WWF Royal Rumble 2002 - Ric Flair vs Mr. McMahon (Street Fight)
Transcript
00:00We are moments away from what will be a slobberknocker, a street fight.
00:10No disqualification, no count outs, there must be a winner.
00:15And this whole thing got started on November the 19th when Ric Flair became Mr.
00:20McMahon's business partner.
00:23November 19th will forever be embedded in my mind as one of the worst days of my life.
00:27What? There's a nature boy.
00:30What's he doing here?
00:32Do you know that when Shane and Stephanie sold their stock to that consortium,
00:39the consortium was me.
00:43And now you and I are partners.
00:48Ric Flair is an underhanded businessman.
00:51I'm 50% over here.
00:53We're partners.
00:54We work together.
00:55I went through all the contracts and I happened to pull one that reads,
01:02this McMahon owner slash wrestler.
01:08That means that you're gonna wrestle at the Royal Rumble.
01:12Then who's got the boot to step into the ring with me?
01:17The Nature Boy, Ric Flair.
01:21I've got no problems accepting his challenge.
01:24He had no call to bust me in the mouth.
01:27Flair has made the biggest mistake of his life.
01:30You know, I'm the kind of guy just when you think you know him a little bit,
01:34you find out you don't know a damn thing about him.
01:38I want his family and I want the whole world to see what I do to Ric Flair.
01:43Who the hell do you think you are, McMahon?
01:46Take off my damn robe right now.
01:51For the love of God.
01:53He just hit Flair in the head with a pipe.
01:55I enjoy destroying lives.
01:59Ric Flair won the greatest of the game in the game's history.
02:02It turns me on.
02:06Especially an icon like Ric Flair.
02:10Ric Flair has bled and sweat and worked as hard for this business as
02:15Vince McMahon or anybody living or dead.
02:18I actually have been brought to my knees and left in the middle of the ring
02:24by the great Vince McMahon.
02:27But the Nature Boy is about to make history again.
02:34McMahon, now I'm going to take my power by making our match at the Royal Rumble
02:40a street fight.
02:41No rules.
02:43No count-up.
02:44No disqualification.
02:46Nothing stops that match.
02:48Street fight, huh?
02:50What I'm going to do to Ric Flair at the Royal Rumble?
02:52Embarrass Ric Flair.
02:54Annihilate Ric Flair at the Royal Rumble.
02:56Beat Ric Flair beyond recognition at the Royal Rumble.
03:00And I guarantee you, folks, it's not going to be pretty.
03:03Now you've got to walk that aisle.
03:07Whoo!
03:08You've got the style and profile.
03:11We're going to bleed, we're going to sweat, and we're going to pay the price
03:15until one of us walks out a winner.
03:18To be the man, you have to beat the man.
03:22I'm already the man, and I'm going to prove it.
03:25I enjoy destroying lives.
03:28It turns me on, especially an icon like Ric Flair.
03:36Whoo!
03:39Whoo!
03:51Ha-ha!
03:53The following contest is the streak of no rules, anything goes.
04:03Approaching the ring, from Charlotte, North Carolina,
04:10the co-owner of the World Wrestling Federation,
04:17Ric Flair.
04:18The official Ric Flair.
04:23Wow, what a moment.
04:26There's his son and his daughter taking pictures of their dad.
04:31This has got to be an emotional moment for Ric Flair, without a doubt.
04:34Especially here in Atlanta, Georgia, JR.
04:37It wasn't that long ago that Ric Flair probably thought he would never get
04:40the opportunity for this kind of ovation one more time in his illustrious career.
04:48And I, for one, are damn proud that he's getting that opportunity here tonight.
04:53But I hope that he fully realizes what he's in for.
04:57Got that right.
04:58Some of the things he's done,
05:00I think he's playing right into the hands of Vince McMahon.
05:04The former 16 time world champion has been confessed.
05:08He has been lacerated.
05:09He has been humiliated, all by Mr. McMahon.
05:13And then what'd he do?
05:14He made this match a street fight.
05:16Uh-oh.
05:16No chance, cuz that's what you got.
05:23From Greenwich, Connecticut.
05:25Wow.
05:25The new world champion, Mr. McMahon.
05:33Holy mackerel, JR.
05:35He is jacked.
05:37Mr. McMahon is ripped.
05:39No doubt he has trained like a- A Trojan.
05:43A Trojan?
05:43What does that mean?
05:44A Trojan.
