Ric Flair Gets the Send-off He Deserves

For wrestling fans, you knew this day would come. After a career spanning thirty-six years Ric Flair retired on Monday April 1, 2008 as an active in-ring competitor. WWE, much maligned at times for its handling of its performers for once did something right with its handling of Flair's retirement.

Flair's finale began on Saturday night as he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He delivered a tearful, heartfelt speech to his fans and thanking his family. Although the show broadcast of USA was edited for time, Flair's speech went nearly an hour and no one complained. On Sunday night at Wrestlemania 24, Flair wrestled Shawn Michaels in a career threatening match. In a sport where so much is pre-determined and outright scripted, the emotion in this match is very real.

If you're a wrestling purest, this match wasn't for you. Flair at 60 years of age can't do all of the things he once did that made him great, but he's still the master of telling a story in the ring. Here was the old guard in a test of skill and will with arguably WWE's best performer of the last decade. In Flair's autobiography To Be The Man, he consistently praises Michaels and says he realized one day after seeing how his son Reid admired Michaels that the Heartbreak Kid had eclipsed him in the ring.

Flair went down fighting and an emotional Michaels draped an arm over Flair, kissing him on the forehead before leaving. Flair then took in the accolades from the crowd of over 70,000 in Orlando and slowly walked up the aisle, looking back occasionally to say thank you.

Perhaps the best moment of all was Flair's farewell on Monday Night Raw the next night. First the Four Horsemen came out, a group that dominated NWA Wrestling in the 80's. Next came Flair's family followed by superstar after superstar came out until the entire locker room emptied a paid homage to Flair. In a great moment, HHH had Shawn Michaels show off the matching Rolexes he bought for Flair's induction into the Hall of fame. Finally the entire locker room emptied and paid homage to Flair. After the broadcast went off the air Vince McMahon and the Undertaker also came in the ring to honor Flair.

It was a great moment, one wrestling fans worldwide are unlikely to forget. For a man that has traveled to nearly every continent on the globe, wrestling every name in the business and having won sixteen world championships this was a send-off that was richly deserved.

Thank you Ric Flair, for all of the memories and making me a fan.