Ric Flair and the WWF ?

One thing I can offer is that on the recently released "True Story of Wrestlemania" DVD, a few officials touch on the fact that Flair just didn't blend into the WWF product as much as they hoped he would.

Add that to the fact that he was brought in and immediately started feuding with Piper and Hogan, with the intention of a Wrestlemania VIII super main event, and then had it cancelled due to lack of interest, that I think Flair wasn't as big as they thought he'd be.

To offer my personal opinion, I can see why. Growing up in England, I was around 10 years old in 1991 when Flair debuted. Back then, because we didn't get much NWA/WCW programming over there, I didn't know who Ric Flair was.

When he finally debuted, after months of hype from Bobby Heenan and others, I remember being disappointed that he was just a regular looking old man with white hair and crooked teeth. And there was no way I could take him as a serious threat to the likes of Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Sid Justice, etc. It as the land of the giants around that time.

I think that sentiment may have been shared by other fans as well because Flair was soon in the midcard feuding with Bret and Hennig before finally leaving in early 1993.

NWA/WCW:

July 1991: Behind the scenes, Ric Flair was having difficulty with his employment with Ted Turner's WCW..

~~~WCW management wanted to cut his pay and take him out of the top spot in the company, but Flair resisted..

~~~Ric Flair was also asked to lose his NWA championship to Lex Luger at the upcoming Great American Bash..

~~~Ric Flair refused, so he was asked to lose to Barry Windham instead ~ Flair refused again, so he was fired!

Although he was no longer the champion of WCW, Flair was (technically) still the NWA champion, which WCW could not contest..

Ric Flair was also was (arguably) the rightful owner of the championship belt since he was never repaid the cash deposit which is paid by the NWA champion as a sort of insurance bond..

Transition:

Ric Flair appeared on WWF Television with the WCW title belt and claimed to be the "Real World's champion."

~~~The reason he was able to leave the company (WCW) with the title is because Ric Flair legally owned that belt..

~~~World Championship Wrestling later bought it back from Ric Flair for reportedly $75,000 (US)..

Back in World Championship Wrestling storyline, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair was stripped of the title..

World Wrestling Federation:

Ric Flair took on Bobby "The Brain" Heenan as his "Financial Consultant" and Mr. Perfect as his "Executive Consultant"..

January 19, 1992 - Royal Rumble: Ric Flair outlasted the other 29 WWF superstars to win the Royal Rumble..

~~~As per the stipulation, Ric Flair was awarded the WWF Heavyweight championship by President Jack Tunney..

February 8, 1992 - SNME: Hulk Hogan & Sid Justice defeated Ric Flair & The Undertaker via DQ..

April 5, 1992 - WrestleMania 8: Randy "Macho Man" Savage defeated Ric Flair for the WWF Title..

August 29, 1992 - SummerSlam: Ric Flair & Mr. Perfect intefered in the WWF title match between Randy Savage & Ultimate Warrior..

September 1, 1992: Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage to reclaim the WWF title with help from Razor Ramon..

October 12, 1992 - House Show: Bret Hart defeated Ric Flair in Saskatchewan for the WWF Heavyweight title..

Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair had a dispute and split up and began a big feud..

November 24, 1992 - Surivor Series: Randy Savage & Mr. Perfect defeated Ric Flair & Razor Ramon by Disqualification..

January 24, 1993 - Royal Rumble: Mr. Perfect eliminated Ric Flair from the Royal Rumble Match..

January 25, 1993 - RAW: Mr. Perfect defeated Ric Flair in a "loser leaves WWF" match..

Ric Flair then returned to World Championship Wrestling..

Credit:Onlin*W*rld*FWrestling...com

I believe more is explained in first his book, and on his second three disk DVD about his WWF departure.

yeah pretty much-wrong place wrong time really......

Flair's time in WWF was by far my favorite period. Not only because Flair was there but because McMahon really went out and had a roster full of world champions, past, present and future. It was truly one of the most epic rosters of all time.

Best Rumble ever, in my opinion.

The '92 Rumble was epic. Flair has always been a favorite of mine and his bringing the "Real World Champions Belt" in was genius.

Be fair to Flair!

I was 11 watching the 92 rumble and my only knowledge of NWA/WCW came from PWI which I used to get religously.

and man was it glorious to see all those big names in that Rumble.

I was only like 12 at the time so I was all confused, but I remember it just not feeling right. I knew Flair from the NWA and when he first debuted he kinda felt outta place in WWE. He didn't have that feel of the untouchable champion that he did in NWA. In WWE he came off as just plain and ordinary.

Don't forget Virgil!