Joe Rogan Experience #1974 — Ric Flair Transcript

Transcript

0:00 The Joe Rogan Experience. Thank you. He's flabbergasted. They gave it to Becky Lynch. and I didn't know what a Rolex or a Jet or anything was No, I loved after a semester. with the chick and the lounge chair, I said, that's me. because it's one of my absolute favorite clips He's stealing! he's got them on for you I mean, that's an amazing thing. cans at the science you know in the old days and driving 100 miles an hour. And I heard Jerry Lewis go, goodness gracious, great balls of fire, woo.

4:22 Goodness gracious, good balls of fire. Some of them couldn't swim. Which is crazy, because Elvis married a 14-year-old I think when he met her, she was 14. And he said, follow that motherfucker. They met when she was 14, but they tied the knot when she was 21. 19, 20, get to know each other. I seriously thought have it in your yard. in a hangar somewhere.

6:32 That's all they went for? All the patina on it. That played Like Really good Well, Tom Hanks was fantastic. Yeah. like the whole world is kind of crazy. in music that's close to him Richie Samboro? and then bring up Bon Jovi. The look on their faces, they're being hypnotized. Yes, god damn. Yeah. Give me some volume on this. It's like a Darth Vader

10:40 Roots of Fight just sent me a We'd get fucked up on pills and just start doing karate. No, Ali. Yeah. No, we were right there, yeah. and started kicking his legs where Ali couldn't punch him you never saw that oh wow oh dude it or whether Ali had any idea Inoki was going to kick his legs Look at he's going for leg locks and shit Because it was pretty nasty.

13:47 I think probably the most scared I've ever been of anything in my life. I was in trouble. The other guy says, he looked at my Rolex watch and goes, I mean, it was that bad. And so they came to me and they said, you know, Because you didn't speak Japanese, obviously. So I called, he said, don't go. like why did they send you a match there? to ease the tension between Japan and Korea.

16:08 They show a rocket ship. a land in America. Wow. this rocket taking off and flying over Japan and blowing up America. And Chinoy said, well, you know, I don't know if we'll let you out here without making that statement. Did they have to prove it? How long were you over there for? I go, please don't start talking now. So they took care of you guys, but it was scary.

19:13 Was that the only time you ever had to go somewhere sketchy like that? He still does. Yeah, yeah. Going over there all the time. Carmen Electra. because Damon Wayans had a bit about when Magic Johnson had HIV and he went back to playing basketball I'll spit in your mouth oh it's so funny It was hilarious because everybody else was like, oh, they're all getting off pills.

21:09 The show with Jordan last year or two years ago. That's an animated like cartoon said for women in the room for two days and the Chicago Bulls They're making a Netflix thing. they're so important to young kids because they make things so much more exciting. switched me to heels and bad guys and villains everything changed but it was take your vitamins

23:16 I did. and I had my first match in January of 73. But you started wrestling after the plane crash, right? Not at that show, but I met him at the matches in Wilmington. But he's looking and saying Well, we're flying along. Left engine went, boom. So he tried. So they're putting us in the ambulance, right? I said, tell Sheila I love her, but not to come see me.

27:08 Broke my back three places, T10, 11, and 12. And that was what we were going to do, right? They said you're i'd ever wrestle again and i i'm you know that goes that was what we're gonna do right they said you're never gonna wrestle again yeah So the promoter I was wrestling said, Fisherville, North Carolina, or Fisherville, Virginia, I was fine, yeah.

29:01 Three years in a row I did more than 330 hours. Yeah. So like most pro wrestlers. If it's a crazy match, maybe 30 minutes. Yeah. They had a lot of issues with chemicals and it was just a nightmare. Oh, right, right. and walk out and all of a sudden the crowd is going drop the first long pass, you know what I mean? You have to be in insane shape. Because the amount of shows you guys do.

31:54 The kids have seven days off. We didn't have all the ladder matches, Oh, yeah, we'd kill ourselves. I learned that in 72 before I even started working. Oh, my God. Yeah, I was pretty healthy. No. And so that was the only way you would have been able to wrestle nine hours a week. Holy shit. Because right after those matches, what is the routine? because in the old days we could do that we can't do it now of course because i don't it's

36:01 That was not a guy's soap opera then, man. 300 of them. But you, you were the ultimate wingman. Probably. And in social media, the guys don't go out anymore. You've got a gigantic diamond wedding ring on. She's the one. All right. I just always had a lot of self-energy. But anyway, I've been lucky. Then I cracked C5 in my neck, So I was in a coma for 14 days, ICU for 31.

