Ric Flair: To Be the Man…Whoooooo!

In 1981, the wrestling world was witness to one of the best feuds of all time as Ric Flair clashed with the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. It was a beautifully told story of Dusty Rhodes, the common man and son of a plumber, trying to hold on to his hard earned championship, while the hard living fast talking Flair would stoop to any level to finally capture the prestigious gold. On September 17^th 1981, Ric Flair defeated Dusty Rhodes to win his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the wrestling business would never be the same. Unlike nowadays, in the 1980’s, the NWA World Heavyweight Championship was the most respected title in professional wrestling. The man wearing the belt would defend it in territories all over the country and across the world, truly earning the title of “World Champion.” Former champions included Lou Thesz, Killer Kowalski, and Harley Race, but Flair took the idea of being the NWA World Heavyweight Champion to the next level. He embodied everything that a cocky playboy champion was supposed to be. He dressed in the finest suits, only rode in limousines, and was draped in jewelry. Everything he did was in order to project the image of a World Champion, and the fans ate it up. Whether they loved him and wanted him to win, or hated him and wanted him to lose, fans all over the world filled arenas to see Ric Flair compete. As World Champion, Flair would square off against some of the best talents of his generation, and his feud with one of the NWA‘s most iconic champions would be the driving force behind wrestling’s very first super card.