Ric Flair On Why He Wrestled In TNA Following WWE Retirement: "I Needed The Money"
FS1 recently aired a replay of Ric Flair's final WWE match with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania. The most memorable part of the match was Michaels saying, "I'm sorry, I love you" before delivering the superkick to end Flair's career.
Flair was asked if he knew that HBK was going to say that when he joined The Wrestling Inc Daily podcast.
"No idea at all. I texted him right after that match, 'Thank you, I love you forever.' It's just something I'll always remember," said Flair.
"I was upset with Shawn with my 30 for 30. I had just gotten out of the rehab center and I really didn't remember a lot of it. I had four surgeries in May 2019 and I saw it again and I got mad. But I have since apologized to him.
Flair said that he knows Shawn idolized him as a kid and he's glad they cleared the air. He has also cleared the air with Jim Ross after JR made some critical comments.
"Those are memories you'll never escape. In my case, by design, I don't ever wanna forget them. I put my retirement weekend up against any Hall of Fame induction for any sport ever," stated Flair.
One of the reasons why JR and Flair had a falling out was due to Ross criticizing Flair's work in TNA. He went there after losing to Michaels at WrestleMania with many saying it tarnished his legacy a bit.
Flair was asked why he decided to go to TNA.
"I needed the money. Very simple. I was paying alimony to three women at one time and lawyers, revealed Flair. "I got bombed as everyone hit me and then the IRS. It's very simple ? like Jim [Ross] said, I needed the money.
"I would have never have gone there. Even though I got to hang around Kurt [Angle] and Sting, it was a disaster. Everything I did with Bischoff and Russo? You know what people say to me now: where would you have been if WCW hadn't treated you like that? I get that from people that are my friends who wanna know where I would have been if they treated me with any respect whatsoever."
He said that everyone from Jim Herd to Eric Bischoff treated him poorly in WCW. But he's happy with where he ended up and he's content with where he's at now.
"I couldn't see that back in that time as I struggled. It created insecurity and a lack of self-confidence," admitted Flair. "I'm very happy with where I am and where I ended up?
"Who fires someone for going to their son's wrestling tournament to miss Thunder?"
Like many other celebrities, Flair has filmed some coronavirus PSAs to go out to all his fans and he discussed how those came about.
"The doctor who basically saved my life two years ago called and asked me to make that announcement for the American surgeons," said Flair. Then I was watching First Take and Get Up every morning and I saw an athlete come on and talk about that his parents both had coronavirus. It's so touching so I felt like I should say something.
He added that he's taking this pandemic very seriously even though he's known as the king of being social. Flair added that people joke with him about how many things have nearly killed him, but he doesn't want to test coronavirus.
"I am practicing distancing and doing everything that can make us more hygienic so we can look forward to a brighter future. Wendy is buying a new place in Rosemary Beach and that's all we talk about is getting down there to the new home she bought. We're fighting it day to day just like everybody else," said Flair.
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Flair's full interview with Wrestling Inc aired as part of today's episode of our podcast, The Wrestling Inc. Daily. Subscribe to get the latest episodes as soon as it's released Monday – Friday afternoon by clicking here.