Ric Flair Is Not An Eric Bischoff Fan

WWE Hall of Famer 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair joins Chris to discuss his thoughts on working with Eric Bischoff and the end of WCW.
Watch the full interview with Ric Flair on my main ​⁠‪@ChrisVanVliet‬ channel here: • Ric Flair Wants One Mo...
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[@CVVCLIPS]

Full interview with Ric: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opa1l5iKn8ZsqJY

[@TimLoyalToWifeHaterFreeZoneA]

Love It CVVCLIPS Bro Woooooooooooo.

[@mattcaporuscio6956]

I still wonder how different Flair’s career would’ve been if he stayed with WWF in the 90s.

[@SylentEcho]

He would have had to job to HBK. They'd never have him form the Horsemen again.

[@mattcaporuscio6956]

@@SylentEcho he probably would’ve but if business was that bad in the mid 90s Flair would’ve been the biggest star they had. I think Flair would’ve been champion Instead of Diesel. I’m not saying for as long but I think Flair, HBK, and Bret Hart would’ve been champion during the mid 90s.

[@DG_Raizen]

Honestly, probably not better than his WCW run. Vince was starting to wind down the "older" stars in 93 and 94, so Flair likely would have been asked to take a non-wrestling role like Randy Savage.

[@Matt-cr4vv]

At best maybe in line with the level things were when he returned with the WWF. I get why he feels the way he does with Eric because after all he did play key roles in WCW bringing Hulk and Macho Man on board and when you look at how their involvement impacted the company in subsequent years I can get Flair taking issue with there seemingly being no gratitude in negotiation or story moving forward or feeling he was treated poorly when he had made efforts through the years to in a sense put the company first. But the way things unfolded he kinda pushed himself out of his role as those guys were then placed into those prime positions and received increases in their compensation as business went up. It would be difficult to have seemingly been unselfish by helping to bring those people on board because it was best for the company as a whole and then for the boss to then attach to those people as his shiny toys and brush you aside because he had these guys now. It would be hard to do that and then have it turn out to lead to a heavy dose of disrespect on the back end. And it seems like the issue really never was his position or not being the primary champion as much as the lack of respect that was then shown to him and all the things he’d accomplished over the years. Look at just how positive he is about his return in the WWE. He wasn’t the top paid nor the focus of the main event but he was valued and treated with respect. But it’s fair to remember that the reason he went back to WCW was that Vince told him that he was going to begin transitioning to the young stars to fill the top roles and that the new focus would be on developing the youth and as such he wouldn’t be in a top role any longer while Bill Watts spoke with Ric and he was going to be able to continue in a top role in WCW, which he continued to have for another few years and really didn’t end end until the NWO took off. So maybe if he’d stuck around he’d have been happier but kinda doubt it. The focus was on younger wrestlers so he wouldn’t have been likely to be in world title positions while he won another six world titles give or take after going back to WCW. Business was down this so was money so for a time he’d probably have made less than WCW. And at that point in turn where he still felt he was someone who should or could fill those top roles I’m not sure he’d have felt respected or happy at that time being removed from the top at a time he felt he still belonged there. One factor that helped things when he went back to the WWE is that he no longer felt or expected himself to be in those roles so there wasn’t any negative feelings or expectation while there to be portrayed in those positions while he did expect that in WCW and when he wasn’t felt that he wasn’t valued or treated right. I doubt you’ll read all of this because I rambled like a mofo but if you did these are my thoughts about it.

[@edwardclement102]

Ric wanted NWA.

[@ryanandrue792]

He’s been saying this for years. At least he’s consistent with his opinion unlike hogan

[@nathanpritchard5114]

He chose to go back to WCW.

[@mrx2089]

Consistent ? Hogan is just a tall tale teller who starts believing his own hype . Ric beefs with folks for no reason . He wakes up and starts dissing . I understand the origins of the feuds but he make peace publicly . Only for one bad comment or memory to ruin the truce . Bret Hart suffers from the same problem . He called truce with HBK but it's still the same dirty laundry from 97 & there's the fact he went from forgiving Goldberg and defending him in his book to now insulting his career .

