Honestly, who wouldn't want to be Ric Flair?
As The Undertaker prepares for his final farewell at the 2020 WWE Survivor Series event, he has pulled the curtain back and revealed much more of Mark Calaway, the person behind the persona.
Whether it is through his WWE Network docu-series, joining social media platforms like TikTok, or just engaging in the traditional media circus, Undertaker is becoming well-adjusted to life without the restrictions of kayfabe.
In 2008, Ric Flair was given a final farewell by WWE over the course of WrestleMania weekend. He would be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, and on Sunday night, he would have his final WWE match against Shawn Michaels in an all-time WrestleMania classic.
The night after WrestleMania in 2008, many legends gathered around to celebrate the life and legacy of Ric Flair, similar to what is reportedly planned for the Undertaker at the 2020 WWE Survivor Series. One of the Legends who appeared after Monday Night Raw went off the air to celebrate Ric Flair was The Undertaker. Taker would embrace his WrestleMania X-8 opponent and perform his signature pose in front of him as a sign of respect.
Speaking on a UK media scrum ahead of Survivor Series, Mark Calaway was asked what character he would be in the history of wrestling, other than The Undertaker if he got to choose. For him, the choice was easy, he would want to be ?The Nature Boy.?
?It'd be pretty tough not to want to be Ric Flair. I mean, he was just like the epitome of success and being World Champion and all the things that come with that. I just always thought Ric Flair, his character, was, you know, it was just so over the top, but not really, because that's really Ric Flair. But, he's kind of the bar for which guys of my generation measured themselves as far as success. He had obviously a tremendous -- and continues to have a tremendous career. So I guess it'd be ?The Nature Boy.? That is about as far off from The Undertaker as you can get."
Ric Flair is certainly an idol to many and not only in the wrestling world. Snoop Dogg once called Ric Flair "the inventor of swag." Speaking of Snoop Dogg, WWE Shop launched a merchandising line celebrating the legacy of both Undertaker and Snoop Dogg. You can learn more about the crossover merchandise at this link.
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