10 Forgotten Classics Of WWE's Ruthless Aggression Era
3. Ric Flair Vs. Triple H - Raw (19/05/03)
Ric Flair had been wrestling for just over 30 years when he formed Evolution with then-World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H. At 54 years old, Flair was (seemingly) in the twilight of his career. Nevertheless, on 19 May 2003, Flair found himself once again challenging for the World Heavyweight Championship.
The backstory went like this: Co-GM of Raw, Steve Austin, had ordered Triple H to defend his title against a former World Champ of his choosing. With Evolution cohort, Naitch, an obvious 16-time choice, 'The Game' picked 'Slick Ric' with the assumption that he would simply lie down. One HBK pep talk to Flair would change everything and, all of a sudden, Triple H had a very real World Title defence on his hands.
And so it came to be. In his old stomping ground of Greensboro, South Carolina, Flair would challenge Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship and turn back the clock 15 years in the process. The bout was a rare spectacle on Raw that was worthy of PPV.
Despite his long tenure in the business, the crowd - and the audience at home - truly believed that this could well be the moment that Flair became champ for the 17th time.