Wrestling legend Ric Flair, known for his confident style and charismatic personality, recently graced the Club Shay Shay podcast, hosted by Shannon Sharpe. In an engaging conversation, Flair, with a career that spans over five decades, discussed various topics, including his personal choices for the Mt. Rushmore of Trash Talkers in the world of sports and entertainment.
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When Sharpe inquired about his list of top trash talkers, Flair’s choices reflected a blend of legendary figures from different sports. The list included the likes of Muhammad Ali, Roddy Piper, Dusty Rhodes, and, notably, Deion Sanders.
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Flair expressed his admiration for Sanders, noting how he had toned down his once-famous trash-talking flair. “Well, I am such a fan of Deion Sanders, but Deion’s calmed it down.” To which Shannon added, “The plane Deion in Atlanta,” who Flair described as “Vintage Deion.” Flair’s selection is a homage to some of the most charismatic figures in sports and entertainment history.
He said, “Obviously Muhammad Ali, you know, Roddy Piper was still. So Roddy Piper, Ali, Dusty Rhodes, and Deion—I mean, all those guys I looked up to.” Muhammad Ali, renowned for his quick wit and poetic jabs; Roddy Piper, known for his cutting promos in wrestling; Dusty Rhodes, with his unique style; and Deion Sanders, famous for his confident and flashy persona in the NFL and MLB, all made it to Flair’s esteemed list.
The Path to Ric Flair’s Success
In the same episode, Shannon asked Ric about his incredible success and the physical challenges of professional wrestling. Rick explained his fitness routines which included his workout sessions compressing bench presses, squats, and deadlifting.
He explained, “The total is 1640, so I did a 45 bench, a 530 squat, and a 600 deadlift. I couldn’t stand it and squat, but I weighed 310 pounds.” Despite surviving a plane crash and enduring a back injury, Flair stayed in peak form throughout his career.
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Ric Flair emphasized that his success in the wrestling ring was due not just to his strength, but also his ability to endure longer than his competitors. He stated, “The key for my success is that I was in better shape than a lot of guys. It’s hard to go an hour. two hours in one day.”
Flair also shared how keeping to a rigorous routine, including nine hours of boxing each week, was essential for him to remain a leader in the wrestling world. This commitment to maintaining peak physical fitness was fundamental to helping him withstand the demands of lengthy and intense matches.