39:59 No, what happened was, they tried to scare me I had a ruptured appendix. From the operation? They said, no, what causes it? It's one in a million doctors before I started drinking again. I said, the drinking causes? They said, no, what causes it? Wow. Yeah. And that self-medication, you know the deal, does not exist. It's yet. They're much better. And I went this year and inducted Muda in the hall of fame. And my daughter is,

42:59 I can't, I mean, and can do that. I mean, she was unreal. It's got to be pretty cool, too, that your daughter falls in your footsteps. the world. Watch this, Joe. Oh, my God. I mean, I could never do that. talk about it because i just i just that came from vern i just learned that if i was in better shape rumble you you come out number one 30 entrance you know how the royal number two oh you were

46:30 what do you mean What's going on here? He ends up, 30 people come out every minute. And all of a sudden he's beating up on Hogan. You rule the world. Woo! say, we told you so, But I got to tell you like this, for the Hulk Hogan's and the Macho Man's and the Piper's and the Sid's, 30,000 miles a week, 3,500. back then? or Charleston, or go up to Greensboro,

50:59 you know, take my daughter to school or whatever Auckland, New Zealand to St. Louis. 100 seat places, 200 seat places? at noon and drive to Springfield, Illinois in North and South Carolina, Wrestling and started literally just buying them up slowly Like they knew about it. Yeah, okay. Yeah. We don't know. But the way they've treated the UFC, I think so.

54:52 Yeah. No, of course he's got some floozies on the side. I don't care what he does. Because, you know, when you're talking about your early days, The most watched thing on cable. On a Monday. He would, oh wow, Yeah, he just spends all day. Sure. and hit his thigh on the side of the ring and blew out his quad. It's so crazy, because the guy must be in fucking agony, and he's still present, so

58:13 Now he can't stand up. three hours so he's been sitting in the back with headphones on hitting a button communicating to And they tie, no matter what angle you watch it from, it's a blatant. because he's talking to them in their headset as they're calling he was stupid son of a bitch Drinking a protein drink and hollering at the announcers. He said to me one time,

1:01:00 shit? Yeah, yeah. And he goes another time, Nobody's going to tell Harley, right? Yeah, Harley Race. Almost lost his left arm, right? my name's Harley Race. He bit guys? Yeah. Brock Lesnar had very little MMA experience. was hanging by hanging by a string I don't know what happened to it. This was back in the 70s. Yeah. I've seen it three times. Harley used to go, I guess,

1:04:33 I go, Harley, please. Take the cue off the wall, chalk it up, knock all the quarters off. there's a there's a haku brother yeah we call him the human veegematic. Yeah. That's considered by many to be the scariest guy. Well, I mean, he's had so many lawsuits. He just cuts in on the guy. So I ordered a bunch for the last call. He just grabbed him by the neck.

1:07:36 sold-out arena in extreme high and then why would why do guys want to give a guy like what do you Well, here's the deal. If there were cell phone videos back then, It depends on what town we're in. And then, of course, he gets his ass whipped. No, but with Harley, it was that left hand. jaw, broken nose. I mean, There's something about that. But I meant, you know, rodeo riders and all that.

1:10:17 Yeah, I'm sure. No, and it's probably better. Did someone prescribe them pills? The only thing I've ever taken is Xanax. Yeah, that's how I finally got here. Oh, my goodness. Oh, okay. A mushroom blend, it says? How cool. Yeah. It smells like that stuff that Ron White had that put everybody into a coma. Well, they gave it to me in L.A. and then everybody

1:13:17 yeah I gotta give When did you get involved in the cannabis business? Yeah. He's fully ripped Yeah he works out at Unbroken Like look at Wiz Khalifa. Yeah. Do you know what flavor this is? Here. Dude, that is really good. And were you taking it specifically because of injuries and inflammation? taking as long as long as i have i can really feel it how long have you taken it for since 89

1:17:02 Wow. to cut my hair, call myself Spartacus. Yeah. Ted just hired his friends to run the wrestling. He says, yeah, I want to change your number or cut your hair and call you Spartacus and put a earring in your ear. Wow. with steamboat remember shy town rumble yeah oh yeah this freaks you out, and then how does the Xanax start? I didn't. It felt normal.

1:20:17 and stress and all these things are fucking with you, in all the Ric Flair drip. I finally got it registered and gone. I woke up with no side effects. And you did that for a little while? but, I mean, I've gotten a ring in at the rest of the match I'm not perfect. Hunter was there. when to three different women And a million and a half in penalty and interest.