[@herculesmwp7983]

You mean to tell me Elvis wasn’t a fan of hogan? 😂

[@L4-295]

The only thing consistent about hogan is lies

[@seanbrevoort9203]

Bret is the same way brings up the screw job and Goldberg

[@stealthmode1303]

I'll give Flair this; for all the things wrong with him, he does seem to be very genuine and honest with his answers. He isn't putting on an act when he answers questions.

[@have_a_good_day420]

Ruc Flair will strip down and strut. How dare you even hint at his "flaws"??

[@D-Ry]

Too bad he’s a rapist/molester

[@dirtywhiteboy0828]

​@@have_a_good_day420toke on another one there Ruc

[@Matt-cr4vv]

I think he does what he can to be honest but I have had some disappointment in the current day to see how quick he is to lash out at someone and burn bridges of relationships over things that more often than not seem innocuous. At times it comes across that if you want to be his friend you genuinely can’t say a thing critical about him or anything he’s done or he immediately goes on the attack. Like over this recent thing with Eric. They had made up and all agreed to move past their issues but over the years he has flip flopped on it a ton of times. And this more recent flip because of what Eric said on his documentary was so silly. All Eric even said was that at the point in time he felt like he had to make an example out of Ric and that he remembered the events leading up to the blow up differently. And Eric hasn’t wavered on that and has consistently said that he did what he did because he felt like he couldn’t let someone with a name like Ric openly refuse to show up like he had otherwise it would become something everybody would do so he felt he had to put his foot down. And honestly I can see why he did what he did but I also get Rics issue because you had guys like the NWO who were actively breaking lots of the rules and seemingly got away with it while you are going to miss a show for a fair reason and you’re immediately placed in breach. But reflecting on how you thought at the time is a really silly thing to get mad about all these years later unless there was some expectation that he’d lie about his thoughts at the time in doing what he did. To me I appreciate the actual reason and Eric has taken it on the chin on things like that for years.

[@ApocalypseKurtz]

He's right. WCW did Flair dirty in the 90s. A shame because he was a true living legend.

[@flyguy7825]

Ric Flair is Kinda two face about things he can play nice went the person is in front of you but don’t keep that same energy went he not in front of you And if he didn’t make a whole bunch of money in WCW ain’t no way in hell he’s reaping the benefits now.All in all I don’t mind Ric Flair as a wrestling fan I think he’s one of the best ever but people have to kiss his ass in order to be around him it seems like

[@realjohnlove]

Flair doesn’t revision history. If Bischoff was so great WCW wouldn’t got bought out by the WWF.

[@jimbowlan5804]

They weren’t originally gonna be bought by wwe biscoff had a buyer when aol decided they didnt want wrestling on their tv the backer backed out

[@Filthy-Rat__]

Bischoff wasn’t even the reason WCW got bought out. Russo was.

[@realjohnlove]

@@Filthy-Rat__ never said it was Biscoff fault, I said if he was so great WCW wouldn’t have got bought out. The same applies for Heyman. Both manipulated people for their own gain no different than Vince difference is Vince made billions off it

[@realjohnlove]

@@jimbowlan5804 irrelevant, Ted Turner getting ousted by WB was one of the worst things to happen to American television.

[@kauzpayne2]

@@Filthy-Rat__aol and time warner did not want wrestling on there network anymore Eric Bischoff Shoots on The Time Warner Financials that Crippled WCW in 1998 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIuzp36voN-gfMU Eric Bischoff shoots on the AOL Time Warner merger kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3q3dKqPZ7OGfpI Eric Bischoff shoots on WCW losing the ratings war in 1999 kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZimf3aZbqqoo7s Eric Bischoff Shoots On The End Of WCW Saturday Night kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIupeqSJd5ydnck Eric Bischoff shoots on his vision of a post AOL WCW" kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3LEYZiBq92GqM0 Eric Bischoff shoots on the coup to take down WCW kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5OzZaNnrLmcpsU Shoots Eric Bischoff on Ted Turner losing $8 billion due to AOL Time Warner ShootInterview com kzbin.info/www/bejne/iH-qnpyumqqorJo

[@Drummer8282]

Even if Flair made lots of money in WCW, he would have blown it anyway.

