Fox News Flash top sports headlines for July 18
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Ric Flair comes from an era of wrestling that required sacrifices, both physically and mentally, that modern-day wrestlers of WWE don't experience.
But while "The Nature Boy" doesn't believe anyone should go through what he did in the ‘70s and ’80s, he doesn't feel the company has many true athletes anymore.
"I can name three. I can’t name 10," Flair told Fox News Digital while promoting his new Wooooo! Energy drink. "I can name three: Brock Lesner, Kurt Angle and my daughter. I have a hard time thinking about who are great athletes."
There is one wrestler, however, who has piqued Flair's interest in terms of athleticism and having "balls."
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Ric Flair joins a telecast during a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center Feb. 25, 2020, in Los Angeles. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
Logan Paul, the YouTube sensation who made his WWE debut in 2021 and signed a multi-event contract in 2022, has impressed wrestlers and wrestling fans for his ability to come in and quickly make a name for himself in the ring.
Flair is among those who believe Paul can be a superstar in wrestling.
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"Oh, if he committed himself to it, yeah. He’s better than — I think I said it — probably 70% of the full-time guys," Flair said.
Paul didn’t walk into the ring untrained. He’s worked with WWE legend Shawn Michaels, something Flair thinks paid off because of what he’s been able to do.
Paul has already been a part of viral WWE moments, including his midair collision with Ricochet in a Royal Rumble match in January.
His match against Roman Reigns, the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, in November 2022 may have been the first loss of his short career, but he received praise for his passion and athleticism. He also left that match with a sprained meniscus and MCL, which proves he put his body on the line for the fans watching in the arena and at home.
Logan Paul (left) and Ricochet battle during the men’s WWE Royal Rumble at the Alamodome in San Antonio Jan 28, 2023. (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports)
"A good athlete can do anything and pull off anything," Flair said of Paul.
"What impressed me about him is he’s got balls. To never do it, to just start jumping off a ladder and s--- like that and never done that you’re whole life, it’s a little different."
While Paul's athletic abilities have earned him praise in his young pro wrestling career, a journeyman that's finally getting his shot to stardom, LA Knight, is someone Flair also likes watching.
"I did a car show commercial with him," Flair said chuckling. "Nice guy."
Knight, a 40-year-old Maryland native, has rubbed some the wrong way because of his demeanor. However, others believe his mic skills can be likened to The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, which always makes for compelling storylines and rivalries in the ring.
LA Knight positions himself on the middle rope (WWE)
"The greatest thing he did, I didn’t realize if they rehearsed it or not, or he was being a smarta--, but when he told the Undertaker that Joe Rogan said that wrestlers today were soft, it popped me," Flair explained. "I hope he came up with that on his own. … I like the kid personally. He’s not Roman Reigns yet, but he just started. He’s been around the market, he’s been back and forth, up and down.
"Sometimes you just got to find the niche, the right opponent and the right moment. That reunion when he cracked on Taker, I think that kinda started a roll for him."
Knight and Paul met during the WWE Money in the Bank ladder match July 1. And while Knight has bashed Paul while he was in the ring, he understands why WWE wants him in matches like these.
"I see the draw," Knight told Fox News Digital before the match. "I’m not blind or ignorant to any of that because, I mean, obviously, look, you’ve got the reach of his entire following on YouTube and social media and all that stuff. I was recently at an event that was this boxing match with all these people who were from like YouTube and social media, and it was like a whole other world.
"But here they are and they had a completely full arena. It’s like, ‘Wow, like this is a completely different audience.’ I feel like a lot of those people don’t watch television. You’ve got your WWE audience, and now you’ve got this big social media audience that he has. So, I can appreciate that and I can see that."
And while Flair likes what he sees from these two, his favorite wrestler in WWE today will always remain an obvious choice.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, center, believes LA Knight, left, and Logan Paul, right, are impressive wrestlers in the sport today. (Getty Images)
"My daughter," he said quickly, referencing Charlotte Flair. "She’s the best man or woman wrestler in the company, and they know it too. There’s nobody that can deny it."
Flair and Paul do have more in common, though, as the two-time WWE Hall of Famer has joined the energy drink game with Wooooo! Energy.
Flair's energy is unmatched even today at 74 years old. He says this new drink, which is different from others because of its mushroom-based recipe, is a main reason why he's always alert.
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"It’s me in a can, brother. That’s how I define it," he said.
"It’s so long-lasting. I’ve given this to a guy that trains Olympic athletes, has run the NFL Combine and was a strength and fitness coach at the University of Georgia for 10 years. He’s seen it all. He drinks it every day now, and he said it makes time go by."