Ric Flair's 10 Greatest WWE Matches
4. Vs Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XXIV)
With Flair’s career winding down (in WWE anyway - his TNA days are best ignored), something awoke in him. In kayfabe, his every match could be his last - lose, and that was him gone - and he wrestled like it.
This came down to what might be the most emotional clash ever seen, fighting his old pal Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXIV with his career on the line. There can’t be two wrestlers better at selling the heft of a story than these two, and even without too much going on in the ring, they’d have had the crowd gripped.
The match itself, while no technical classic, is remarkably good for its limitations. Flair gave the credit entirely to his opponent, stating that Michaels “was wrestling himself” for much of the match, but it’s the iconic image of Flair’s last stand that gives the bout its weight.
The ending, with Michaels’ apology to his hero before kicking his head off, is the stuff of legend, as is Flair’s blubbering visage as he thanks the crowd on the way out. It’s heartbreaking stuff - and after a career like his, entirely earned.