Childhood and Education Journey of Ric Flair in Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Ric Flair. A timeline of key moments.

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

1918: Birth of adoptive parents

In 1918, both of Ric Flair's adoptive parents, Kathleen Kinsmiller Fliehr and Richard Reid Fliehr, were born.

February 25, 1949: Richard Morgan Fliehr born

On February 25, 1949, Richard Morgan Fliehr, known professionally as Ric Flair, was born. He is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

Others born on this day/year

August 28, 1971: Marriage to Leslie Goodman

On August 28, 1971, Ric Flair married his first wife, Leslie Goodman. They had two children, Megan and David.

1971: Trained as a professional wrestler with Verne Gagne

In the winter of 1971, Ric Flair began training as a professional wrestler with Verne Gagne at Gagne's wrestling camp outside Minneapolis, alongside other wrestlers.

October 4, 1975: Plane crash

On October 4, 1975, Ric Flair was involved in a serious plane crash in Wilmington, North Carolina, which nearly ended his career. He broke his back in three places.

August 27, 1983: Marriage to Elizabeth Harrell

On August 27, 1983, Ric Flair married his second wife, Elizabeth Harrell. Jim Crockett Jr. served as the best man at the wedding. They had two children, Ashley and Reid.

2000: Exploration of running for governor

In 2000, Ric Flair explored the possibility of running for governor of North Carolina, but never filed the necessary papers.

2000: Death of Richard Reid Fliehr

In 2000, Richard Reid Fliehr, Ric Flair's adoptive father, passed away.

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.

2003: Death of Kathleen Kinsmiller Fliehr

In 2003, Ric Flair's adoptive mother, Kathleen Kinsmiller Fliehr, passed away.

June 29, 2004: Release of Autobiography

On June 29, 2004, Ric Flair released his autobiography, To Be the Man, named after his famous catchphrase.

Ric Flair: To Be the Man (WWE)

Check it on Amazon

2004: Ric Flair becomes a grandfather

In 2004, Ric Flair became a grandfather at the age of 55 when his older daughter, Megan Fliehr Ketzner, gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Morgan Lee Ketzner on May 9.

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.

May 27, 2006: Marriage to Tiffany VanDemark

On May 27, 2006, Ric Flair married his third wife, Tiffany VanDemark, who was a fitness competitor.

September 2007: Opening of Ric Flair Finance

In September 2007, Ric Flair opened a financial business called Ric Flair Finance.

March 31, 2008: Flair's 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 him, including Shawn Michaels, the Four Horsemen, Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race, and Chris Jericho, followed by The Undertaker and Vince McMahon. The fans gave Flair a standing ovation.

July 2008: Ric Flair Finance files for bankruptcy

In July 2008, Ric Flair Finance filed for bankruptcy.

2008: Tiffany VanDemark files for divorce

In 2008, Tiffany VanDemark, Ric Flair's third wife, filed for divorce from him.

2008: Support for Mike Huckabee in presidential election

In the 2008 presidential election, Ric Flair declared his support for the Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

November 11, 2009: Marriage to Jacqueline "Jackie" Beems

On November 11, 2009, Ric Flair married his fourth wife, Jacqueline "Jackie" Beems, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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.

December 3, 2012: Announcement of Permanent 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.

2012: Flair files for divorce from Jacqueline Beems

In 2012, Ric Flair filed for divorce from his fourth wife, Jacqueline "Jackie" Beems.

March 29, 2013: Death of Reid Flair

On March 29, 2013, Ric Flair's son Reid died from a drug overdose of heroin, Xanax, and a muscle relaxant.

2014: Divorce from Jacqueline Beems finalized

In 2014, Ric Flair's divorce from his fourth wife, Jacqueline "Jackie" Beems, was finalized.

2016: Announcement of presidential run

In 2016, Ric Flair announced he was running for president with rapper Waka Flocka Flame as his running mate, but he did not file the official paperwork.

2016: Endorsement of Ted Cruz

In 2016, Ric Flair endorsed Ted Cruz during the presidential election.

August 14, 2017: Surgery and complications

On August 14, 2017, Ric Flair underwent surgery in Georgia to remove an obstructive piece of his bowel, which led to various complications, including kidney failure and the need for dialysis treatment.

2017: ESPN Airs 'Nature Boy' Documentary

In 2017, ESPN aired Nature Boy, a 30 for 30 documentary about Ric Flair's career, directed by Rory Karpf.

September 12, 2018: Wedding ceremony with Wendy Barlow

On September 12, 2018, Ric Flair had a non-legally binding wedding ceremony with Wendy Barlow (Fifi) at a resort in Florida.

February 25, 2019: WWE Celebrates Flair's 70th Birthday

On February 25, 2019, WWE celebrated Ric Flair's 70th birthday. During the closing moments, Ric Flair was attacked by Batista.

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.

January 2022: Revelation about marriage status with Wendy Barlow

In January 2022, Ric Flair and Wendy Barlow revealed they were never legally married, despite having a wedding ceremony in 2018, as they never applied for a marriage certificate.

January 31, 2022: Separation from Wendy Barlow announced

On January 31, 2022, Ric Flair announced that he and Wendy Barlow had separated.

May 2022: Reconciliation with Wendy Barlow

In May 2022, Ric Flair and Wendy Barlow reconciled after their separation.

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, retiring after nearly five decades in the ring.

July 2022: Launch of Wooooo! Wings virtual restaurant chain

In July 2022, Ric Flair launched a virtual restaurant chain called "Wooooo! Wings" in Nashville, Tennessee, partnering with Kitchen Data Systems before his last match. The chain's name references Flair's signature exclamation, with food prepared by KitchPartner restaurants.

July 31, 2022: Heart attack during final match

On July 31, 2022, Ric Flair suffered a heart attack during his final wrestling match.

August 2022: Expansion of Wooooo! Wings to six cities

In August 2022, the virtual restaurant chain Wooooo! Wings expanded to six American cities, with Conrad Thompson handling the launch and expansion.

October 2022: Launch of Ric Flair Drip cannabis line

In October 2022, Ric Flair partnered with Mike Tyson and Verano Holdings Corp. to launch his cannabis line, "Ric Flair Drip," under Tyson's cannabis brand "Tyson 2.0," in Arizona, Nevada, and California.