Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Ric Flair

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Ric Flair.

Ric Flair, born Richard Morgan Fliehr, is a highly celebrated, now-retired American professional wrestler. Often considered the greatest of all time by peers and journalists, his career spanned an impressive 50 years. Flair's wrestling persona was characterized by his flamboyant style, signature 'Wooo!' catchphrase, and in-ring performances. He achieved significant success, winning numerous championships across various wrestling promotions, solidifying his legacy as a wrestling icon.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

July 1992: Distrust Sown Between Savage and Warrior

In July 1992, as Randy Savage prepared to defend the title against The Ultimate Warrior at SummerSlam, Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect sowed distrust between the two, leading to an attack on both wrestlers.

October 1993: Bret Hart criticizes Flair

In October 1993, Bret Hart gave a radio interview in which he said Ric Flair "sucks" and described WCW as "minor league", leading to an off-screen rivalry between them.

June 1994: WCW Championship Unification and Heel Turn

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 his heel turn after his alliance with Sherri was revealed. Flair then feuded with Hulk Hogan, eventually losing the WCW World Heavyweight Championship to him in July at Bash at the Beach.

September 1997: Curt Hennig's Betrayal at Fall Brawl

In September 1997, at Fall Brawl, Curt Hennig, after being offered a spot in The Four Horsemen, turned on Flair and The Four Horsemen by slamming the cage door onto Flair's head.

April 9, 1998: Ric Flair No-Shows Thunder Episode

On April 9, 1998, Ric Flair no-showed a live episode of Thunder in Tallahassee, Florida, leading to a lawsuit filed by Eric Bischoff.

1998: Stone Cold Steve Austin's Criticism

In 1998, wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin stated that Ric Flair had reached the "time to hang it up", as he had not been great for a "long time".

January 17, 1999: Tension with Hulk Hogan following Souled Out

On January 17, 1999, following a tag team match at WCW's Souled Out pay-per-view, tension arose between Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan, stemming from an incident in Charleston, West Virginia.

1999: Article Criticizing Flair's Legacy

In 1999, John Molinaro of Slam! Sports wrote an article titled, "Ric Flair is tarnishing his legacy", expressing concerns about Flair's prestige.

1999: Mick Foley criticizes Flair's booking

In 1999, Mick Foley criticized Ric Flair's booking decisions in his autobiography, leading to tension between them.

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September 2002: Heel Turn at Unforgiven

In September 2002 at Unforgiven, during a World Heavyweight Championship match between Triple H and Rob Van Dam, Flair turned heel by attacking Van Dam, allowing Triple H to win.

2002: "Plane Ride from Hell" incident

In 2002, Ric Flair was involved in the infamous "Plane Ride from Hell", accused of inappropriate behavior towards flight attendants, leading to a lawsuit that was settled out of court.

2004: Altercation with Mick Foley

In 2004, Ric Flair had an altercation with Mick Foley in Huntsville, escalating their ongoing issues.

December 2005: Arrest warrants issued for Flair after road rage incident

In December 2005, arrest warrants were issued for Ric Flair after a road rage incident in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he allegedly grabbed a motorist by the neck and damaged his vehicle. He was charged with two misdemeanors.

2006: Pro Wrestling Illustrated Writer's Comment

In 2006, Pro Wrestling Illustrated writer Frank Ingiosi suggested that Ric Flair had a "personal vendetta against his legend".

2006: "I Quit" match against Mick Foley

In 2006, Ric Flair worked a program with Mick Foley, culminating in an "I Quit" match at SummerSlam 2006 featuring barbed wire and thumbtacks.

2009: Return to Wrestling

In 2009, Ric Flair returned to the ring, breaking his previous vow to never wrestle again.

2010: Ring of Honor lawsuit against Flair

Following Ric Flair's debut in TNA, Ring of Honor (ROH) filed a lawsuit in 2010, alleging that Flair owed them over $40,000 and had not appeared at several contractually obligated events. The lawsuit was never resolved.

May 2011: Arrest warrant issued for Flair

In May 2011, a warrant for Ric Flair's arrest was issued for being held in contempt of court for violating the terms of his settlement with Highspots Inc. regarding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt.

2011: Criticism from Shane Douglas and Kevin Eck

In 2011, Shane Douglas stated that Ric Flair had "been tarnishing his legacy since 1990". Kevin Eck of The Baltimore Sun criticized Flair for being unable to separate from his wrestling gimmick and tarnishing his legacy.

2015: The Honky Tonk Man's Opinion

In 2015, The Honky Tonk Man expressed his belief that viewers would remember only the later, "bad memories" of Ric Flair's career.

September 2019: Threat of legal action over "The Man" nickname

In September 2019, Ric Flair threatened legal action against WWE and filed a trademark for "The Man", being used by Becky Lynch, causing a rift with his daughter Charlotte.

September 2021: CarShield Campaign Paused

In September 2021, CarShield paused its advertising campaign featuring Ric Flair following allegations of sexual assault made by Heidi Doyle against Flair.

2021: Feud with Becky Lynch

In 2021, Ric Flair began feuding with Becky Lynch, accusing her of using "The Man" nickname without permission.

2021: Allegations discussed on Dark Side of the Ring

In 2021, the allegations from the "Plane Ride from Hell" were discussed on the Canadian documentary series Dark Side of the Ring, leading to Ric Flair releasing a statement denying the accusations and his removal from the WWE's intro signature.