1:23:35 Finally, we got a rebate. Well, I started paying it in, let me see. wives just It's kind of amazing you only have that many ex-wives. it goes with the story. When you look back on it now, That's wild. Yep. What's the attitude that is when um stone cold came out the rock and sean i mean everybody nwo was on wcw Is it commonly known as the Attitude Era?

1:26:56 what's he talking about and things just got a lot more funny a lot more crazy this This was all Vince's idea. Yeah, of course. And Stephanie pulled it off. and every pay-per-view was just ridiculous. Who would have ever thought wrestling would have got that big? like, He's really good. Yeah, because they're YouTube people. undefeated boxer I think Mike trains every day

1:29:14 Electrical muscular stimulation recovery stuff like when they were training Mike for that Roy Jones fight the last thing to go. unless it was a jab or something like that, was to the body. He needs to calm that down. mean it's not it's the first time he's ever boxed a guy like that but for roy to be able to do that So it's like his style was like a lot of left hooks,

1:31:18 His speed and his timing and everything. and like mayweather right i mean he was like as silly yeah but so technical oh my god he was he Is there a concussion that stands out to you as the hardest your bell ever got rung? when we used to use the chairs and that right but it's funny if you don't know about it I just taped up, you know, the guys that need stitches.

1:33:29 and that entire addiction the entire time with all the physical stuff. two sledgehammer shots. has got for you. Just cut it? on your head, kind of crazy. they they constantly kept me you know kept me going and that's really that made a big you know what I mean? Yes. F5. Look at the chair. Oh, he's fucking slamming these chairs. Oh, Jesus Christ. Look at the chair.

1:37:41 Yeah. You're going to come out of here. This is how I travel you jackass. Woo! You got to see him. I ain't going home. gucci shoes and you throw them into the crowd did you ever get those back no I always wondered after I grew up older and learned about like production and There's something wrong with me. I had a plan, but I wasn't sure. Legitimately don't like each other to this day.

1:41:56 but don't abuse me, right? And he walked in front of about 85 people and said he was going to break me. costing a million dollars, and I said, fuck it, I'll go back. Right, exactly. That's it. You know, listening to music. Clearly it worked. Or you can do it because you're trying to gain that, to get in that position, So like what, how old were you when you stopped wrestling entirely?

1:45:06 And you were 73. Jerry got real sick. It's crazy that you were so durable. That's right. I think it's because of the free squats So, but I always try to do it in less than 15 minutes. sets of 100, and then I would say one day a week I'll do 500 without stopping. Non-stop, yeah. I've done that in 34 minutes. Oh yeah. was conditioned christ i weighed 300 ken patera weighed 330 just got back from munich you know

1:48:17 I quit. Get in the fucking car. We just can't. And freestyle, not to try to turn the caliber wrestler, right? From Iran. Mm-hmm. Mm. because there was steel chairs there for the crowd, wilbur snyder's woman winning with the abdominal stretch or verne's winning with the sleeper i More pressure. You know, I'm really good friends with Shamrock, right?

1:51:59 now the guys can't do that. i think so yeah yeah that was at the time like he Oh, yeah. It was legendary strength and conditioning routines. He would have been different, So even guys who had, like, would get a hold of you, CM Punk was the one who took the most chances, right? and I'm like, there's no way. And then he fought I think Mike Jackson Mike Jackson just kind of pieced him up

1:55:17 So, I mean, I admire the fact that he was willing to take the challenge. some people can pick it up in their 30s, and submission moves He just knows how to win. Yeah. So no one's ever really beaten John. And, you know, when that guy shot a power double, it was like getting hit by a bus. Oh, yeah. But the thing about Cain was, Cain, he would hit you with a volume of times. And I think John is at least at that level. Oh, yeah.

1:57:43 That's right, he did. Yeah, they put on MMA gloves, right? It's boring. I don't think Ray Mysterio did. Oh, I know why. Oh, Dos Carlos Jr. merco crocop was a destroyer what's he doing now uh crocop still had some fights up until i think mma rights ronda ronda went back oh he went the other way though yeah she went over there to get to have a career afterwards.

2:01:44 And, you know, he kind of got fucked over in MMA. That's right. that's why Pride got so big. in the 70s it was it was huge 15 to 20 maybe 25,000 a week apiece. Unbelievable. What was your go-to song? Just the women serving the drinks. The bars over there are expensive. and getting a bath. where you're like man maybe i should settle down a little bit.

