During his appearance on WINCLY, Ric Flair discussed the self confidence issues he had prior to wrestling Vince McMahon at the Royal Rumble in 2002. Here’s what he had to say:
That took a whole load off me. As far as my self-confidence with talking, I’m great. Getting in the ring – zero [self-confidence]. I get there in November and in January Shane asks, ‘What do you think of wrestling my dad at the Royal Rumble?’ I’m thinking that’s not what we agreed upon [laughs]. Sure enough, here we are.
Mark and I talked about it. I was texting him while watching it and he was doing an interview on ESPN where he alluded to me. My self-confidence was mental while Mark’s was physical. I have had physical issues but I’ve come back from them. But Mark is 6’10” and 330 pounds and throws himself around the ring. He’s done stuff over the top rope that even Rey Mysterio does. He’s had injury problems and I’m glad that they’re showing what our guys go through. They think the injections and all of that are just for football or basketball. Take that times 20 as our guys are on the road 200 days a year… It was worse for Mark in his heyday in the early 90s as we were out for 60 days at a time. Mark’s one of those guys – and this is what I’m so proud of [Charlotte] about – they’re gonna go out there at a house show with 100 people and give them a match. That’s what separates the greats from the people who are just getting thru.
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Credit: WINCLY.