On the latest episode of his “What Happened When” podcast, AEW commentator Tony Schiavone shared a touching and nostalgic story about a recent chance encounter with “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair at the Philadelphia airport.
Following the broadcast of AEW Collision from Atlantic City last Saturday night, Schiavone was heading home the next morning when he ran into Flair along with AEW star Ricky Starks and wrestling legend Robert Gibson—“Ricky and Robert,” as Schiavone affectionately noted.
To his surprise, he and Flair ended up seated beside each other on the same flight. During the trip, Flair was recognized by a fan who asked for an autograph. That moment led to an emotional and humorous exchange.
“Here’s Tony Schiavone. He’s the one that made me famous,” Flair said, pointing to his longtime friend and interviewer.
The moment struck a chord with Schiavone, who reflected on their shared legacy, particularly during Ric Flair’s legendary promo era in the mid-1980s on TBS.
“Of all the things I’ve done in my career, one of the most memorable ones… is being able to hold the microphone for Ric Flair,” Schiavone said. “That means a lot to me, that he not only meant a lot to my career personally, but also here, there I am, in all those videos and all those pictures next to Ric Flair.”
Schiavone recalled that although David Crockett and Jim Ross also conducted interviews during that era, he was most often the one standing beside Flair as Jim Crockett Promotions rose to national prominence.
“There I am, in all those videos and all those pictures next to Ric Flair,” he added, cherishing what he described as a “full circle moment” decades later.
The encounter underscores the enduring bond between two of wrestling’s most iconic voices and a shared history that helped define a generation of professional wrestling.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more behind-the-scenes stories and classic wrestling memories.
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
