Paul Heyman Recalls Trying To Lure Ric Flair Into Fighting Him, But He Didn’t Take The Bait

Paul Heyman discusses Ric Flair.

Heyman and Flair have known each other for decades, but they haven’t always had a great relationship.

Speaking on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Heyman spoke about Flair.

“Ric Flair is an interesting subject with me. The main event of the first thing I ever promoted was, when I was 19 years old, Wrestle Party ‘85 at Studio 54, and the main attraction was Ric Flair. I’ll always be appreciative of that. At the same time, when he took over the creative end of WCW, we were not on the same page, and he did not like me.”

Graham asked, “You guys kind of wanted to kill each other, right?” Heyman responded with “yes.”

Heyman elaborated:

“It got very hot, very fast. It escalated real fast, and it ended up with me being fired. I tried to lure him into fighting me. Everything I could to get him to swing and he didn’t take the bait. I wanted him to swing. Because how can an executive at Turner punch somebody in the face and get away with it? Number one, would have made it an easy lawsuit. Number two, he’d have to be fired alongside with me.”

Heyman was brought back to WCW in May 1990, and at one point, he was offered drinks by Flair.

“I was brought back to WCW in May 1990. As is custom in our business, business is business. If you can make money for the company, you are welcomed back with open arms. It was figured that I could make money for the company. So I was welcomed back with open arms, and none bigger than Ric Flair embracing me in front of the entire locker room, saying, ‘Welcome back. It’s so good to have you back. I look forward to us doing stuff on television together.’ It was probably equal complete bullshit, and equal that that’s just the resignation of the acceptance of the protocol of our industry. We’re going to work together. We’re going to be professional. We’re going to get along.

So, as customary back then in this business, he says, ‘Where are you staying?’ I was staying at the same hotel as Ric was staying. He says, ‘See you in the bar. Drinks are on me. Woo!’ Oh my God, here we go. I’m not a drinker at all, and Ric Flair can drink. Ric Flair can outdrink a platoon of Marines. There’s no way to outdrink them. Only Andre the Giant. I don’t know of anybody else that could keep up with Ric Flair. There’s just no way, and I had to keep up with him. I felt horrible the next day. Oh my God, I’m drinking pickle juice and salted popcorn to absorb the alcohol. But I survived the night at the bar drinking with Ric Flair.”

When asked if his relationship with Flair was ever repaired, Heyman said:

“Yes. You know why? Because I survived drinking that night at the bar with Ric Flair. He said, ‘All right. Kid’s not as bad as I thought he was.’ From then on, we worked together fine.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Heyman discussed betraying WCW to get The Undertaker into a meeting with Vince McMahon. You can read more about it here.

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