[@kauzpayne2]

ric flair did like to party. this was the probleme he had .

[@JamesMMcCann]

What Ric isn't acknowledging here is that no matter how much money they'd have paid him, he'd have still found a way to spend it.

[@jcorley45]

Great interviewer! Asks the right questions and doesn't inturupt

[@Lostandtobefound]

Hogan helped Flair’s son with medical care. New respect for Hogan on that one.

[@justinjessee]

Hogan is a racist. Plain and simple. Unforgivable

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

No cuz he fought to pay for the kid that ended up passing away. Years after his' punk kid turned him into a vegetable.

[@ghostface216]

Flair boils everything down to people who have given him money. Whoever is up is someone who gave him money. And he’s stiffed so many different people who have done work for him or lent him money.

[@FireAngelChris]

Chris shock to hear Ric Flair say he never got any money in WCW

[@kauzpayne2]

ric flair spent alot of money on partying. this was a big problem with wrestles in the 80's. now all the wrestles after a show shower after a show. they call there wife or girlfriend to check on them and go to bed. the partying days are done.

[@FireAngelChris]

@@kauzpayne2 Yup plus they getting more money than ever why risk that. Those 80s guys did too much.

[@ShogunEorling]

How can I not like Flair? Besides everything he was as a wrestler, he's honest, one dirty bastard but a honest one. He knows the business inside out, he knows what's right and what's wrong and even if you disagree with him he's a straight shooter. GOAT.

[@Eureca]

Well him being a racist is one reason not to like him.

[@FireAngelChris]

@@EurecaExactly

[@152CRKing]

You sound like a straight up geek lmao

[@ShogunEorling]

@@152CRKing definitely am. A true wrestling fan

[@152CRKing]

@@ShogunEorling nothing wrong with that haha

[@L4-295]

1:35 who?? Please give us names

[@tartsonawire]

No many people are, good sir

[@ONLYALEXISOMAR]

I saw Eric Bischoff at a meet and greet near Baltimore he was in the corner of the room and had nobody at his table it’s pretty sad when you see where Vince and WWE are right now and he’s essentially a nobody

[@markfroman738]

Oh stop it! He had a line out the door!

[@grantmcphee5149]

Hard to believe...

[@ONLYALEXISOMAR]

@@grantmcphee5149 lol I have no reason to lie it was at meet and greet for MCW in Joppatown,MD I was able to meet Mickie James and the Hardy Boys there

[@DaveMoth]

I doubt it. His podcast is doing very well makes plenty off it. He just did a successful UK tour.

[@ONLYALEXISOMAR]

@@DaveMoth you can doubt it all you want I was literally there at MCW looking at him while he had no one in front of him maybe people were there earlier in the day but when I was there he was alone James Ellsworth was also there with his family and an empty table also pretty sad to watch

[@D4NK1]

The weirdest thing is, how everyone gets thrown to the curb for the slightest infractions. Then you have pat patterson rap*ing guys left and right and no one was allowed to say anything. There needs to be an investigation

[@edwardclement102]

NWA Ric Flair all the way.

[@markfinch6794]

Hulk was a global household name , a pop culture icon. Flair was the same in a wrestling sense but not on a global scale , I don’t get Flair’s hate towards Bischoff as they kissed and made up in the 00’s and did a podcast together .

[@El-Rey-_-]

I love ric

[@Cyberpit2000]

Does this guy ever have anything nice to say about anyone who doesn't kiss his ass? I was a Flair fan at one point but now? It's like watching a reoccurring car crash.

[@Justin-pt9pt]

He's not very respectable in his old age. He can't take a joke or help other peoples gimmicks.

[@mykoniichistorychannel]

@@Justin-pt9ptHe wasn’t ever respectable in the first place.

