25 Great Wrestlers That EVERYBODY Turned Against
13. Ric Flair
For a lot of years, Ric Flair being at the centre of a lot of "classic" road stories spoke mostly to the company he kept, the "road" in question, and the era in which he became 'The Man'. But to call it a "different time" would veer into making excuses for his behaviour, especially when intoxicated.
When he wrestled his final WWE match in 2008, the company gave him the best possible send-off, even with the knowledge that it might not really be his true industry bow. Every major name from the time spoke with reverence and/or worship for what he'd done, and with that laughed off his wilder side as just being part of the 'Nature Boy' package, for better and worse. Wrestling's a curious beast though - whether by accident or design, the more a performer reduces their status on screen, the easier it typically becomes to peer beneath the surface and see uglier sides. As Flair earned diminished returns with...diminished returns on tour with Hulk Hogan, in TNA or most infamously in in "Last Match" pay-per-view in 2022, longer and more detailed accounts of some of his off-screen activities came to light, and were suddenly not all that funny.
Never was this more apparent than following the airing of a Dark Side Of The Ring documentary on the "Plane Ride From Hell". The show laboured on the shame of it all, forever banishing the jolly boys outing narrative in order for the victims to finally have their say. Most notable was flight attendant Heidi Doyle, who bravely spoke of having to fend off horrendous unwanted advances from Flair and Scott Hall. It was distressing, but rather than telling a new story, simply reaffirmed and subsequently reframed the old ones. His reputation has rightfully never fully recovered.