April 10, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Ric Flair retires at WWE WrestleMania 24
“If you leave this business with one person having a tear in their eye, you are a lucky man.”
Ric Flair – September 1997 in a promo after the NWO angle where they did a parody of the Arn Anderson retirement speech
The most spectacular finish of what can be argued is the career of the greatest wrestler in history ended up as, the greatest television moment in wrestling history.
The day after Wrestlemania, in Orlando, FL, on Raw, Ric Flair was honored in a way no wrestler ever has been.
“I will never wrestle in this ring again,” said Flair, who was crying all day, but completely composed for his farewell promo. But after HHH came out, he broke down in the most emotional moment that didn’t involve a death in many years.
Flair thanked the fans, saying he’s in a good place now, he’s not sad, and that he can rejoice because he had the greatest career of any wrestler in history. He noted he lost to a great wrestler and an even better man. There were “Thank you Ric” chants even as this just got going.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.