Edina-raised pro wrestler Ric Flair spotlighted in ESPN's '30 for 30' Tuesday night

The superstar professional wrestler gets the ESPN documentary treatment.

November 7, 2017 at 4:53PM
Former professional wrestler Ric Flair. (Tom Horgen/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minnesota modesty doesn't seem to extend to our state's wrestlers, including Edina-raised Ric Flair, who ruled the canvas between Verne Gagne and Jesse Ventura. Despite recent health scares, the retired superstar still oozes bravado in "Nature Boy," a bittersweet new "30 For 30" documentary that reveals both Flair's showmanship and loneliness.

Some of his statements defy logic – 15 drinks a day throughout his career! Bedding 10,000 women! – but there's no denying that his quest to be in the spotlight cost him on the home front.

Gagne fanatics will eat up Flair's tales of his mentor's stern training techniques and younger wrestling fans may be stunned to hear Hulk Hogan bow down to his elder.

Still, you can't help wonder if it was all worth it, especially when director Rory Karpf ("I Hate Christian Laettner") shows a past-his-prime Flair climbing back in the ring for one more shot of love.

"Nature Boy" airs at 9 p.m. central Tuesday on ESPN

about the writer

about the writer

Neal Justin

Critic / Reporter

Neal Justin is the pop-culture critic, covering how Minnesotans spend their entertainment time. He also reviews stand-up comedy. Justin previously served as TV and music critic for the paper. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for high-school journalists, and works on many fronts to further diversity in newsrooms.

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