5 Underrated rivals of The Nature Boy Ric Flair

NWA legend and WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair finally called it a career over the weekend when he wrestled his final match in at an epic event in Nashville, Tennessee.

Long considered the greatest world champion of all time, The Nature Boy went out in style, engaging in a brutal tag team match and partnering with his son-in-law Andrade against Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal as part of Starrcast V.

Over the course of his career, Ric Flair battled several great performers. WWE Hall of Famers like Dusty Rhodes, Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat will forever be linked with his career due to their classic clashes.

But what about some of the other great feuds that Ric Flair has had over the years? Here's a look at five underrated rivals that squared off with The Nature Boy.

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#5 - George South

The Nature Boy locks George South in the Figure Four

First things first: Yes, George South was a preliminary wrestler throughout his time with the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions and also WWE. And while he wrestled Flair on several different occasions, he was never a threat to defeat Space Mountain. So perhaps this choice should have an asterisk behind it.

However, in numerous interviews, Flair himself has praised South as one of the best workers he has ever been in the ring with. Very few can match Ric Flair in terms of being a 'ring general', but South always managed to get in some good offense against the champ.

George South will always be remembered in the vein of someone like Dean Malenko or Bobby Eaton - one of the best performers who never got the credit they deserved. But he has received plenty of praise from the legendary Ric Flair, and that's good enough to start off this roll call.

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#4 - Magnum T.A. vs. Ric Flair wins the 'what might have been' award

Magnum T.A. is a former NWA United States Heavyweight Champion

There has been so much speculation about Magnum T.A. ever since he was involved in a career-ending car accident in 1986. But it's basically been confirmed that he was in line to be the the next man to win the NWA World Championship from Ric Flair.

While the two did meet in the ring and had great chemistry. Their rivalry could have been legendary if they had gotten an opportunity to have a full program for the title. Sadly, it was not to be.

On October 14, 1986, Magnum T.A. was driving his Porsche on a wet road when he struck a utility pole, essentially destroying his C3 and C4 vertebrae. He would never wrestle again.

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#3 - The Von Erich Family

Most people remember that Kerry Von Erich captured the NWA World Heavyweight title from Ric Flair at Texas Stadium in 1984. The event was highly emotional, as The Modern Day Warrior dedicated his win to his recently deceased brother, David.

But their battles run deeper than that. For years, every time Flair traveled deep in the heart of Texas, you could bet that one of the Von Erich brothers would be waiting on him. Or possibly even Papa Fritz.

The 16-time world champion, with his elegant suits and glamorous robes, made the perfect foil down south, and the family was so popular that it was a perfect recipe for a rivalry.

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#2 - Ricky Morton gave Ric Flair some pretty close calls in a red hot rivalry

Once again going back to Ric Flair's days with Jim Crockett Promotions, he engaged in one of the hottest feuds of the 1980's with one half of the Rock n' Roll Express, Ricky Morton.

Morton proved to the world that he was a legitimate threat to win the top singles title in the world by getting the better of Flair in a non-title match, which led to an irate Nature Boy declaring war on the Rock n' Roller.

During the feud, the champ would break Morton's nose, forcing him to wrestle a protective match. He would also cut a famous promo, where he handed Morton a training bra to give to one of his 'teeny bopper girlfriends'.

It was a combination of terrific trash talk, incredible matches and three more things: heat, heat and more heat.

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#1 - Barry Windham

Fans who grew up in the 80's would be shocked to think that Windham's battles with Ric Flair were 'underrated'. At the time, they were considered perhaps the best series of matches of 1987, and many went to 60 or even 90-minute draws.

In nearly every match, WIndham pushed Flair to the limit, but could never wrest the NWA World Heavyweight Championship away from him.

Unfortunately, most modern-day fans think more of Windham by Flair's side as a member of The Four Horsemen. Especially since the two men entered the WWE Hall of Fame together as part of the stable.

However, those who were around to witness those battles as they happened (and younger fans who discovered it later) can readily tell you that their matches were classics.