05:45What a stunt.
05:48Both McMahon and Flair are both former WWF champions.
05:55Both have won the Royal Rumble.
05:58Two of the biggest icons in the history of sports entertainment.
06:04I would have never thought this.
06:06Look at this.
06:06Vince McMahon has got muscles and places.
06:09Ric Flair don't even have places.
06:10Look at his arms.
06:11Flair won the 92 Rumble, along with the WWF title.
06:17McMahon won the Rumble in 99.
06:19Uh-oh, wait a minute.
06:20A lot of pride in that ring right now, and it's all on the line, JR.
06:29One man says to beat the man, or to be the man, you gotta beat the man.
06:33And Vince McMahon says he is the man.
06:38We'll find out who's the man, aren't we, JR?
06:39We certainly are.
06:40These men are co-owners of the World Wrestling Federation.
06:44Flair with a huge advantage as far as catch-as-catch-can skills.
06:49But this is not that sort of match.
06:50This is a street fight.
06:51You've been around a long time.
06:52Did you ever think in your life you'd see this match?
06:55Absolutely not, King.
06:56Did you see that look?
06:58Through all the-
06:59Ooh, he's gonna, he's gonna pop.
07:01Look at that chest.
07:04Bodybuilding pose of Mr. McMahon, who quite frankly, as you can see,
07:09has trained like a- How many hours a day does he spend at the gym?
07:13I don't have any idea.
07:15Obviously, a great deal.
07:17Side headlock applied by Mr. McMahon, two legends of our business, meeting for
07:22the first time in history in a match that many people, less than a year ago,
07:27would say that would never, ever be able to occur.
07:30Hey, watch it now.
07:33Look at the power.
07:34Arch shoulder lock by Mr. McMahon.
07:37Look at the pose.
07:39Look at the grief.
07:41Oh, man.
07:42And the strut.
07:43He's doing it all better than Flair.
07:45The pose, the strut.
07:48Another attempt to humiliate Ric Flair here in Atlanta with Ric's children,
07:53two of his children, here at ringside.
07:55That's right, that's what Mr. McMahon said.
07:57He loves to destroy lives.
07:59It turns him off.
08:00Apple purses that.
08:02What do you mean?
08:04If you look like Mr. McMahon, if you had a body like that,
08:07you could turn on just looking in the mirror, wouldn't you?
08:09I don't think so.
08:10You look that good, Jack.
08:12Backing McMahon in that corner.
08:14There's a dirty player in the game there, using fists.
08:17No disqualifications here.
08:18There'll be no count outs in this street fight.
08:20Flair, don't get too cocky yet.
08:27There you go.
08:29Man catching Flair coming in with that kick to the midsection.
08:31Look at this.
08:33Now taking Flair to the corner.
08:37There you go.
08:37Another shoulder block.
08:39A huge shoulder.
08:39Man.
08:41And a knockdown by the reverse elbow by Mr. McMahon.
08:44In this first ever meeting between two of the business's biggest icons.
08:50You got that right, JR.
08:51Hey, look at this.
08:53Ric Flair chopped.
08:54Now, who exactly is the man?
08:58Uh-oh, wait a minute.
09:00Oh, oh, oh.
09:03Oh, Mr. McMahon, in love by the Nature Boy.
09:07And there's that Nature Boy strut.
09:09McMahon just right to the eyes.
09:11He doesn't want any more of those hard chops to that massive chest.
09:15And you saw that?
09:16That's right out of Ric Flair's book.
09:17I've seen him do that a couple of times before, haven't you, JR?
09:20Absolutely.
09:20Look at this.
09:24We're knocked down by Mr. McMahon.
09:26This is not a wrestling match.
09:28This is a street fight.
09:29JR, look at those veins in his arm.
09:31I mean, they're protruding.
09:33They're bulging.
09:35Man, oh, man.
09:37You're a little bit too excited about his body.
09:39Well, I'm just, I'm telling you, I'm absolutely amazed.
09:42Oh, look at Flair.
09:43I've seen him do that a time or two, too.
09:46Oh, losing the band-aid.
09:49McMahon again going downstairs.
09:52I think Flair's got to be a little bit, I think, in shock
09:56might be the term right now.
09:57He would have never thought he'd get this.
09:59Look out!
09:59Oh, my goodness!
10:01Flair upside down.
10:03Say it, JR.
10:04The velocity of Mr. McMahon's strength.
10:06This is the man.
