[SOUND] >> [APPLAUSE]
[MUSIC]
>> Introducing first, >> From Charlotte, North Carolina,
The Nature Boy, Ric Flair!
>> On December 10th, 1972, Ric Flair made his in-ring debut in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
He battled George Gadaski to a ten minute draw.
Will tonight, 35 years, one month, and
17 days later mark the end of the Nature Boy's career?
>> Well certainly when you talk about the Royal Rumble, this is the night that
changes careers but for the Nature Boy this could be at night that ends careers.
It's unbelievable in here, what's going down and the nature boy,
what's going through his body right now.
I can't even imagine.
>> And for Rick Flair when he said this, this past on SmackDown.
If his career headwind tonight,
what a place to end it inside the legendary Madison Square Garden.
And remember by Mr.
McMahon, the next match Rick Flair loses will be his last force to retire.
[MUSIC]
>> [APPLAUSE] >> Whoo!
>> [APPLAUSE] >> I want to tell you once again,
what a great honor it has been to wrestle
all these years in Madison Square Garden.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> They say there's no place like it
anywhere in the world, almost have to agree.
>> [NOISE] >> I had my
first match here, in March of 1976.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> Long before most of you were born.
And I have to tell you, I have to tell you
that the level of respect that you have
paid me all these years is unbelievable.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> And I want you all
to know I want you all to know.
[SOUND]
[MUSIC]
>> And his opponent from Miami, Florida, weighing 248 pounds,
he is the WWE United States Champion, Montel Vontavious Porter, MVP!
>> Michael, it's obvious that Ric Flair was speaking from the heart right there,
but MVP doesn't care about the heart.
MVP wants to increase his career, and
he can do that right here tonight at the Royal Rumble.
>> MVP is gonna learn something about heart in this matchup.
He's gonna learn about passion, he's gonna learn about the heart of Ric Flair and
how this man has dedicated 35 years of his life to this business and
perhaps teach MVP some respect.
>> MVP has one goal tonight and one goal only, and
that's to end the career of the Nature Boy.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> Our fans over MVP from the get go again
a career threatening matchup.
If Ric Flair loses, he will retire here tonight inside Madison Square Garden and
the matchup is underway.
You have to believe that Ric Flair would like to end this match early.
>> [NOISE] >> And the Nature Boy, mind games,
the master of mind games.
The dirtiest player in the game over the years and
MVP with the side headlock to start things off.
>> And I can't even imagine the pressure that's going through Ric Flair, knowing
that each and every time that he comes out, that that could be the last match.
But, if it is the last match, what a way to go out, if it is,
Madison Square Garden.
>> Ric Flair said on SmackDown Friday night that he's not ready to go home,
that he's been tearing up VIP lounges before MVP was born.
And he's going to retire on his own terms in the Nature boy's words.
>> Well, that's the Nature Boy's terms but not MVP's terms,
MVP had been doing things on this terms and he is really,
really starting to increase what he has done.
And right now, MVP is- >> Slow pace to start this match
up as Ric Flair goes to work on that left arm of MVP.
Ric flair really a global spokesmen for
these industry is becoming a global phenomena.
There is a disrespect and Flair is gonna make MVP pay.
The Nature Boy has had enough of MVP over the past few weeks.
>> Yeah Michael,
you gotta believe that Ric Flair is gonna bring everything he has tonight.
Because if he doesn't, it could all be over.
>> Ric Flair's shoulder knocked down again to MVP.
Nice take down by MVP, the United States Champion.
And MVP stalking the Nature Boy, Ric Flair.
>> [SOUND] >> And
what a kick to the side of the head of the Nature Boy.
>> [NOISE] >> Nice neck
breaker by MVP into the first cover of the matchup, he hooks the leg and a kick out.
>> [NOISE] >> Near fall of
MVP as we take another look.
Watch this!
Look at that, kick right to the face as MVP he gets to unload on Ric Flair.
And that near fall, he almost turned in.
Here is a cover again and a kick out.
And each near fall you hear a gasp from our fans here at Madison Square Garden.
You have to imagine what they're going through.
I mean there are people, I'm sure, here at the Garden tonight that saw
Ric Flair's first match in the garden back in 1976 as he mentioned earlier.
>> And if you're a fan of Ric Flair, and certainly I have been for a long time,
it's hard to watch potentially his last match, each and every time he comes out.
Because Ric Flair is the epitome of what sports and entertainment is all about.
>> And our fans not only on the edge of their seat here tonight
at Madison Square Garden, but watching all over the world in places like
the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, the Middle East.
Rick Flair, a star in the world and there's a high elbow by the Nature Boy,
Ric Flair, Ric to the knee.
And this is where Flair becomes dangerous.
Weaken the legs for the patented Figure Four Leglock and MVP counters.
>> And that was vintage Ric Flair going after the legs and trying to get MVP down.
