Biggest Takeaways from 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's Podcast with Ric Flair

At times, Ric Flair's appearance on the "Stone Cold" Steve Austin podcast felt like two old friends conversing on the porch with a cold one in their hands. At times, it felt like a retelling of The Nature Boy's autobiography.

Austin's interview with Flair that aired on Monday night on the WWE Network introduced the audience to a tamer, more reflective version of the 16-time world champ.

As uncomfortable as it made him, Flair sat down with Austin in middle-of-nowhere Texas at the Broken Skull Ranch to recollect on his career. The two touched on Flair's wild lifestyle, but this was no controversial discussion; this was a legend opening up. 

Flair kept the anecdotes of debauchery minimum. Instead, he shared a disdain for how WCW misused him, expressed his beaming pride for his daughter Charlotte and talked about his entry into pro wrestling.

Not quite the interview one would expect from "The Dirtiest Player in the Game." 

Backstory

For the fans who have read Flair's autobiography To Be the Man, the WWE Network podcast didn't offer as much as those who haven't. Several chapters of the book were revisited during the sit-down with Austin. 

Flair retold the story of being stolen as an infant and being put on the adoption black market. 

When he was 10, his adopted parents revealed all this to him. It didn't phase him. "I didn't think about it," he told Austin.

He didn't even want to know anything about his genetic mother and father. "I'm the only one who could open the vault, and I never did it," he said. He just kept on living his life.

That life included some teenage joyriding, his trying to buy liquor underage and not backing down from a pool-hall fight. His journey saw him go from boarding school to selling insurance in Minnesota to training to be a wrestler under Verne Gagne.

The training tales were intriguing (Gagne had them do 500 free squats and 200 push-ups, for example); it's just they were mostly retold.

The fans most interested in Flair's appearance likely already knew Flair wanted to go by "Rambling" Ricky Rhodes and be billed as Dusty Rhodes' brother. They likely already know that he spent much of the money he earned right away to buy a Cadillac.

Still, Flair's charisma made it worth hearing all over again.

From Broken Back to Strutting in Style

Austin steered the discussion toward the 1975 plane crash that left Johnny Valentine paralyzed and Flair's back broken.

The Nature Boy transported the audience to the crash sight, talking about being worried he was going to die. Flair detailed the unsettling sight of Tim Woods smashed into the plane's dashboard.

Insanely enough, Flair went from stretcher to squared circle in little time at all.

"I was back in the ring in eight months," he told Austin. Flair revealed promoter Jim Crockett still paid him during his recovery. He healed faster than doctors could believe.

It was after the crash and after promoter George Scott admonished him for wearing a back brace that things began to change for Flair. He started embracing a playboy gimmick, complete with handmade, resplendent robes.

He said that he began feeling more comfortable with mic skills at this point. And it was listening to Jerry Lee Lewis that inspired Flair to start shouting "Woo!"

Living the Gimmick

It's no secret the Flair we saw on camera was the Flair who existed behind the curtain, too. Even so, hearing him reflect on his high-roller ways and what he missed out on with his family pulled one in.

Flair said he saw his kids seven to 10 times a year during his heyday.

He didn't seem to regret that, either. "I didn't want to be second to anyone," he explained. Flair figured it was inevitable he would be gone for huge chunks of time anyway, so he might as well work himself to the bone and be the absolute best in the business.

Flair and Austin hinted at some of the heavy partying that The Nature Boy is famous for, but never fully dove into it. Edited or not, this is still a family show, after all.

"There's something going on somewhere, everywhere," Flair said about keeping himself entertained on the road.

The meat of this portion of the interview came when he talked about the overlap between himself and his character. Flair revealed he bought new clothes everywhere he went. He talked about buying a $12,000 fur coat on a whim, just to outdo Dusty Rhodes.

Their rivalry apparently moved on to contests centered on money when the matches were over. "If I had a house, he bought a bigger one. If I had a Mercedes, he bought a bigger one," Flair told Austin.

Flair seemed to realize how much of a caricature of himself he became. Sometimes, he seemed to be laughing at how nuts he was, shaking his head in disbelief.

WCW vs. WWE

The disdain dripped from Flair's mouth when he spoke of WCW. He described it as a place that wrecked his confidence and was constantly chaotic.

Former WCW head Jim Herd wanted to rename him Spartacus and fit him with a diamond earring. Flair's response to that was, "Why don't we change Mickey Mantle's number, too?"

He found the work environment so toxic at WCW that he began cheering on Vince McMahon during the Monday Night War. Several cliques ran the company. Meanwhile, Flair said he was "just trying to find a way to get away from the insanity."

And even though many fans may have felt his first WWE run disappointed, The Nature Boy relished that opportunity. "I had a ball," he told Austin.

On McMahon, he said, "I can't say anything bad about him." The WWE boss apparently lent Flair stacks of cash when he was in need of assistance. Flair said that McMahon let him borrow $800,000 at one point.

He spoke of his second WWE run with great affection. He loved working with all the big names of the next generation. Those bouts were major highlights in his Hall of Fame career.

He seemed to shudder when thinking about a scenario where WCW folded and McMahon didn't come calling.

On Watching Charlotte Succeed

The recent onscreen promos where he talked about how much Charlotte's success means to him are from the heart. Flair got most emotional when talking about his daughter climbing her way up to the Divas Championship.

Her career has given him a second one.

After Shawn Michaels defeated him at WrestleMania XXIV, Flair didn't know what to do with himself. "I was so devastated the next day that I wasn't in the business," he said. It was hard to let go, but he has instead held tight to Charlotte, enjoying the journey alongside her.

About the controversial promo where WWE used his son's death as storyline fodder, Flair seemed hurt but understanding. He said it was hard for the family. "I've seen her cry enough," he told Austin.

However, Flair said he thought his late son Reid would be glad they are talking about him, and he would be OK with being part of the narrative like this.

Flair reiterated that Charlotte's title was the biggest moment of his career. His tearful eyes spoke to the genuine nature of the statement. 

Being in Charlotte's corner really is a thrill ride for him. He called her a better athlete than him, so perhaps there's a touch of awe mixed in with all that pride.