Ric Flair, born Richard Morgan Fliehr on February 25, 1949, in Memphis, Tennessee, is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, a charismatic icon whose career spanned five decades and whose influence on the industry remains profound. Adopting the flamboyant "Nature Boy" persona, he became synonymous with limousine riding, jet flying, kiss stealing, and wheeling and dealing, a stylin' and profilin' figure who backed up his boasts with unparalleled in-ring ability and endurance. His legacy is cemented by a record number of world championship reigns, countless classic matches, and his status as a first-ballot hall of famer in every major wrestling institution.

Adopted as an infant by Richard and Kathleen Fliehr, he grew up in Minnesota where he was a talented amateur wrestler and football player. His path to professional wrestling began after he met Olympic weightlifter Ken Patera, who directed him to legendary trainer Verne Gagne. Flair trained under Gagne at his wrestling camp and made his debut in 1972. A near-fatal plane crash in 1975, which broke his back in three places, threatened to end his career, but he made a remarkable return to the ring, an event that fueled his legendary toughness and dedication. It was during this period that he fully embraced the "Nature Boy" gimmick, inspired by the original Buddy Rogers, and began his ascent as a top villain and, eventually, a beloved anti-hero.

Ric Flair's career is most famously associated with the National Wrestling Alliance and Jim Crockett Promotions, which later evolved into World Championship Wrestling. He became the cornerstone of the NWA, winning his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1981 from Harley Race in a legendary steel cage match. As the traveling world champion, he defended the title across the globe, earning the moniker "the 60-minute man" for his epic, broadway matches that showcased his incredible stamina and storytelling. In the mid-1980s, he formed The Four Horsemen with Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and Ole Anderson, a revolutionary faction that defined cool, arrogant dominance in wrestling and became one of the most influential stables in history.

Flair's success continued as he moved between major promotions. In 1991, he became the inaugural WCW World Heavyweight Champion, a title he would hold eight times. He made a sensational debut in the World Wrestling Federation in late 1991, literally arriving with the physical NWA World Championship belt, which he claimed was the "real world title." He won the 1992 Royal Rumble to claim the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship in a classic match, headlining WrestleMania VIII against Randy Savage. After returning to WCW in 1993, he engaged in legendary rivalries with the likes of Sting, Vader, and Ricky Steamboat. He remained a top attraction through the Monday Night Wars, even leading the villainous New World Order faction for a period.

Following the closure of WCW, Flair returned to WWE, where he enjoyed a celebrated in-ring renaissance, including a memorable retirement match against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24 in 2008. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame that same year for his individual career and again in 2012 as a member of The Four Horsemen, making him the first two-time inductee. He also had a notable run in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Officially retiring from in-ring competition in 2012, his influence never waned. As of late 2023, he is signed to All Elite Wrestling in a legends role, making special appearances. With a record six Pro Wrestling Illustrated Wrestler of the Year awards and eight Wrestling Observer Newsletter Wrestler of the Year awards, Ric Flair's name is permanently etched in the pantheon of sports entertainment as the stylin', profilin', 16-time (or often-cited 21-time) world champion whose catchphrases and robe-dropping charisma transcended the ring.