10 Things We Learned From Something Else To Wrestle With On Biker Undertaker
7. He Had A Special Reason For Requesting Ric Flair At 'Mania X-8
Between 2001-2002, The Undertaker helped elevate young talent like Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy, Brock Lesnar and even forgotten man (by comparison) Maven. According to Prichard, it wasn't uncommon for 'Taker to pick up booking sheets, scan the list of names and ask WWE creative who they wanted him to help next.
After seeing Ric Flair's return to the ring at the 2002 Royal Rumble, The Undertaker settled on him.
That was an interesting choice. Flair, certainly compared to the some of the other names above, was a ring general and a wrestling veteran. Truthfully though, he was a crossroads in his career. Struggling for confidence, Ric wasn't exactly strutting around like the "Nature Boy" of old. 'Taker wanted to bring that out in him.
On the show, Bruce said that The Undertaker only requested a match with Flair at WrestleMania X-8 because he wanted to help him the same way he had been helping younger workers. That, along with the fact creative didn't have a definite plan for either man at 'Mania, was why it happened.