15 Things We Learned From Shawn Michaels On Stone Cold's WWE Network Podcast

14. Thoughts On Ric Flair

Talk soon lightens up as the two men shift to discussing Shawn's WrestleMania 24 "retirement" match with Ric Flair, and Austin asks if HBK agrees that Ric Flair is the greatest professional wrestler of all-time, adding the caveat that as amazing as Shawn was he never had to work during the traveling world champion era. Michaels agrees that it was a different era before adding that he doesn't get caught up in those accolades but admits that when people ask him he always names Flair as the best. Austin says he's talked to Flair about it and he names Shawn as the best, and then the two talk about how incredible it was that The Nature Boy was able to journey from territory to territory and take regional talents and make them look like world beaters, pointing out that some of those workers could "barely lace their boots." Stone Cold says the match was an emotional rollercoaster and asks Shawn what he told Ric at the conclusion of the bout when he covered him. He replies that he told him he loved him and says that he was in the ring with him in body but inside it was the 15-year old kid that watched him every Saturday, and he loves Flair for giving him the honor of having that match.