[@joshuasteward6097]

I wonder if Flair should have filed the paperwork to be excused? Maybe the other guys went through proper channels. Also, Flair signed the contracts so why complain about his pay from years ago?

[@martaviouspaul7117]

Wooooooooooo

[@WarGhoulKharas]

For fucks sake. Just have the fight. Especially Russo.

[@mykoniichistorychannel]

They’re far too old, now. They might break something warming up.

[@jackkitchen737]

As much as we all enjoyed the Bischoff years, Flair is absolutely correct here. And his comments come off as honest.

[@mykoniichistorychannel]

More like bitter.

[@darronvaun]

Looking for Jim Cornette to jump in the comments about Vince Russo 😂

[@glassdoorgamer6344]

Jim cornette is a loser

[@herculesmwp7983]

It’s nuts to me that Ric didn’t make a lot of money at WCW. It’s weird he didn’t go back to WWF at the time. I’m sure he would’ve gotten good money there. Could you imagine. HBK vs. Shawn Michaels or the rock at the time

[@jwzero]

Eric bischoff gave you 500k a year😂😅 more than you deserved... its documented people! For 3 years

[@BradRedacted]

Dic is only mad because he didn’t manage his money well

[@kauzpayne2]

ric flair spent alot of money on partying. this was a big problem with wrestles in the 80's. now all the wrestles after a show shower after a show. then they call there wife or girlfriend to check on them and go to bed. the partying days are done.

[@jimcrack3776]

Bishoff saved wcw

[@5150crazyfun]

It's kind of ironic with Ric and Eric they are two sides of a bitter and toxic coin. Ric says nobody ever drew a dime, yet he didn't make any money in WCW? C'mon that's the biggest crock of shit ive ever heard in 30 years as a wrestling fan. Maybe compared to Hogan he wasn't but he was up there. Then Eric dude can't take accountability for any of his mistakes in wrestling. It's something he and Ric have in common. I wind up putting Ric and Eric in the same category with Russo, Cornette and Bret Hart. All so bitter and negative that i wind up tuning them out more and more.

[@eamonnmaccionnaith5761]

Agreed. They could form a faction called 'The Embittered'.

[@bxbomber85]

Lol I'm sure this opinion wounds so much

[@kauzpayne2]

ric flair spent alot of money on partying. this was a big problem with wrestles in the 80's. now all the wrestles after a show shower after a show. then they call there wife or girlfriend to check on them and go to bed. the partying days are done.

[@owainkanaway8345]

The mistakes Eric made were far more impactful than the issues Ric, Bret, and Cornette have. Say what you want about Ric, he is right about "ATM Eric".

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

Oh, I 4got, j-off knows kara-te. Ooh, look out. I love how shiv-phony gave away Foley would win & like 2mil ppl turned 2 watch Foley!

[@eamonnmaccionnaith5761]

There's so many bogus claims in that short clip. Flair cuts a sad figure these days.

[@libcrypt98]

Flair would bury anyone for a buck.

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

That's nice, paid for another "brother's" kid. Only the Kid that his' punk son killed, (eventually) was a vegetable & hogan fought it.

[@Demi-God102]

Surprised he's actually talking bad about someone alive and not one thats dead like usual... Watch out flair the living talk back ;)

[@turdferguson2839]

Flair is just resentful because Bischoff moved the company forward and Flair got left behind, Flair was past his prime and wasn't popular and he only had success in WWE because HHH took care of him. Flair was really just a glorified manager for Evolution and did mostly tag matches, then he went to TNA and was just horrible.

[@vagabond4576]

I dont know. Eric seems like a straight asshole in his interviews.

[@owainkanaway8345]

Eric only "moved" the company forward for 83 weeks. A couple years later WCW was bankrupt and bought. Eric doesn't know anything about wrestling or business, for that matter.

