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Flair's superkick to the heart

Alex Marvez, Scripps Howard News Service

Published April 3, 2008 at 3 p.m.

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Ric Flair cries as he reflects on his career and community service after receiving a key to the city from Columbia, S.C., Mayor Bob Coble last month.

Photo by Erik Campos / The State

Ric Flair cries as he reflects on his career and community service after receiving a key to the city from Columbia, S.C., Mayor Bob Coble last month.

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Pro wrestling is at its best when eliciting genuine emotion from not only the fans but the performers themselves.

That's what made the lengthy Ric Flair tribute on this week's Monday Night Raw one of the greatest moments in World Wrestling Entertainment history.

No retiring WWE performer was ever treated with as much reverence as Flair, who ended his unparalleled career as an active performer with a loss to Shawn Michaels at last Sunday's Wrestlemania 24 pay-per-view show. The 59-year-old Flair gave his retirement speech at the end of Raw in Orlando, Fla., before the arrival of Paul "Triple H" Levesque.

From a story-line standpoint, having Flair get brutalized would have turned Levesque into WWE's most hated heel. But this night was about legitimately celebrating, not exploiting, the 18-time world champion.

Levesque brought the "Nature Boy" to tears with his own interview and by then introducing stars from Flair's past and present. His cohorts in the Four Horsemen - Barry Windham, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard and manager J.J. Dillon - were brought into the ring, along with legendary rivals like Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race and Greg Valentine. Flair's family also was introduced, and then every member of the Raw roster emerged from backstage to honor the greatest performer in grappling history.

Such reverence capped a weekend that commemorated Flair's 36 years in grappling. Saturday night, he became the first active WWE wrestler inducted into the promotion's Hall of Fame. Flair followed with a standout Wrestlemania match against Michaels the next day. Seeing a distraught Michaels mouth the words "I'm sorry. I love you" to Flair before delivering a match- winning superkick was an unforgettable 'Mania moment.

While his full-time wrestling days are over, don't be surprised if Flair eventually returns in a commissioner's role or to help the career of his 20-year-old son, Reid, an amateur wrestling standout who's under a WWE developmental contract. Until then, Flair is expected to work for WWE in an ambassador's role while trying to grow his Charlotte, N.C.-based finance company.

Fans suffering from Flair withdrawal can get their fix before another DVD on his career is released in July. Flair will appear on an upcoming episode of Secret Talents of the Stars, which premieres Tuesday on CBS. Flair's skill: salsa dancing.

No one who cherished watching Flair "style and profile" should be surprised.

Other 'Mania-related notes:

* Pre-show rain and a fireworks malfunction that reportedly injured 40 people may make WWE think twice about holding 'Mania outdoors again. Wrestlemania 25 will be held April 5, 2009, at Houston's domed Reliant Stadium.

Rumors have already started that Texas native "Stone Cold" Steve Austin could return for his retirement match. While the angle didn't unfold in the manner he'd hoped, Austin helped suggest the story line that led to Flair's retirement.

* Robbie McAllister of WWE's Highlanders tag team had a unique reason for not attending the Flair tribute: He was reportedly sent home after being shown attending Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's live Impact telecast last week in Orlando. Without warning, TNA identified McAllister (real name Derek Graham- Couch) with a graphic reading "WWE Wrestler." McAllister is believed to have attended the show to watch friend Johnny Devine wrestle.

While a clever move to paint TNA as a major-league promotion, potentially ruining McAllister's WWE career was classless.

Despite being heavily promoted as TNA's first live show on Spike, the special drew Impact's average audience of roughly 1.4 million viewers. Apparently, some wrestling fans were more interested in the NCAA men's basketball tournament than in Steve "Sting" Borden's return from a five-month hiatus.

Alex Marvez writes a syndicated pro-wrestling column for Scripps Howard News Service.