8 Amazing Wrestlers That Flopped In AEW

7. Ric Flair

Ric Flair is correctly lauded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, but that does not mean there's a need for him to be part of a contemporary wrestling company. Alan Shearer is one of the best footballers England has ever produced, but nobody is clamouring for him to be part of this summer's World Cup squad. 

Flair's brief dalliance with AEW seemed to be largely connected with helping him promote his WOOOOO! Energy Drink, while also being a part of the final leg of Sting's farewell run. In truth, Flair was an unnecessary distraction to that story and offered nothing to subsequent matches in which he appeared. His stuttering chops and low blows to the likes of Christian Cage, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Konosuke Takeshita felt more sad than exciting.

The Young Bucks hit Ric with superkicks in Sting's excellent final match at Revolution 2024, but Flair's appearance in that spectacle felt more like paying lip service to the Nature Boy than a vital component to the match. He appeared on AEW TV as part of a tribute to Steve McMichael on Collision in May 2025, and there were rumors of him being part of last year's Blood & Guts, but this entire relationship offered nothing to the legacy of AEW or Ric Flair.