Vince McMahon allegedly did not like the promos of one of the greatest WWE stars of all time
While WWE has several legendary figures, very few come close to matching Ric Flair's work in the ring. The Nature Boy is considered one of the most charismatic performers of all time. However, Vince McMahon wasn't always a fan of the WWE Hall of Famer's promos, as revealed by Bruce Prichard.
The latest episode of Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard was about Armageddon 2002, which was around when Flair was pushed as WWE's kayfabe co-owner.
The 16-time world champion was already a highly respected veteran during the early 2000s as WWE tried to present him in a different avatar to fans.
The WWE Universe had gotten accustomed to seeing the loud-mouthed Ric Flair in previous years. But Vince McMahon didn't want the exact version of the legendary star during his stint as an on-screen authority figure.
Here's what Prichard revealed about McMahon's verdict on Ric Flair's promo style:
"I don't think he was a big fan of Ric's promos by any stretch of the imagination. But also, in this era of Ric being the "owner" or general manager and whatever the hell it was, it was trying to present Ric in a different way, represent a different side of him, a business side of him, and not to be that character that he had been for all those years as a performer. We were looking for a different side of him." [4:34 - 5:00]
#OnThisDay in 2001, Ric Flair returned to #WWERaw after 8 years following the #WWE's victory over The Alliance.
"The consortium wooooooooo, the consortium was me!"
@RicFlairNatrBoy #ricflair #wooooo @VinceMcMahon https://t.co/gY7bZtt5lN
What did former WWE boss Vince McMahon like most about Ric Flair?
Bruce Prichard doubled down on his claims and confirmed that Vince McMahon was indeed not a fan of Ric Flair's microphone work. However, he clarified that the former CEO liked the person behind the gimmick and always appreciated Flair's achievements in the business.
While Vince McMahon admired Ric Flair's overall work, the boss had other creative ideas in 2001-02. The plan was for the former Evolution member to change how he delivered his promos.
Prichard added:
"Yeah, he wasn't (a fan of Ric Flair's promos). I think that he was a fan of Ric Flair, the person. Especially at the time, he was a fan of the work, and he was a fan of Ric's, if that makes any sense. But I think that, in 2002, he wasn't a fan of that." [5:25 - 6:11]
Where would you rank Ric Flair amongst the greatest promo-cutters of all time? Sound off in the comments section below.
While using the quote from this article, please credit 'Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard' and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.