WWE: Ranking Ric Flair's 16 World Title Runs - From Worst To Best

4. NWA World Championship (6th NWA, 6th Overall) May 7, 1989 - July 7, 1990

Flair closed out his most successful decade with his last period as champion to last at least a year as this was yet another reign for an already legendary Flair as it was clear at this point that he would eventually surpass Harley Race's record of seven championship reigns. This reign was rife with memorable and historic moments for not just the careers of others, but for the career of Flair as well. Flair was crowned champion after reclaiming it from rival Ricky Steamboat in a match at WrestleWar 1989 that was voted Match of the Year by PWI readers, rated a five-star classic by Dave Meltzer and is widely considered to be one of the greatest wrestling matches of all-time. This match concluded one of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history that had Flair and Steamboat exchange the championship in a series of matches that left no clear cut winner and was judged by former champions Pat O'Connor, Lou Thesz and Terry Funk to ensure there would be a definitive winner should the match go to a time-limit draw. This was not needed however as Flair was able to pin Steamboat for the victory. After the match, Terry Funk, who was returning to the NWA after a brief time in WWE followed by a short hiatus from wrestling during which he had a small part in the film Roadhouse starring Patrick Swayze, challenged Flair for the championship just moments after he had vanquished Steamboat. Flair declined the challenge saying that Funk was too concerned with his career outside the ring to warrant a shot at the championship. This infuriated Funk and immediately set in motion a series of matches with Funk and various members of the J-Tex Corporation including The Great Muta starting at The Great American Bash that were on nearly the same level as his matches with Steamboat including a non-title I Quit Match at Clash of the Champions New York Knockout in November, another five-star match for Flair. Sting, who was having issues of his own with The Great Muta at the time would align himself with Flair at the Great American Bash saving him from an attack from Muta and J-Tex Corporation manager Gary Hart. Eventually Flair, Sting Ole Anderson and a returning Arn Anderson would reform the Four Horsemen at Starrcade '89, that same night, Sting would earn himself a title opportunity against Flair after claiming victory in a one-night round robin tournament at Starrcade '89 that also included Flair. When Sting did not give up this opportunity, he was jumped out of the Horseman at a Clash of the Champions in February 1990 and would injure his knee after interfering in the Horsemen's Steel Cage match and inciting a brawl with the Horsemen, putting Sting on the shelf until the summer, but setting the plate for Lex Luger to try to wrest the title away from The Nature Boy, who would have some of the greatest matches of his career up to that point with Flair, including Steel Cage match that is viewed as one of the best matches to ever take place inside a Steel Cage. Sting was healthy and ready to challenge Flair for the championship at the Great American Bash and had Paul Orndorff, the Steiner Brothers, the Junkyard Dog and El Gigante to keep the Four Horsemen at bay, Sting was able to win his first World Championship from Flair that evening, calling Flair the greatest champion in the history of wrestling in a post-match interview with Gordon Solie just moments later. Flair was able to consistently have top notch encounters during this run no matter who was opposite the ring with him while still coming out on top more often than not, be it by hook or crook as he turned his back on the fans in the midst of his time holding the championship. Something not often done in professional wrestling, but all the more impressive when the superstar is able to do so as well as Flair was. Flair crossed paths with two hall of famers in Steamboat and Terry Funk, another surefire hall of famed in Sting and a legendary figure, if not hall of famer himself in Lex Luger, each rivalry holding a high place in not just the careers of the wrestlers involved or NWA history, but wrestling history across all companies. A truly great and historic period for any champion.