That stylin’, profilin’, limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin’ n’ dealin’ son of a gun Ric Flair crashed NBA legend Magic Johnson‘s speech at RiseCon 2023 in Tampa, Florida, last week. Is the “Nature Boy” embarking on a new career?
Magic was delivering the keynote speech at the conference in front of 1,500 entrepreneurs and business people hoping to “reach their full potential,” when his longtime friend Flair interrupted the proceedings.
“There’s only one man at the top,” 74-year-old Flair yelled when he hit the stage, as many in the crowd gave their best “woooooo!”
Stylin’ And Profilin’
Classic Flair. He knows how to upstage any moment and play to a crowd. That’s what pro wrestling is, whether you’re the favorite or the heel.
“The limousine ridin’, kiss stealin’, wheelin’ dealin’ son of a gun that’s having a hard time holding these crocodiles down, woo!,” he continued.
Flair showed support for Magic by dissing the Laker legend’s longtime rival Larry Bird.
“By the way, I hated Larry Bird. You beat him in college. You kicked his ass in the pros. You’re the man! You’re the man!”
The impromptu Flair visit was organized by Darren Prince, who reps both Johnson and Flair.
This would be an exciting new career for the “Nature Boy.” Imagine him crashing all sorts of keynotes and events, where applicable, doing his wrestling schtick!
There are all sorts of lessons the speakers could weave into their speeches about perseverance, eliminating distractions and the importance of self-confidence. Most of these conferences and events pay their keynote speakers too!
Nature Boy Might Be The Best To Ever Do It
Flair’s pro wrestling career spanned over 50 years and he’s regarded by many as the best of all time. He is officially recognized by WWE as a 16-time world champion (8-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, 6-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and two-time WWF Champion). He has claimed he’s a 21-time world champion.
He was the first to hold the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship. As the inaugural WCW World Heavyweight Champion, he became the first person to complete WCW’s Triple Crown, having already held the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship and WCW World Tag Team Championship. He then completed WWE’s version of the Triple Crown when he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship, after already holding the WWF Championship and the World Tag Team Championship.
Flair’s persona and swagger are legendary and he said he first adopted it watching Joe Namath, who was quarterback of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
“It really started when I saw Joe Namath at Alabama,” said Flair on the “Pivot Podcast” in 2022. “I was in high school when I heard he had slept with a hundred girls his freshman year, and I said, that’s my kind of man. I say to this day, if you put Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning all in a room, and Namath is also in that room, who’s the first guy you’d talk to?
“There was nobody like him. He turned that league around, and he doesn’t get enough credit because of his injuries. He just brought so much charisma to sports. I just thought he was it.”
That’s what Flair always understood. The way you sell sports in many ways are through characters and charismatic people. There might be none better than the Nature Boy.