10:08He is the man right now.
10:10Look out!
10:12Flair knocked off the apron by Mr. McMahon.
10:16He's walking the walk.
10:17He's talking the talk.
10:20I guess Flair's finally met his match right here in Atlanta.
10:23Flair's had many challenges in front and behind the camera
10:27here in Atlanta, but none perhaps as deadly
10:30as this one here tonight.
10:31Oh!
10:32Oh, a shot to the head.
10:34Remember, this is a street fight with no disqualifications.
10:38And look at Flair's head print in that sign.
10:41All right, Vance, just go ahead and throw him out there.
10:45Like yesterday, Vance, let's get on with the rumble.
10:49McMahon makes it once he beats Flair.
10:52Once McMahon humiliates Flair here at the Royal Rumble,
10:55the Flair will never want to show his face in public again.
10:58And Mr. McMahon can buy back that thought.
11:02That's not exactly the only reason he's doing it.
11:05You know why he's doing it, JR?
11:07I figured you'd tell me.
11:08Yeah, because he gets off on it.
11:11Vance is getting off on this right now.
11:13Well, that's not a reason I need to conjure up.
11:15Thank you.
11:15So, so little.
11:17I love it.
11:20You love a guy that gets off on humiliating others?
11:24This conversation's going down the wrong road.
11:26Watch it.
11:28Ooh!
11:29Hey!
11:30That hit Flair.
11:32Careful, he's bleeding!
11:34Flair has been lacerated.
11:35Oh, my goodness!
11:36Flair has been busted wide open by Mr. McMahon.
11:41And those trashcan shots, the signed shots.
11:47I think that maybe that same cut that Vince
11:49opened up with that pipe a couple weeks ago reopened.
11:52Pow!
11:53Three-line hand to the ring.
11:55Oh, look at that!
11:56Knee to the abdomen.
11:57Right now, Mr. McMahon-
11:59He's relentless.
12:00Is owning the Nature Boy.
12:01Yeah.
12:02Ooh!
12:03Flair, off his face, bouncing off that ring post.
12:06Let me ask you a question.
12:07You think maybe the icon, Ric Flair,
12:09might have just underestimated Mr. McMahon a little bit?
12:13All right.
12:14That's a good question.
12:15I can't answer it.
12:17And McMahon now measuring Flair.
12:20Oh, watch it!
12:21Oh!
12:22He's bleeding profusely here.
12:24Give me my camera.
12:25This is a Kodak moment.
12:28I never would have thought this.
12:29Look at this.
12:30Trying to measure the width of Flair's shoulders.
12:35A slam!
12:36Boom!
12:38Flair being slammed right here at ringside.
12:41There is children.
12:42Hey!
12:44They almost took your camera.
12:45That's what I just said.
12:47It's a great idea.
12:47You want a record of this.
12:49Take a picture.
12:51We're going to take a picture.
12:53Oh, wait.
12:53Vince is going to take a picture of himself.
12:56That's a better side right in front of your kids, Vince.
12:58How about this?
12:59How about this?
13:00That's a great picture right there.
13:02This is fantastic.
13:03Right across the man's children.
13:05Did I get 8 by 10 to that?
13:07You got kids coming back.
13:09That's a man you like.
13:10I don't know if I'm really going to be getting wrecked.
13:12Whatever you say.
13:13You want to give me no damage done to the camera?
13:15Flair is flowing.
13:18We're talking about a crimson mask.
13:22Get that film to Photomat, quick.
13:25I'd like to see those before the rumble's over tonight.
13:27You know how long Vince has been thinking about this, JR?
13:30Salivating about this?
13:32Now what?
13:33You don't think.
13:37McMahon now breaking those legs of Ric Flair.
13:40I'll tell you what, King, that's a pretty smart strategy
13:43because if you incapacitate Flair's legs,
13:45Flair's going to have a hell of a time
13:47utilizing his bones.
13:57Wouldn't that be fantastic?
13:58McMahon driving that knee right into the ankle of Ric Flair.
14:01Oh, man.
14:02Into the knee and the calf.
14:04Right across his shin as well.
14:06What do you like doing, JR?
14:08Knee drop on the ankle?
14:11That is, I hate to admit it,
14:13there is a method to Mr. McMahon's madness
14:16in incapacitating Flair's legs
14:18which will bring Ric Flair's figure four meaningless.
14:24Oh, now what?
14:25Great strategy.
14:26What a match.
