[1989-02-15-NWA-Clash of the Champions V] Interview: Ric Flair

[GSR]

Flair is wearing a knee length fur jacket and has five models along with Hiro Matsuda accompanying him as he makes his way to the ring to be interviewed by Bob Caudle.  ‘The Naitch’ notes that Ricky Steamboat is in the building and invites him out and to take his pick of the women as he must be bored going home to the same lady every night.  He goes on to talk about money being no object when you have a manager like Hiro Matsuda and a multi-million dollar company behind you.  Steamboat joins them and again Flair offers up the ladies.  Like the wholesome family man is going to accept?  Flair suggests Steamer do himself a favour and walk away from Monday night.  They go back and forth for a bit until Flair tells him to go home and “help the missus do the dishes” as he’s going down town.  Steamboat slaps him across the face and the fight is on.  As the two go at it Bob Caudle and the models look to be in no hurry to exit the ring. ‘The Dragon’ decks Hiro and then starts tearing Flair’s clothes off his back.  They blister each other with chops before Steamer strips Flair completely and he’s out there in just his pants and socks.  Steamboat gets a visual pin after a flying crossbody, the crowd counting the three, but Matsuda has recovered, grabs Steamboat, and holds him so that his charge can unload with more knife edge chops that turn ‘The Dragon’s’ chest red.  The two end up duking it out in amongst the crowd before Flair scarpers to the back.  Steamer then returns to the ring and puts on the remnants of Flair’s tattered clothes.

First question, where was security when all this was going on?  You’d think with the big title match being only six days away they’d be out there pronto to make sure no-one got hurt or injured.  Flair was great in the interview although Steamboat was fairly dry with his comebacks.  The brawl was really good though, heated and sets up the PPV perfectly, even if Flair being stripped of his clothes is beyond overdone by this point.