2:04:57 when my ATM card ran out. Actually, when I started going in the 70s, there was still a little bit of hostility. you'll kind of go back and forth and back then you know the now now the japanese wrestlers are What year? and the guy beats the fuck out of that guy. Oh yeah. how did you know? I mean they understand our language I couldn't hang with the guys because I'm a good amateur wrestler. I just

2:08:15 That's an embarrassing story. Jumbo would just beat me if he tried to, telling Harley he was going to do it. Saruta's there. Harley walks over to Saruta. shit out of you to know how to follow. With a broken neck. I can give it to him, fucking times yeah look how and effortlessly he does kurt has unbelievable strength yeah obviously Phenomenal. Yeah.

2:11:56 so he's gonna be able to hit you easier too, They're just tougher. Nobody gives a shit on the ESPN. but now you can't even begin to have a chance. And they're so good at it. juliana's fight oh nice in vancouver yeah juliana's having a rematch with amanda nunez yeah crazy yeah And we had a Blackhawk game, and she didn't have her daughter with her. got a man in nunez's back and strangled her holy what a upset that was yeah how many have you been to live um three or four do you enjoy it yeah yeah yeah i love it

2:15:29 Wow, just talk about this that and we got this going he's telling me secret yeah i'm like what else is going on telling them about negotiations and all the behind the scenes He's really good at interviewing people. I just saw him at WrestleMania. What is Gad Saad? I don't know. What are you trying to say? I'm always shocked at some of the people. to be able to see where the vulnerabilities are and see the transitions,

2:17:52 No, I wasn't hanging out with them. started out with real submission moves yeah i mean it it was wrestling, but it was also real submission moves. He would drop from a hang rope, but he was just a fucking tank of a man Jesus Christ. These guys are just animals. same old school though learned all that stuff from guys like billy robinson learned all those

2:20:28 And then it became pro wrestling when they realized like, Yeah. It's fun. Then they had them come to a seminar where I talked about how to learn how to interview, Rhea Ripley, Austin Theory. Bailey and Becky Lynch came up. Then the whole thing started to change around. There was no respect towards women whatsoever. women's wrestling matches ever because she's not afraid of her so that the key thing with ronda

2:23:35 She's so great at playing a badass. as far as the girl matches my daughter is the only one who's not afraid of her she's the most It's not like, oh, they really made that entertaining of people just coming in and out and all that. Yeah, Brock flirted a couple times with coming back, I think he got like six inches of his intestines removed. And it was rough.

2:25:36 I mean, he was a lot bigger than Randy for sure, but still. Yeah, still big. it doesn't even look like a real human like I think it was only his It was nasty because he wasn't, like, the referee didn't stop it quick enough. Frank just laced up a leg and started rolling into a leg bar see if you find that because Nogueira. So here it is. He's on top.

2:27:54 his face looked like like people had said that it was like he was eating strawberries and just Wow. Everybody turned it over on me. You would love Danny Hodge. Wow. But he made a lot of money and they were successful. And me and my buddies, first-time wrestling show he's ever seen. It barely fit between, What year was this? you must have been in your glory oh we had the best time ever that is so tony hitchcliff look

2:31:45 He got heavily into wrestling, right? I was there. He had already been through a bunch of characters. they wouldn't they want to make this big entrance and the other guys all thought it was so dumb The Shack Master! Oh, God. who's supposed to be doing the voice of the He leaves basically the promo as the thing goes on, I knew each other. is laughing. So when Sid starts yelling

2:36:06 yeah sorry I mean, what an amazing career you've had. can I tell them about it? And where can anybody buy this stuff? Up by Destin. It's nice. I'm living a good life. It's so great that you've got such a great source of revenue after the career. It is nice. which I was fairly conscious of. Oh, yeah. It's a lot better. When I was a kid, yeah. I liked it, but I've always liked booze.

2:39:36 Yeah, there's nothing quite like drinking. I could stay. I have Dana's number. Hell yeah. Awesome.. Let's do it. 100%. I want to FaceTime Ric Flair. Hell yeah. Thank you. right there. Yeah. Oh, yeah. You got to get him on Kill Tony. Champagne drinking. I know. I lost two Rolexes with him drinking Jack Daniels. And I was with Taker and Kurt Henning and Horace Grant, the one that played for Washington.

2:42:01 I went down to Sabatino's and I woke up with the two girls and no Rolex. He's the best. Michael, We'll all go out to dinner. Leave the wives at home. Ric Flair approved. Thank you.