Ric Flair’s Last Match live results: Ric Flair & Andrade vs. Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal
The in-ring career of Ric Flair will end once again Sunday as “The Nature Boy” takes to the ring for a final time at Ric Flair’s Last Match to cap off Starrcast weekend in Nashville, Tennessee.
Flair teams with son-in-law Andrade El Idolo to take on Jeff Jarrett & Jay Lethal in a storyline that has played out in the preview series running up to tonight’s pay-per-view.
The card itself is a melding of talent from AEW, Impact, NJPW, MLW, the indies, and past stars.
Among the matches, Impact World Champion Josh Alexander will defend against Jacob Fatu while Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace defends against Deonna Purrazzo and Rachael Ellering in a three-way.
Jonathan Gresham vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Alan Angels vs. Nick Wayne is a highly anticipated four-way as is Rey Fenix vs. Bandido vs. Taurus vs. Laredo Kid.
Killer Kross takes on Harry Smith, Ren Narita battles Yuya Uemura, Kerry & Ricky Morton face Brian Pillman Jr. & Brock Anderson, and the Motor City Machine Guns face The Wolves.
The show will also feature The Briscoes in action, plus a bunkhouse battle royal.
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Live from Nashville, Tennessee.
Pre Show:
Tony Schiavone, David Crockett and Ian Riccaboni were on commentary for the first pre-show match. There was a set for the commentators that resembled the old Jim Crockett Promotions set from the 1980s World Championship Wrestling on TBS.
Ren Narita defeated Yuya Uemura
This was a great back and forth match, much like you’d see on the opener of a New Japan show. Ren Narita got the win with a fantastic finish, catching Uemura with a belly to belly suplex and bridge to get the pinfall.
– Tony Schiavone called out Ric Flair for a promo, but got Jay Lethal and Karen Jarrett instead. Lethal did his best Ric Flair impersonation and promised to embarrass Ric Flair. “It’s going to get real uncomfortable in here.” Karen Jarrett ran down the women from the 80s, prompting a “Who are you?” chant from the crowd. Karen Jarrett said that Ric Flair was willing to die in this last match, and Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal would give him his wish.
– This was followed by a pre-taped promo featuring Lethal and the Jarretts.
– Al Snow, the former Santino, and Frank the Clown were shown in the crowd. The Clown ran into the ring to interrupt the start of the Bunkhouse Stampede and insult “Flair’s last chase grab before he dies.” Jacob Fatu ran in to chase Frank down the aisle. Mick Foley cut off the Clown and tossed him back in the ring. Fatu gave Frank a superkick and an avalanche in the corner.
– Dixie Carter, Nick Aldis, JBL, Trish Stratus, Kurt Angle, and Cody Rhodes all sent in their best wishes to Ric Flair ahead of tonight’s match.
Mance Warner won the Bunkhouse Battle Royal (11:19)
The winner will receive a bronze boot and gold belt buckle. Dave Prazak joined Schiavone and Crockett on commentary.
This match was trash.
Participants included James Storm, Kal Herro, Big Damo, Crimson, Gringo Loco, Komander, Wolfie D, Joey Janela, Sinn Bodhi, Effy, Crowbar, Bully Ray, Matthew Justice, Manders, Jordan Oliver, RSP, Blake Christian and Mance Warner.
Storm and Bully Ray were the last two to make their entrances and start the battle royal. Nick Gage crashed the match less than a minute in and he brought a bunch of wrestlers from Game Changer Wrestling (including Janela and Christian) with him. I don’t think Gage actually participated in the match. All the GCW wrestlers went after Bully Ray. Damo was eliminated early. Oliver hit a nice inside the ring cutter on Crimson, who was eventually eliminated by the GCW contingent.
Crowbar went to the top, but was eliminated by Effy. Effy and Bully Ray then did the “wazzup” Dudley Boyz spot. Bully Ray then pitched Effy and a bunch of other GCW guys.
The final four got down to Storm, Bully Ray, Janela and Warner. Warner eliminated Storm and Bully Ray eliminated Janela. Bully Ray pulled a table out of the ring and powerbombed Warner through it. Warner then reversed Bully Ray’s attempt to toss him out to eliminate Bully Ray. Warner got the win. If I were watching this preview show to decide whether or not to buy the show, I would have turned the show off.
– Sting sent in a video message thanking Ric Flair for putting him on the map. In another video message, Jim Ross called Ric Flair “the best he’s ever seen.” Mick Foley, James J. Dillon and Vickie Guerrero were shown in the crowd. A second video message from Cody Rhodes played.
