Arn Anderson Reflects On Ric Flair’s Greatest Rivalry

WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson has shared his thoughts on who he believes was the toughest and best opponent of Ric Flair’s storied career.

Speaking on his ARNpodcast, Arn Anderson reflected on Flair’s most iconic matches. While he did not single out a specific bout, he had no hesitation in naming the opponent who brought out the best in Flair.

“You have to go with Steamboat, I guess. All those matches we never saw for Jim Crockett Promotions in the early ‘80s… Ricky’s just—if anybody sold better than him, I don’t know who it was. Maybe Ricky Morton, but Steamboat had that real good physique, he had a million-dollar look, and he was a tough babyface. You’d have to beat him down for him to stay down, and he was never out of the fight. That would get my vote.”

Flair and Steamboat’s legendary rivalry began in the early 1980s, when Flair reigned as NWA Worlds Champion. Their technically masterful battles set a new standard for professional wrestling, with their feud reigniting several times over the years.

Their 1989 run of matches remains one of the most revered series in wrestling history. On 18 March 1989, Flair and Steamboat delivered a bout that became the first ever to receive more than a five-star rating from wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer—earning an unprecedented six-star rating.

Although Flair’s career spanned decades and featured countless classic encounters, Anderson’s choice reinforces what many fans and wrestling historians have long believed—Ricky Steamboat was Flair’s greatest rival and the perfect in-ring counterpart to “The Nature Boy.”

Does Arn Anderson Think The Road Warriors Would Have Done Well As Singles Stars?

Arn Anderson spoke about whether he thinks The Road Warriors, Hawk and Animal, could have done well as singles wrestlers and said that while they might have done well, they wouldn’t have been able to achieve anywhere close to the levels of success that they achieved as a tag team.

H/t to ITRWrestling.com