WWE legend admits memorable WrestleMania moment with Shawn Michaels was completely unplanned
WWE legend Ric Flair recently revealed that one of the most memorable moments in recent WrestleMania history was entirely spontaneous.
The Nature Boy recently spoke about his match against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24. At the climax of the match, Michaels mouthed 'I love you' to Flair, before delivering the decisive Sweet Chin Music that allowed HBK to pick up the victory and retire Ric Flair. The parting message is a visual that has become synonymous with the end of the legend's career as it has been replayed countless times over the years as part of recaps covering WrestleMania's greatest moments.
In a recent interview with TalkSport, Flair admitted that it wasn't a spot that had been planned or rehearsed, but knows how much it added to the finish of what was an already incredible match. He says it was his favorite ever WrestleMania moment.
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer said:
“Yes [it’s my favorite WrestleMania moment], by far. And that wasn’t rehearsed, that wasn’t even discussed. That was just raw, pure emotion. He knew that I didn’t want to leave. I think Vince knew that too, but it was time.”
Michaels' victory in Orlando, Florida at WrestleMania 24 came after a 20-minute epic between the two stars.
While Flair hasn't wrestled a major match in WWE since, he did, as he refers above, go on to wrestle elsewhere. Between 2009 and 2012, he heavily featured in Impact Wrestling.
Regretting wrestling after retirement, he hoped what he went on to do since has helped fade those appearances from the minds of wrestling fans around the world.
He added:
“I wish that I had never wrestled again and that was my last match. But I think I’ve outlived [that work] thanks to the things I did after that and hopefully it will be remembered as the last thing I did in wrestling. Besides working with my daughter which has been a tremendous treat for me.”
Michaels also retired in memorable fashion, calling time on his career two years later at WrestleMania after a defeat to The Undertaker. He did, however, return briefly two years ago as part of a tag team match in Saudi Arabia, teaming with Triple H to reform D-Generation X and defeat The Brothers of Destruction, The Undertaker and Kane.