– Mick Foley got a house mic and took some shots at Al Snow and Tony Schiavone. “I think I put one or two butts in some seats.”
Main Show:
A pre-taped intro from Bob Caudle opened the show, with Tony Schiavone and David Crockett on commentary for the main show (along with many guests throughout). Hugo Savinovich and Carlos Cabrera were on Spanish Commentary.
Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley) defeated The Wolves (Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards) (11:06)
Scott D’Amore from Impact Wrestling joined the commentary team for this match.
It took a bit for the Wolves to get in sync. Shelley took a lot of punishment from the Wolves once they established control. Shelley went for an enziguri, but Richards caught him with an ankle lock. Sabin tried to run in, but Edwards rolled him into a single leg crab.
Sabin got the hot tag and hit both the Wolves with a crossbody off the top, then took Edwards down with a spinning DDT. Sabin hit both Wolves with a dive onto the floor. The match broke down. Richards hit a backpack stunner on Shelley, and Edwards came off the top with a double stomp for a near fall. Sabin caught Shelley with a cutter. The Guns finished off Edwards with the Skull and Crossbones (a hangman’s neckbreaker/crossbody combo) to get the victory. This was a good opener.
Killer Kross (w/ Scarlett Bordeaux) defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr. (5:22)
Joe Dombrowski joined the commentary team for this match.
Smith and Kross went back and forth exchanging backdrop suplexes. Kross countered a European uppercut attempt with a backslide for two. Kross got a choke, but Smith countered with a rollup attempt for two. Kross hit a forearm to the back of the head called “The Quickening” and got the pinfall in an out-of-nowhere finish. Not much to this one.
– Dolph Ziggler (identified as Nick Nemeth), Jake Roberts, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, Will Sasso, Doug Dillinger, and Lex Luger all sent in video tributes for Flair.
Jonathan Gresham defeated Alan Angels, Konosuke Takeshita, and Nick Wayne in a four-way to earn a Progress World title shot (5:40)
Ian Riccaboni was back on commentary for this match.
Everyone got an opportunity to shine in this match. Takeshita got a near fall on Wayne after a Blue Thunder Bomb, but the pint was broken up by Gresham. Angels and Wayne came off the top and hit moonsaults on Takeshita and Gresham on the floor. Angles went for a cover on Wayne, but Takeshita broke it up with a deadlift German suplex. Gresham and Angels exchanged a great series of near falls that ended when Gresham got an O’Connor roll and a bridge to get the pinfall. This was great but way too short.
Brock Anderson & Brian Pillman, Jr. (w/ Arn Anderson) defeated Kerry & Ricky Morton (w/ Robert Gibson) (7:21)
Nick Aldis joined the commentary team for this match. The showed a brief promo from the back with the Pillman/Anderson team, and you could see backstage a sign pointing out the “heel” entrance.
Pillman showed way more personality here wrestling as a heel than he ever does in AEW. So did Brock for that matter, when he demanded Ricky Morton face off with him. Ricky and Kerry hit Brock Anderson with a double dropkick to a huge pop from the crowd. The heels took control on Kerry Morton, with Anderson stomping on his arm and Pillman kicking his back. Pillman got a nearfall after a Death Valley Driver.
Ricky got the hot tag, and when Anderson went to slam Ricky, Kerry dropkicked Ricky onto Anderson for a near fall. Pillman hit Ricky Morton from behind, and Brock hit a gourdbuster on the elder Morton to get the pinfall.
Pillman Jr./Anderson made a much better team than the Varsity Blondes.
Rey Fenix defeated Bandido, Black Taurus and Laredo Kid in a four way (11:45)
This was an insane lucha spotfest.
Fenix hit Bandido with a jumping cutter for a near fall. Bandido came back with a torino for a near fall. Laredo Kid cut off Fenix and squared off with Bandido. Bandido press-slammed Laredo Kid. Bandido and Black Taurus squared off and Bandido sent him out of the ring with a head scissors after about a million rotations. Laredo Kid went for a tombstone on Taurus, but he countered that into a lung blower. Taurus then dominated everyone with his power, then he hit all the men on the floor with a spinning though the ropes tope.
Back in the ring, Fenix caught Taurus with a superkick, but Taurus came back with a clothesline. Taurus got a near fall on Bandido after a powerslam. Laredo Kid and Taurus ended up on the top rope, and Taurus gorilla pressed Laredo Kid from the top rope while standing on the top rope. Bandido and Fenix hit Taurus with a double superkick. Bandido hit Taurus with a Code Red on the floor, then Fenix came off the top with a springboard dive. Laredo Kid then hit a tornio off the top rope onto everyone on the floor. Bandido came off the top with Loredo Kid in a blockbuster slam onto the floor onto Taurus and Fenix.
