He wrestled 60 minutes a night, 350 nights a year—and still closed down the bar with a feather boa and four kamikazes.
“Nature Boy” Rick Flair became the blueprint for every trash-talking, jet-flying, Rolex-wearing antihero that came after him.
Fun(ny) fact: My dad got into a scuffle with him at a disco club in the 70s for hitting on my mom.
Thanks to The Futon Critic for being the first to tell me about this doc.
Trailer for “Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- In 1975, he survived a plane crash that broke his back in 3 places. Doctors said he’d never wrestle again. He was back in the ring in 8 months.
- In the 1970s, Flair was hit by lightning in Richmond, Virginia. The bolt struck his umbrella, shot it 50 feet in the air, and killed the man standing behind him.
- He once wrestled 365 matches in one year—and spent $30K a year on custom robes to stay in character.
Watch “Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair”
You can watch it on Peacock here.
You can also find the latest streaming options at JustWatch.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 88/100 (Users); na (Critics)
Director’s Note: Directed by Ben Houser, one of WWE’s go-to documentarians. He also did “42 to 1” (about Buster Douglas’s amazing boxing match versus Mike Tyson) for ESPN’s 30 for 30 franchise.
Release Date: December 26, 2022 (Peacock)
My Review of “Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair”
The Setup
Ric Flair is one of the most famous wrestlers of all time. This doc digs into how Richard Morgan Fliehr, born in Memphis, turned himself into “The Nature Boy.” We get 50 years of over-the-top matches, bigger-than-life stories, and pain that never went away.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Flair was adopted through the now-infamous Tennessee Children’s Home Society, later exposed for trafficking babies.
- Flair’s love of alcohol started at 15 and became a 40+ year routine of heavy drinking and partying, even during peak career moments.
- Keith Elliott Greenberg gives vivid details about the 1975 crash—Johnny Valentine was paralyzed and the pilot went into a coma.
- Flair’s emotional breakdown over the death of his son Reid (who died of a heroin overdose in 2013) is one of the most vulnerable moments.
Cameos
- Hulk Hogan shares how Flair made everyone around him better—and wilder.
- Mike Tyson calls him the best “performer” in the business, not just wrestler.
- Post Malone says Flair was a major influence on his personal style and persona.
- Charlotte Flair (his daughter) opens up about the pressure of carrying his legacy in WWE.
- Stephen A. Smith adds his trademark fire to how Flair “sold the dream.”
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Flair still wishes he could have heard from his son David, who wasn’t interviewed.
- His longtime podcast co-host and ex-friend Mark Madden isn’t in the doc, and their falling out goes unaddressed—an odd gap in the story.
- Flair reveals the emotional toll of maintaining the “Nature Boy” gimmick—saying he didn’t know how to live as anyone else.
- His robes were insured for thousands and treated like museum pieces—he once refused to wrestle until a lost robe was found backstage.
Wrap Up
This doc is pure Flair: flashy, flawed, and unforgettable. You walk away knowing “The Man” paid a price to stay on top.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc