Ric Flair recently spoke with BBC, where he discussed a ton of topics, including nearly quitting wrestling early in his career, surviving a plane crash, and how UK fans react to older athletes.
Check out some of the highlights below:
On how he nearly quit wrestling due to the physical training being too hard:
On the first day it was running two miles outdoors in 30 degree weather. Then it was 250 push ups, 500 free squats and 200 setups. It took me about six hours to do it all and I couldn’t even walk after the free squats! I got myself in better shape and then I did 500 free squats every single day. The problem was I didn’t go to bed the night before. I’d go from the bar to the gym.
On his plane crash:
The pilot realised he’d hit the point of no return where he should have refuelled, and the engines stalled and we went down and through some trees, We tore an orchard apart and landed like an arrow. The speedometer was stuck on 230 miles an hour! I broke my back in three places.
On how fans in the UK react to older athletes:
In the US, it’s sad that the minute something isn’t working for you, you’re old. Tom Brady is one year from the Super Bowl and being the MVP [Most Valuable Player], and he’s now being called an old man. When a soccer player gets older, he becomes revered. That’s something I appreciate about Europe, and England especially.