14:27Now what?
14:28Come on.
14:29That's too good, son.
14:30Come on.
14:31Oh.
14:32McMahon working on Ric Flair in the outside.
14:35Ritching that knee.
14:37JR, you would have never thought
14:39JR, you would have never dreamed
14:40that this match would unfold like this, would you?
14:42I wouldn't know.
14:43You're absolutely right.
14:44That's what training does for you.
14:46Nothing.
14:47Half the time Mr. McMahon spends running this company
14:49is actually done from the gym.
14:54Wait a minute.
14:55Wait a minute here.
14:56Right now, what?
14:57Wait a second.
14:58It's a street fight, JR.
14:59We know what it is.
15:00Okay, that means anything goes.
15:02From the nose to the toes.
15:03Oh, look at that.
15:06I am so impressed.
15:09Look at this.
15:11I never thought I'd say that
15:13Mr. McMahon is beating the hell out of Ric Flair.
15:17He's relentless.
15:18You know what?
15:19He's turned on right now.
15:22He said this turns him on.
15:24Flair getting beat like a government mule here
15:26by his 50% business partner, Mr. McMahon.
15:30I don't think even a government mule can take this much punishment.
15:35Now what?
15:37McMahon has worked on Flair's legs unmercifully.
15:40Why don't you just tap?
15:41Look at this.
15:42Oh, wait a minute.
15:43He is gonna do it.
15:44Oh, how humiliating.
15:45Oh, the final insult.
15:47How humiliating.
15:48This would ruin Flair's whole professional life
15:51to end with a submission loss to Mr. McMahon.
15:55Mr. McMahon really went to school for this.
15:57Come on, Flair.
15:58This is not the way an icon like Ric Flair wants to go out.
16:02And he almost did there with a pin.
16:05Sometimes you don't always get what you want.
16:07I'm afraid this is the way Ric Flair is gonna go out.
16:10Just go ahead and tap out.
16:13That figure four is not to listen to these people here in Atlanta.
16:17Over 16,000 getting behind the Nature Boy here.
16:21Wait a minute, Mr. McMahon.
16:22Don't let him turn you over.
16:23Keep the pressure on.
16:24Three, two, one.
16:25Another near fall.
16:27More pressure.
16:28More pressure.
16:29Flair's trying to turn McMahon to the stomach.
16:34Look at the power of the figure four.
16:41And now McMahon is feeling it.
16:42And McMahon, like the scalded dog he can be,
16:46scurried to the outside.
16:48Talked about magicians.
16:49There was a great escape right there.
16:51Mr. McMahon, the escape artist.
16:55Come on, rub it up.
16:56And notice the relenting.
16:59What do you think he should be doing?
17:01I'm not criticizing him.
17:02I'm just reporting on it.
17:03But he's hurting that knee, that leg.
17:05And now he's not doing it.
17:07You're doing a great job, Mr. McMahon.
17:09Keep it up.
17:10Hey, look at that lead pipe.
17:11Wait a damn minute.
17:12This match is about to-
17:13Wait a damn minute.
17:14That's a lead pipe that he broke.
17:16He busted Flair open with earlier this month on the card.
17:20We've got to give Vince credit.
17:21He's really prepared for this match.
17:23This match is about to become a lead pipe cinch.
17:25I know it's legal, but it's not very damn ethical.
17:30If it's legal-
17:31What's your point?
17:32Oh, yeah.
17:33I guess I've got to go.
17:34Come on, Vince.
17:35Go.
17:36Oh!
17:37Another blow.
17:38Just as McMahon struck the hip flare right between the eyes
17:42with that lead pipe, McMahon got a low blow.
17:45Yeah, well, how ethical was that, JR?
17:47And I suspect that I get turned on when it's not wearing a cup.
17:52That was just about as ethical as the way Ric Flair stole half of this company from Mr. McMahon.
17:56Look out!
17:57Ooh!
17:58God!
17:59Flair is lighting McMahon up!
18:01And McMahon can't stand that!
18:03No!
18:04Ooh!
18:05Great right hand from that bloody and blood-battered nature boy, Ric Flair.
18:10Watch it!
18:11Those cups can stop your heart!
18:13I don't think McMahon has any heart.
18:15If he does, it's blacker than sin.
18:18Well, you may pay for that remark, JR.
18:21Watch it!
18:22Ooh!
18:23McMahon couldn't have blown that security railing.
18:26He can literally pay.
