'Is this really his final match?' - Pro wrestling legend wonders if Ric Flair is truly retired (Exclusive)
Tributes started pouring in for Ric Flair following his final match. Sportskeeda Wrestling's own Dutch Mantell shared his thoughts but isn't entirely sure if The Nature Boy has hung up his boots yet.
Even though Mantell and Flair were both contemporaries at a point in time, they never crossed paths in Memphis. They worked together in Florida, but their rivalry never panned into the classics that Mantell had with Jerry Lawler and Flair with Ricky Steamboat. At the same time, Mantell recognizes the impact Ric Flair had on the business.
Mantell did not watch the event, but from every account he heard, he felt the match was a resounding success. For those unaware, Ric Flair teamed up with Andrade El Idolo to face Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal:
"I didn’t see the event but the build to it was great. It was a momentous night and a great follow-up to a very good SummerSlam. From all reports I’ve heard, great show and Flair delivered. Jeff and Lethal made great adversaries for Ric and it seemed at times, this was a Jarrett/Flair family feud with member of each family getting involved," said Mantell.
The veteran manager equated Flair's legacy to Steve Austin, Vince McMahon, and Hulk Hogan in terms of superstars who significantly impacted the business. He's glad that the legend got a great send-off:
"Glad that Ric got through the match without difficulty. These were dyed in the wool Southern wrestling fans who came out tonight to pay tribute to a man who along with Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold, who defined pro wrestling in the 80’s/90’s. Tips hat to Ric for a great send off," he added.
In this article @SKWrestling_ ... we pay homage to the best of all-time @RicFlairNatrBoy . Thank you sir for all the great memories. Go get 'em one more time.
Thank you to @HeyHeyItsConrad for his time and his efforts in putting on this great event.
sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-conra…
That said, Mantell is pretty confident that this isn't Ric Flair's last hurrah. He made a comparison to legendary rock band - The Eagles, who booked their farewell tour in 2003 but are still going strong:
"BUT… is this really his FINAL MATCH? This show did really good and remember The Eagles started their final show tours in 2003 and they just had a concert in London last month. It’s wrestling folks so go with it. Just saying," he said.
In pro wrestling, you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!
Dutch Mantell isn't the only one that thinks Ric Flair isn't done
Flair's old friend Gerald Brisco echoed similar sentiments during our exclusive interview with the legendary pro wrestler:
"There's not going to be a one and only time. Someone else will come along and throw some money at him and he'll do it again."
Fans thought Flair retired after his Shawn Michaels match and later, after his TNA run. But The Nature Boy just kept coming back. Is this his final run? Only time will tell.
Do you want to see Ric Flair return to the ring again? Let us know in the comments.
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