Taurus hit a piledriver on Bandido, but Fenix came off the top to break that up and get a near fall. Fenix got Taurus up in a fireman’s carry and dropped him with a sit-out Fear Factor to get the pinfall. Great match!
Impact World Champion Josh Alexander vs. Josh Fatu went to a no contest (10:14)
Tom Hannifan joined the commentary team for this match.
Fatu hit a standing rana on Alexander, then clotheslined him into the ring from the apron. Fatu went to the top, but Alexander popped up and suplexed Fatu off the top. Fatu came off the top with a somersault cannonball. Fatu hit a moonsault out of a handspring for another near fall. Alexander came back with a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall. Fatu did a double springboard moonsault for a near fall. Fatu charged the corner, but Alexander moved and went for an ankle lock. Fatu kicked Alexander away.
Alexander picked up Fatu for a powerbomb, but dropped him on his knee for a backbreaker. Fatu tried to go for a springboard, but Alexander caught him with a right hand and the fight went to the floor. Fatu hit a twisting plancha on Alexander. Fatu came off the top with a moonsault for another near fall. Alexander hit a series of rolling German Suplexes, but Fatu came back with a pop-up Samoan drop and both men were down for a nine count.
As Alexander and Fatu made it to their feet, Brian Myers, Matt Cardona and Mark Sterling ran in and attacked them, ending the match in a no-contest. Fatu took out Myers, then disappeared. Alexander spiked Sterling down with a double underhook piledriver. DDP ran in and gave Cardona the Diamond Cutter. DDP celebrated with Alexander.
– In the back, Jerry Jarrett and Jerry “The King” Lawler were preparing Jeff Jarrett for his match tonight. Lawler cut an excellent promo and asked Jarrett to reclaim the “Fargo Strut” from Ric Flair.
The Briscoes defeated Marshall & Ross Von Erich (7:43)
Ian Riccaboni was back on commentary for this match.
Jay Briscoe hit both Von Erichs with a tope suicida, and Mark followed up with a somersault springboard plancha, using a chair as the springboard. The Von Erichs caught Jay Briscoe in their corner for a bit, but it didn’t last long and Mark got the tag. Mark hit a shotgun dropkick on Marshall, then caught Ross with an exploder suplex. Marshall cut off an attempt at Redneck Boogie, and Marshall nearly got the pin with the claw hold. Jay dropped Ross with a hangman’s neckbreaker and Mark came off the top with the Froggie Bow (top rope elbow drop) to get the pinfall. A short showcase for the Briscoes.
Impact Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace defeated Rachael Ellering and Deonna Purrazzo in a three-way to retain (9:17)
The match stopped about 30 seconds in when Rachel Ellering messed up her ankle on a rollup spot with Grace. The ringside doctor checked on Ellering, who continued the match.
Grace dominated Ellering and got a near fall after a Vader bomb. Purrazzo came off the top with a crossbody onto Grace for a near fall. Ellering hit a flying forearm in the corner and a fisherman’s driver on Grace for a near fall. Purrazzo hit a standing moonsault on Grace for another near fall.
Ellering caught Grace with a boot, but she came back with a spinebuster. Purrazzo locked an armbar on Ellering, but Grace locked in a rear naked choke on Purrazzo. Grace set up Purrazzo for a superplex, and Ellering powerbombed Grace down at the same time.
Ellering caught Grace with a spinning Boss Man slam for a near fall. At this point, the commentators stopped talking about the match, and the crowd wasn’t into it either, but this was solid work. Grace hit the Grace Driver for a near fall, but Ellering rolled her up with a crucifix for a near fall. Grace rolled out of the crucifix and caught Ellering in a rear naked choke. Ellering had to tap out.
The Undertaker and Michelle McCool were shown sitting with Mick Foley at ringside.
Ric Flair & Andrade El Idolo defeated Jay Lethal & Jeff Jarrett (w/ Karen Jarrett) (26:40)
There was around 20 minutes of build-up before the match started between history packages and the individual entrances for each participant and the ring introductions.
Doug Dillinger was at ringside doing security during Jeff Jarrett’s entrance. Jeff shoved Conrad Thompson who was standing in the front row.
Kid Rock was shown in the crowd just before Andrade and Flair made their entrances.
Ric Flair wore a white robe to the ring and the Big Gold Belt that he made famous in the 1980s (now owned by Thompson). Flair also wrestled in a purple t-shirt with “Nature Boy” on the back. WCW announcer David Penzer announced the participants for the main event, and Mike Chioda was the referee.