>> MVP, the current United States champion, Ric Flair,
a four to five time I should say, United States Champ.
Ric went for the Four figure again, MVP rolls him up,
shoulder [CROSSTALK] and a kick out at two.
>> Well Michael you made a great point, Ric Flair needs to have this match end as
quickly as possible, he doesn't want this thing to go very long.
>> There's no doubt about the fact that MVP is perhaps the better conditioned
athlete, he's younger than Ric Flair.
Ric Flair the Nature Boy needs to end this match early,
he needs to end this match quickly.
The longer it goes, the better it is for MVP.
>> Certainly but experience is on the side of Ric Flair, no doubt.
>> MVP said that it would be the greatest day of his life if he could retire
Ric Flair tonight at Madison Square Garden.
>> [NOISE] >> Irish
whip across the ring, and Ric Flair goes for the ride off the big back body drop.
And again, the United States Champion stalking Ric Flair,
almost seeming to have his way with the Nature Boy.
>> And a kick to the jaw, it caught Flair flush on the cheek.
The Nature Boy may be down and out.
Here's the cover, hook to the leg, this is it!
>> Wait a minute!
>> [NOISE]
>> And here's Flair!
The matchup continues!
He may have [INAUDIBLE].
>> Boy and a kick out.
And there's the clothesline to reset what happened.
Referee Charles Robinson realized that Ric Flair had his foot on the bottom rope as
he counted a three, he waved off the decision.
Here's a cover again and a kick out and restarted the matchup.
Kudos to referee Charles Robinson.
>> You got to give a lot of credit to Charles Robinson for
realizing that the foot was on that bottom rope.
>> And MVP!
And look at this off the Suplex cover again for and
another kick-out by Ric Flair, another near fall.
And as it begin to feel the, you coach this match rolls
along that we may be indeed watching the final match of Ric Flair's career.
>> Well, I certainly hope not.
>> Flair's set up on the top turnbuckle.
And this is what happened as we look at the end of the match up,
there you saw the boot plants off the jaw.
Now watch this,
referee Charles Robinson in a count of two before the count of three.
Flair got his foot on the bottom rope.
The referee realized what happened.
He waved off his initial decision and the match continued.
And Flair in trouble, Suplex by MVP, and the end may indeed be near for Ric Flair.
Cover, hooks the leg, shoulders down, and a kick out.
>> It's obvious that MVP will do anything to win this match,
and Ric Flair will do anything not to have his career come to an end.
>> Well, MVP, he's the man who made this challenge.
>> [NOISE] >> Humiliating,
disrespectful slaps from the United States Champion.
And Ric Flair, The Nature Boy,
trying desperately somehow to stay in the matchup.
Trying to build momentum and!
And both men knock down.
This could be the turning point of the match here.
First >> [NOISE]
>> Turning point of the matchup perhaps,
the man who is beat first could build momentum in a breakthrough Flair is going
to get beat if he's going to be forced to retire under Mr. McMahon's [INAUDIBLE].
I sure hope it isn't by somebody as brash and bold and self-confident as MVP.
>> Well, you know what they say,
everything must come to an end at some point.
But I don't think anybody in this
building tonight- >> Look!
Roll up again!
Shoulders down!
Flair may have MVP!
And a kickout at two.
Flair almost stole one.
>> I don't think anybody in here wants it to end tonight
>> Backslide,
backslide, again another cover in another near fall for Ric Flair.
>> One person wants to end for Flair, that's MVP.
But Ric Flair's showing that heart and passion as he stays in the matchup.
>> What a feather in his cap, it would be if MVP indeed, Michael,
could end Ric Flair's career tonight.
>> And Flair is firing up.
The confidence is coming back.
I believe MVP just struck Ric Flair right in the Adam's apple.
In the jaw off the knee.
And MVP shaking off the assault by Flair.
And the United States champion, perhaps closing in on another victory again.
>> Going for the playmaker.
That's how MVP beat Flair and the United States Champion
>> Here comes the Figure Four
>> The Figure Four Leglock!
>> And he's got it.
>> And he's got him Michael!
>> The Figure Four,
the Figure Four that has won Ric Flair championship after championship.
>> [INAUDIBLE] >> MVP has tapped out to Ric Flair.
[MUSIC]
>> The winner of this match is the results of a submission,
The Nature Boy, Ric Flair.
>> Ric Flair's career is still alive and well.
A standing ovation out of respect for The Nature Boy, Ric Flair.
>> You got to give it to Ric Flair.
He did everything he had to do and for MVP ,you know right now
he's not a happy camper but Ric Flair's career continues.
And it continues here at Madison Square Garden
>> MVP is livid, he believes he won
the matchup earlier on but there is the legendary Ric Flair.
The emotion pouring from the face of the Nature Boy.
[MUSIC]