10 Uplifting Wrestling Moments To Cure Your 'Mania Hangover

7. A Fond Farewell To The Nature Boy

Ric Flair
WWE.com

Ric Flair's retirement match at WrestleMania XXIV was too good to be depressing because Flair's time had long since passed, and his performance was a study in emotive ring psychology - but the afterparty on RAW was a genuinely heartfelt and joyous segment.

Triple H interrupted Flair's farewell address before feigning a cramped hand. The four outstretched fingers signalled the arrival of four various members of the Four Horsemen. Protege Batista and favourite rival Ricky Steamboat followed. The man he succeeded as the greatest NWA Champion in history, Harley Race, also paid his respects. They were followed by the entire full-time roster, who led claps and chants of "Thank you, Ric!"

Even The Undertaker broke his closely-protected character by hugging Ric twice and whispering platitudes in his ear when the show went off the air. Reductively, it wasn't much more than an extended series of thank yous and embraces - but it was so well-earned that you couldn't help but get swept up in it all.

When Flair dropped the knee on his discarded jacket one more time, the camera panned to McMahon. He received it like a starstruck kid would have in Flair's eighties heyday.

Flair said before the celebrations unfurled proper that "he would never, ever again wrestle in this ring," and he was half-right - but his reneged promise and woeful TNA run still don't dim the moment.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK 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 AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and 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!