10 Most Effective Wrestling Blade Jobs Ever

7. Ric Flair Puts Forward His Claim As The Greatest Ever

Austin McMahon
WWE Network

Blood on blonde hair: Ric Flair spent a lot of money presenting himself as a star and indeed living the gimmick, but his greatest sartorial choice was free and priceless.

He bladed a lot. He knew that the shortcut was so effective that, in his advancing years, he even did it when he wasn't working a match. If he couldn't go an hour, or any length at all, he still knew how to get something out of an audience.

At Starrcade '83, Flair gigged and drenched every lock of his hair to put over the violent struggle of dethroning Harley Race. He endured the legendary piledriver, the diving headbutt, and his face being brutally scraped against the mesh when these spots hadn't been thoroughly bastardised. They were executed brilliantly and placed perfectly into a match that swelled with proper big time drama. Dick Ebersol is credited as an architect of the WWF's victory, but the production here was incredible. The God's eye view of Flair dripping blood all over the NWA logo on the canvas was such an artful technique with which to get over what the organisation, in contrast to the WWF, was all about.

Flair had won World Titles before, and had certainly cut himself open before, but this was his most iconic and effective crimson mask.

 
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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!