Ric Flair is one of the most famous names in the history of professional wrestling, but the true identity of the man behind the name is very different.
Flair was born on February 25th, 1945 but was adopted by Kathleen Kinsmiller Fliehr and Richard Reid Fliehr when he was just a baby. After being given the name Richard Fliehr, he later adapted it to become Ric Flair as he launched his wrestling career.
Ric Flair Reveals Birth Name
While there has previously been some conjecture over Flair’s birth name, the man himself has now confirmed that it’s Fred Phillips. When asked for his “name given at birth” on new documentary “Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair,” the legend replied:
“Fred Phillips. I just found that out three years ago.”
Flair went on to add that he had been contacted by a man who shares the same birth mother, but the legend had little interest in meeting him.
“I don’t have any curiosity,’ Flair insisted. ‘I’ve got enough to be curious about, without someone I’ve never met in my life and meet him now at 73. What are we going to talk about? Ruin our life? He probably only wants to meet me because I’m what I am, whoever I am… If that makes sense.”
2022 has been something of a remarkable year for Ric Flair, with the two-time WWE Hall of Famer wrestling for what was advertised as the final time back in July. At a special Jim Crockett Promotions event Flair teamed with Andrade El Idolo to defeat Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett. There had initially been talk that Flair’s great rival Ricky Steamboat would be involved in the match but he pulled out.
Speaking in a new interview Steamboat revealed that he backed out due to Flair having a pacemaker, not because he was happily retired as he had earlier claimed. The Dragon later made his own return to the ring on November 27th.
H/t to Metro