to "The Man" nickname and gimmick to WWE. The terms of the transfer were undisclosed.
June 2020: Return as Heel
In June 2020, Ric Flair came back to WWE programming as a heel again, managing Randy Orton.
November 22, 2020: Survivor Series Appearance
On November 22, 2020, Ric Flair made an appearance at Survivor Series during The Undertaker's retirement ceremony.
January 4, 2021: Storyline with Lacey Evans
On January 4, 2021, Ric Flair started a storyline with Lacey Evans on Raw, where Evans flirted with him during a match against Women's Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair and Asuka. Flair managed Evans in subsequent weeks, often distracting his daughter Charlotte.
August 2, 2021: Release from WWE
On August 2, 2021, it was reported that Ric Flair had asked for and was granted his release from WWE, which WWE confirmed the following day.
August 14, 2021: Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide Debut
On August 14, 2021, Ric Flair made his Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) debut at Triplemanía XXIX, accompanying Andrade "El Ídolo" to ringside during his match against Kenny Omega and getting involved in the match.
August 29, 2021: Return to NWA
On August 29, 2021, Ric Flair made his return to the NWA at NWA 73, his first NWA appearance since his induction into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2008. He thanked both NWA and WWE for memorable moments and emphasized the importance of having several companies in the industry.
May 16, 2022: Announcement of Final Match
On May 16, 2022, it was announced that Ric Flair would wrestle his final match on July 31 in Nashville, called Ric Flair's Last Match.
July 2022: Launch of Wooooo! Wings
In July 2022, Ric Flair launched a virtual restaurant chain named "Wooooo! Wings" in Nashville, Tennessee, in partnership with Kitchen Data Systems, ahead of Ric Flair's Last Match. The chain's name is based on Flair's signature exclamation.
July 31, 2022: Heart Attack During Final Match
On July 31, 2022, Ric Flair suffered a heart attack during his final wrestling match.
August 6, 2022: Appearance at WWC Anniversary Show
On August 6, 2022, Ric Flair accompanied Andrade during his match against Carlito at the 49th WWC Anniversary show. Flair attempted to interfere before poking Primo Colón, causing Carlos Colón to attack him.
August 2022: Expansion of Wooooo! Wings
In August 2022, the virtual restaurant chain "Wooooo! Wings", launched by Ric Flair in July, expanded to six American cities. Conrad Thompson handled the launch and expansion.
October 2022: Launch of Ric Flair Drip
In October 2022, Ric Flair partnered with Mike Tyson and Verano Holdings Corp. to launch his own cannabis line called the "Ric Flair Drip" under Tyson's cannabis brand "Tyson 2.0". The line launched in Arizona, Nevada, and California.
July 2023: Release of Wooooo! Energy
In July 2023, Ric Flair partnered with Carma HoldCo and LGNDS to release a mushroom-infused energy drink called Wooooo! Energy.
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