The legacy of Ric Flair is still strong as ever with fans respecting him for his legendary wrestling career. Flair delivered classics in the '80s, '90s, and even the 2000s while influencing countless future wrestlers that are thriving today. The reputation of Flair behind the scenes was polarizing. Many wrestlers viewed him as a generous performer that did his best to make his opponents look great. Others feel he was selfish and overrated in different aspects of the job.
Flair would have the same kind of perception towards his peers with a combination of some he loved to work with along with those that he did not have much love for. We will look in the mind of Flair back when he was a performer to find out why he felt the way he did. These are ten wrestlers that Ric Flair loved along with ten that he hated during his career.
10 Loved: Arn Anderson
The friendship between Ric Flair and Arn Anderson has helped shape their legacies. Both men were the two major constants in the different variations of the Four Horsemen factions. Anderson’s nickname of the enforcer truly embodied his role as a stronger version of a sidekick to Flair as a top star.
The two remained close friends behind the scenes throughout the years. Flair and Anderson now do appearances together with other members of the Four Horsemen after Anderson was released from his agent role in WWE.
9 Hated: Scott Hall
The backstage attitude of Scott Hall in WCW made him one of the wrestlers strongly disliked by Ric Flair. Hall and other members of the New World Order had a lot of backstage power that rubbed others the wrong way, including Flair.
Various interviews following the end of WCW would see Flair bury Hall for his attitude and wrestling skills. Flair went as far as to say Hall’s claim to fame was just being involved in a match where he was carried by Shawn Michaels and a ladder at WrestleMania X. Hall and Flair have seemed to make peace in recent years.
8 Loved: Edge
Ric Flair’s run with WWE in the 2000s would see him having fewer classic matches but still have the occasional great feud in his older age. Edge was one of the new wrestlers to deliver some good work with Flair, enough to earn the Nature Boy's respect.
WWE would have Edge defend the WWE Championship against Flair in an impressive TLC Match during his first title reign. Flair listed Edge as one of his favorite workers and they are still close today. A recent interview featured Flair revealing that he contacted Edge to make sure Becky Lynch’s insulting comments on social media towards him was work rather than real.
7 Hated: Shane Douglas
One long-term instance of two wrestlers hating each other is the story of Shane Douglas and Ric Flair. Douglas had a lot of potential in the early '90s but was used poorly in WCW. The belief of Douglas was that Flair intentionally sabotaged him backstage.
Douglas would run down Flair in promos for ECW and they eventually worked together again in an underwhelming WCW feud. Flair still buries Douglas interviews today ripping his career for failing and having to work at Target in recent years.
6 Loved: Triple H
The relationship between Triple H and Ric Flair has seen the two become close friends throughout the years. Flair helped Triple H out during his early years in WCW as a young star trying to make his name. Triple H returned the favor when Flair joined WWE after the end of WCW.
The pairing of them creating the faction Evolution was a huge success for both of their careers. Flair and Triple H would become extremely close behind the scenes at this time. Triple H went out of his way to support Flair at difficult times and they are among the best of friends in wrestling.
5 Hated: Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino was one of the few wrestlers to break out as a major star in the era before Ric Flair. Despite both playing a huge role in the growth of the wrestling industry, they never got along when they interacted.
Flair claimed that Sammartino refused to shake his hand and give him advice while working together. The comments from Flair would become even more critical when he said that Sammartino could not draw any money after he left WWE. Both legends would make peace when Sammartino showed up at the WWE Hall of Fame for his induction.
4 Loved: Sting
The career of Sting may have never reached the success it did if not for Ric Flair helping along the way. Flair would put over Sting in a few high-profile matches to mask his weaknesses early in his career and highlight his strengths to fans and the booker.
Sting’s feud with Flair made him a huge superstar and the face of WCW for many years. The careers of Flair and Sting are still intertwined today, with fans often linking them together. They also became close friends as Flair has revealed he tried for years to get Sting to WWE before it finally happened at the end of his career.
3 Hated: Bret Hart
The issues between Bret Hart and Ric Flair made it one of the biggest backstage rivalries in wrestling history. Despite having a similar fan base that appreciated their work rate, Flair and Hart each viewed the other as an overrated wrestler.
Chris Jericho shared a story on his podcast that Flair and Hart once were eating with wrestling pundit Bill Apter in WCW catering while each asked him why he rated one over the other in various annual lists. Hart and Flair exchanged many personal insults before they made peace and became friends later in life.
2 Loved: Roddy Piper
The friendship between Ric Flair and the late Roddy Piper often flies under the radar when looking back at Flair’s career. Both legendary wrestlers worked together in various companies with their peak coming in the 80s.
Piper and Flair had a similar mentality about the wrestling industry that had them working hard every night when some of their peers wouldn’t take it as seriously. Flair revealed that he cried for days when the news came out about Piper’s passing as he was like a brother to him.
1 Hated: Rob Van Dam
The 2000s run of Ric Flair in WWE would see him attempting to work with some of the newer wrestlers with different styles, including Rob Van Dam. Flair’s heel turn aligning with Triple H actually came by costing RVD the World Championship, which put them in a feud.
Their matches disappointed, with Flair blaming Van Dam for the issues. Flair claimed that RVD was a bad worker due to his moves often being too dangerous and sometimes sloppy. Van Dam revealed that he did not enjoy working with Flair either as the two did not get along.