18:27He can doctor pay, you know?
18:28What is this Flair doing now?
18:30Wait, those are expensive monitors!
18:33Oh, wait a minute.
18:34You're going to have to pay for that yourself, Flair!
18:35You got to!
18:36Oh, my!
18:37He hit Mr. McMahon in the face!
18:39Oh, my!
18:40I can't believe it!
18:41What are you thinking?
18:42He hit McMahon right in the face with that television monitor!
18:44You can't do that!
18:45You can't do that!
18:46He snapped, JR!
18:48No security!
18:49Another one, another one.
18:50Look, he's trying to look at himself!
18:52Another one, another one.
18:53Eagle Mania, watch this again!
18:56That metal monitor!
18:59Flair, you'll see how he measures it right now.
19:02Oh, yeah!
19:03Right there on Mr. McMahon's face.
19:05He knocked poor Vince Flair over and up under the table!
19:08And now McMahon has been busted open!
19:10Well, what do you expect of that monitor?
19:12Oh, watch it!
19:14Good God Almighty!
19:15This has become barbaric!
19:19Flair's gone crazy!
19:23Oh, look out, Vince!
19:24Oh, no!
19:25The clearness flowing on both men in this street fight.
19:28Here at the Royal Rumble, two of the biggest icons in the history of sports entertainment
19:33have literally beaten the hell out of each other.
19:36I can't believe that we're seeing millionaire blood there!
19:40Vince!
19:41Maybe you should think twice.
19:43The dirtiest player in the game, Nature Boy, Ric Flair.
19:49Have medical attention standing by!
19:52He's biting him!
19:53He's biting Vince!
19:56Ric Flair's like an animal!
19:58He's a rabbit dog!
20:00Ric Flair has snapped!
20:01And my God, what a chop!
20:03And look at these sick kids!
20:04And Ric Flair's taking pictures of them!
20:06It was alright when McMahon tried to humiliate their own daddy right in front of them.
20:10That was okay.
20:11Those pictures are...
20:14Look at this!
20:15This is awful!
20:16Look at Mr. McMahon!
20:17He's begging off!
20:18He doesn't want any more of Ric Flair!
20:22McMahon kicked out!
20:23Boy, Vince McMahon is a bloody mess!
20:26But so is Ric Flair!
20:29See, Vince McMahon was never ready for a dirty player like this!
20:32He never dreamed that somebody would stoop to these lows!
20:37Oh no!
20:38A new low!
20:39Another low blow!
20:40And down goes McMahon!
20:43He may have the biggest grapefruits in sports entertainment, but they've both been rattled!
20:48Those grapefruits have turned into tangerines!
20:50Now what?
20:52Oh my God!
20:53You dirty cheater!
20:54McMahon brought that pipe in the ring!
20:56You can't do this!
20:57And Flair's going to use it!
20:58Vince!
21:01He cracked his skull!
21:02Sweet moral proof!
21:04I heard it!
21:07Cracked your skull!
21:08McMahon got...
21:10He got cracked to the heaven!
21:12And now you know what's coming next!
21:15You can feel it!
21:17You can sense it!
21:18Is Vince even conscious?
21:19And you can see it!
21:22Ric Flair's figure four!
21:24McMahon in the middle of the ring!
21:26And running back!
21:28The pain brought Vince back!
21:29Look at his face!
21:30The pain is to the face of Mr. McMahon!
21:33Withstand it!
21:34Flair will break that leg!
21:36The Big Man Touch!
21:37The Big Man Touch!
21:38The Big Man Touch!
21:39The Big Man Touch!
21:45Ric Flair came back to pay for you!
21:48He came back as the warrior he is!
21:51Ric Flair came back to Atlanta!
21:53And he has defeated Mr. McMahon!
21:56In a bloody street fight!
21:59They're probably poppin' tonight, aren't they?
22:01I cannot believe this!
22:04And they should be proud of it!
22:05Somehow Flair reached down!
22:08But I thought he was finished for sure!
22:13Boy, what a hellacious board meeting!
22:15Where else with the WWF
22:17would you have a board meeting
22:20between the two owners of the company
22:23and it end up like this?
22:25How can these men be partners?
22:28Co-business owners!
22:29I've never seen anything like this!
22:31We're looking down at Mr. McMahon!
22:34But you've got to wonder
22:36will there be any retaliation?
22:40Will there be a price to pay
22:42down the road for Ric Flair?