Like many people who were raised in the South, professional wrestling is something that country music star Darius Rucker loved as a youngster. And, his love for it has not diminished as he got older.
One factor that keeps that love alive is his friendship with one of the most famous men ever to climb into the ring. That man is none other than “The Nature Boy” himself – Ric Flair.
Fans of Darius Rucker and Flair will get a chance to experience the WWE in a new way thanks to the two-hour season finale of “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” on the A&E network. The episode will air on Sunday, June 20, at 8 p.m. ET, according to a tweet Rucker posted on Friday (June 18).
In addition to sharing the airtime of what has to be an interesting episode of TV, Rucker also shared a preview. In these clips, he talks about the influence Ric Flair had on his life.
Turns out, that influence also stayed with the former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman into adulthood. And, luckily for him, the singer became friends with the Nature Boy.
Darius Rucker Recounts His History As a Fan of Professional Wrestling and Ric Flair
Interestingly, it was one of the older members of Darius Rucker’s family who exposed him to wrestling.
“I started watching wrestling when I was a very, very, very young kid,” Rucker said. “My grandmother loved it. She got me into it. As a kid, it was everything.”
While the young Rucker was watching professional wrestling there was one athlete who stood out from the rest of the pack.
“The guy for me, though – the guy that really captured me was Ric Flair,” Rucker also said.
The clips shared by the popular singer also include an exchange with Flair about Rolex watches. This segment starts with the famous wrestler telling Darius Rucker that he noticed he was wearing a Rolex watch while he hosted the 2020 CMA Music Awards.
Rucker then tells his friend that the reason he wears a Rolex watch is because of Flair’s influence. However, his love of the famous watch brand is not the only evidence of the influence the wrestler had on Rucker’s life.
“That’s why I do a lot of things – because of you,” Darius Rucker told Flair.
The respect between the singer and the wrestler is not one-sided. Flair also had good things to say about Rucker.
“Darius is a great guy,” the Nature Boy said. “I can’t say enough.”
Darius Rucker also recounted how he met the famous wrestler.
“We met at a bar,” the singer said. “He’s sitting at a table right next to us. We’re going back and forth with him and it was an instant friendship. Every time I see his phone number I freak out.”
Turns out, the famous singer and the famous wrestler have been friends for two decades. Even after all those years, Rucker is still excited to hear from his friend.
“Every time I see his phone number, I can’t believe Ric Flair is calling me,” Rucker also said.