In the early 1990s wrestling fans had very few outlets to find out behind-the-scenes news that is so easy to find on the internet today. Which makes Ric Flair’s 1991 jump from WCW to WWF so shocking and why it lingers as a highlight of wrestling in the 90s.

His new contract with WCW would offer 50% less money, in addition to reduced booking power. But most of all, the contract called for Ric Flair to be fazed out of the World Title picture, and in his place Lex Luger would be the company’s top man.

Flair was not ready to "pass the torch" and depending on the story, he was fired or quit WCW the week before the Great American Bash 1991. Only a few months later, Ric Flair jumped to the WWF, where Vince McMahon welcomed him with open arms. Pairing Flair with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, McMahon scored a major acquisition and put Flair at the top of the card starting in October 1991.

In an angle that seemed shocking to wrestling fans at the time, Flair came into the WWF claiming to be the “Real World Champion” going as far as to bring the WCW title on TV! After a lawsuit by Ted Turner was filed, the belt began to be “digitally altered” on TV, and when a settlement was reached, a faux title was used.

Flair went on to some good success in the WWF, winning the vacant World Title at Royal Rumble 1992, and having a memorable match with Randy Savage at Wrestlemania that year. Flair’s WWF run also included jobbing to Bret Hart, giving Bret his first World Title reign.

Flair’s run in the WWF ended in 1993, when an amiable, mutual decision was reached between Flair and McMahon to allow Flair to return to WCW, where he returned to the WCW World Title picture.

Flair continues to be a big ratings draw to this day, and rumors of his free agency once again created interest from the WWF in 1998. Then, his return to WCW in September of 1998 gave Nitro its last ratings victory. Even after all these years, Ric Flair remains a top wrestling star heading into the year 2000.