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Ric Flair: To Be the Man

By Raymond Tham • UrbanWire
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Naturally, since Ric Flair: To Be The Man is an autobiography, it was written from his point of view.

Why is this important you ask? That’s because while Flair, arguably the biggest pro wrestling star ever, does bring up good points and other superstars share their favourite anecdotes about Flair, you should also know that believing everything said here is like trusting the boy who cried wolf.

It relates many of “Nature Boy’s” experiences in the 30 years since he entered the squared circle, from his near fatal plane crash, which ended the career of Johnny Valentine, to the joy of becoming a 16-time World Champion.

It is an engaging read, and you can almost feel the charisma and energy that Flair brings to the ring oozing out of the pages of the book. And just like World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the daily soap opera that we see on television, Ric Flair: To Be The Man also features various controversies and inter-twining storylines that are sure to hook readers.

In his book, Flair refers to other legendary wrestlers like “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Mick Foley and Bret “The Hitman” Hart. These mentions are anything but positive, and have invited a backlash from the superstars, most notably Bret Hart. Bret, angered by Flair’s comments, wrote in to various newspapers in Canada and also his official website, presenting his point of view.

In Flair’s book, it was clear that he felt Bret Hart had always held a vendetta against WWE after the infamous Montreal ‘screw job’, and milked it to its full potential when Bret’s brother, Owen Hart, plummeted to his death while doing a stunt for the WWE. Flair feels that Bret should have just let the matter rest instead of filing various lawsuits against the WWE.

With intrigue, comedy, controversies, and real-life drama, Ric Flair: To Be The Man is not just required reading for wrestling fans, but will also appeal to those who simply want a good read.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Ric Flair: To Be The Man retails at Kinokuniya for $51.35.

The Montreal Screw Job

The Montreal ‘Screw Job’

The Montreal ‘Screw Job’ in November 1997 is probably the biggest professional wrestling controversy to date.

The then defending champion, Bret “The Hitman” Hart had planned to leave WWE (then WWF, World Wrestling Federation) for their biggest rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

As a mark of respect to his paymaster, Bret agreed to lose the title to Shawn Michaels “The Heartbreak Kid” before he left, but his agreement was to do so the night after Survivor Series, a WWE pay-per-view programme, as he did not want to be defeated in his homeland Canada, where he was regarded a national hero.

It therefore came as a shock, that when he was placed by Shawn, in his signature move “The Sharpshooter” during the match, Shawn was instantly declared the winner even though Bret had not been tapped out or pinned.

Unknown to him, Vince McMahon, the owner of WWE, had plotted with Shawn and referee Earl Hebner to cost Bret his title without his knowledge.

After the match, Bret became incensed and spit in Vince’s face. At the time, everyone thought that the incident had been pre-planned, just like most of the incidents that happen on WWE.

However, once the truth was known, every time the WWE visits Canada, the terrible trio is greeted by “You Screwed Bret” chants, and Bret Hart has vowed never to work in the WWE again.

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