[@jimcrack3776]

@@owainkanaway8345it was t babkrupt they didn’t want wrestling on their program anymore, u gotta stop believing all these old ass wrestlers, and wcw was at their best before they fired Bischoff and hired russo

[@owainkanaway8345]

@@jimcrack3776 WCW was bankrupt they were bleeding so much money, AOL time-warner couldn't afford it. They lost $60 million in one year in 2000. Read the book "Nitro" by Guy Evans which even Eric Biscoff said was a very credible book. You honestly believe anything that dumb ass Eric Bischoff says?

[@owainkanaway8345]

@@jimcrack3776 WCW was bankrupt, in 1999 WCW lost $6 million, and in 2000 they lost $60 million. They were losing the ratings war, PPV sales were down, and hardly anyone was attending the events. Eric Bischoff was spending money out the kazoo just for ratings. That worked for 83 weeks, but in the end it was unsustainable. Ted Turner deserves blame for that too. Ted Turner gave Bischoff the green light to just spend money without any accountability, and if you honestly think that had no consequences then you are a fool.

[@PresidentClambake]

He's got his issues and he's got some things in his past that are questionable but Ric is a legend and he is always honest(unlike SOME vitamin taking people). Absolute legend. What an interview

[@damijai7862]

🤣🤣 i guess 700,000 for a downside guarantee is nothing..

[@williammccollom6847]

When Hogan was probably making 10x that then yeah. Even Hall and Nash made more and they were 2 guys who never drew money.

[@damijai7862]

@williammccollom6847 wrestling is a business that is all about making money. Whose fault is it that ric flair apparently can't negotiate a contract?

[@EGarrett01]

@@damijai7862When did Flair sign it? If he was there before Bischoff took over he would've had the contract before Bischoff started throwing money everywhere.

[@williammccollom6847]

@damijai7862 he should have automatically been one of their highest paid guys, period. He carried that company on his back for years before and even after. Plus he was instrumental in bringing Hogan in. Bischoff should have offered him a truckload just for being the guy for years

[@williammccollom6847]

@EGarrett01 Bischoff was in charge from 1993-2000 I think. So he was definitely there when Eric was known as ATM Eric. But he didn't want Flair anyway, he was took busy with Hogan's pecker in his mouth

[@user-hb2du1mg6q]

The ultimate drunk sad self saboteur

[@mrx2089]

Dude is so wishy washy . Give it a few months , he will start attacking Hulk Hogan too .Only guy he will never attack (at least directly ) is Vince Mcmahon because he will come crawling back when ever Vince throws money at him .

[@charlieclemens5798]

Didn’t he leave wwe/wwf for wcw and then crawled back too wwf in 2001.

[@WingsofHistory]

But he’s had heat with Eric forever, Him and Hulk r boys

[@kenterminateddq5311]

Doesn't Bret still bury Shawn, despite them burying the hatchet?

[@fmthebaron]

@@kenterminateddq5311 I'm sure Shawn's cool with Bret doing thousands of shoot interview throughout all these decades making millions of dollars talking about stuff that happened over 25 years ago.

[@kenterminateddq5311]

@@fmthebaron Doesn't Ric have heat with Vince too?

[@D-Ry]

Flair still thinks he’s in his 30s I swear…he’s trying everything he can to stay relevant, how we lose Bray Wyatt before Ric Flair?

[@bxbomber85]

Flair > Wyatt

[@andrewvincent7299]

Ric is just a sad and bitter man. He hates Bischoff because he never worshipped him and treated him like the has been he was. Ric got everything he deserved in those last few years in WCW. He did a lot of people dirty and it was about time he got what he deserved

[@dicktrickle2407]

I love ric so much but he is stuck in his glory days. It was 1997.. not 1970… things had changed and that’s okay…

[@owainkanaway8345]

Ric is not talking about the glory days, he is specifically talking about Eric Bischoff and his time as executive producer of WCW. Ric Flair is 100% right, Eric was a dumb ass who didn't know anything about wrestling or business for that matter, unfortunately the decisions Eric made brought the company to the ground.

[@ATFjames]

Ric speaks the truth. Eric was so terrible in every sense. He fell into a run of luck on talants backs for a year and a half or so.