Flair and Jarrett started the match, but Jarrett tagged out to Lethal. Lethal and Flair exchanged side headlock takedowns. Lethal worked Flair into the corner and slapped him. Flair slapped him back, knocking Lethal down. Lethal asked for Andrade, who came in over the top rope with a springboard, showing his ankle was okay.
Lethal and El Idolo traded forearms. Jarrett got the tag and looked great against El Idolo. Flair tagged back in to work against Jarrett, and Jarrett taunted Flair with the Fargo Strut. Flair returned the favor and the crowd popped huge.
Flair worked Jarret into the corner with a series of chops. Lethal tried to interfere and Flair caught him with a low blow. Jarrett dropped to the floor and teased leaving, but broke the referee’s count. Back in the ring, El Idolo backed Lethal into his corner and Flair choked him down with a chinlock. Flair chopped Lethal down in the corner, dedicating the last one to the Undertaker. More chops from Flair took Lethal down.
Jarrett caught El Idolo with a knee from the outside. Lethal came off the top with an axe handle on El Idolo. Lethal hit his hip toss-cartwheel-dropkick sequence on El Idolo and blew Flair a kiss. El Idolo countered a suplex attempt with a crossbody. This seemed like a heat sequence that would end with a hot tag for Flair, but Flair just came in the ring and chopped Lethal and Jarrett. Flair caught Lethal coming off the top and put Lethal in the figure-four. Jarrett broke up the hold and tossed Flair to the floor.
On the floor, Jarrett got his wife’s shoe and hit Flair with it. Meaghan Flair (Conrad’s wife, looking a lot like Charlotte) attacked Karen Jarrett from the front row. Conrad Thompson looked irritated while Flair got worked over. Flair was bloodied after the shot from the shoe, and Jarrett and Lethal worked over the cut.
Back in the ring, Jarrett went after Flair. Jarrett set Flair up for something off the turnbuckles, but Flair (or maybe everyone) thought better of it. Lethal suplexed Flair for a near fall, broken up by El Idolo. Jarrett then put Flair in the figure-four leglock. El Idolo broke that up, and Lethal dumped him to the floor.
Lethal came off the top for an elbow drop, but Flair got out of the way. El Idolo and Jarrett go the tags and El Idolo took the fight to both Jarrett and Lethal. He suplexed Jarrett, then suplexed Lethal onto Jarrett. El Idolo tossed Lethal to the floor, then caught Jarrett with a diving DDT from the middle rope.
Lethal hit Jarrett with a superkick, then hit the referee with a superkick. El Idolo caught Lethal with a poisoned rana, then tagged in Flair. El Idolo missed a slingshot plancha onto Jarrett. Flair went for a cover on Lethal, but there was no referee. Jarrett brought his guitar in the ring. Lethal held Flair open for the guitar shot. El Idolo pulled Flair out of the way and Jarrett broke the guitar over Lethal’s head. Conrad Thompson then tossed El Idolo brass knuckles. El Idolo gave them to Flair, and Flair nailed Jarrett with the knuckles.
Flair put Jarrett in the figure four, and referee David Miller ran in to make the final count of Ric Flair’s career. Flair pinned Jarrett with the figure four.
After the match, confetti fell from the ceiling as Flair struggled to make it up to his feet. Flair, bloodied, had a smile on his face, but he looked in rough shape. Flair left the ring to celebrate with Wendy Barlow, Meaghan and Conrad. The Undertaker, Mick Foley and Bret Hart also congratulated Ric on the match. The floor director could be heard shouting directions to “the talent” to surround Flair.
Tony Schiavone interviewed Flair at ringside. Flair thanked the fans for coming out and complemented Nashville for being one of the greatest wrestling cities in the world. Kid Rock came into the locker room and told Flair to “entertain him” tonight, which added to the pressure. Flair said everything you heard about him is true, and he was going downtown to party tonight.
Flair held up the Big Gold Belt one last time. Jay Lethal met Flair at the stage and they hugged. Credits rolled with pictures of Ric Flair throughout the years. The show ended with Bob Caudle saying “So long for now!”
Final Thoughts:
The Flair match was probably the best you’re going to get out of a 73-year-old man going 26 minutes. Ric probably only needed a ten-minute match to send the fans home happy. But going 26, even with three younger guys doing most of the work was nuts. He didn’t look good at the end of the match. But the crowd was into everything about the main event.
The rest of the show was mostly okay, but it felt like a lot of the undercard matches got short-changed.