10 WWE Wrestlers Who Lived Their Gimmicks

Ric Flair

Nothing about Ric Flair was an act. He was every bit the kiss stealing, wheeling, dealing, limousine riding, jet flying, son of a gun he claimed to be, and while he parlayed this into one of the most successful wrestling personas ever, he meant every word he said.

When Flair talked about spending $10,000 on a single robe, it’s because that really happened. In his prime, Flair’s life was a non-stop party with the odd wrestling match thrown in for good measure, and when he tells tales of womanising, five star hotels, and dropping thousands of dollars in a single night, you’d better believe him.

It started in the early 80s. While working in Minnesota, Flair had the women and the money, but he wasn’t as loud in expressing himself. Things escalated in 1985, and as Flair found himself appearing on national TV every week, he took-on the larger-than-life character he’s become known for. The suits were sharper, the jewelry bigger, and the sunglasses pricier: Flair took every aspect of his character and turned it to 11, but he was never playing a gimmick.

Flair’s “gimmick” was so true to life, in fact, that he spent himself into oblivion. His lifestyle was completely unsustainable, and he has spent every cent that he ever earned. At one point, Flair fell into such deep debt that he had to borrow $800,000 from Vince McMahon to avoid complete financial meltdown.

If wrestlers are actors, then nobody ever told the Nature Boy: there’s never been a difference between Richard Fliehr and Ric Flair, and there never will be.