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#9: RIC FLAIR
Like Bruno Sammartino in the WWF in the 1960s and 1970s, Ric Flair was the franchise player in NWA and then WCW in the 80s and various parts of the 90s.
He did have a lot of booking power in his tenure in WCW, but that changed when he jumped ship to WWF in 1992. The coup signing culminated with Flair winning the Royal Rumble and the WWF Championship in 1992. He was a great promo no matter where he went.
Flair eventually returned to WCW, but with Hogan, Sting, Macho Man Randy Savage and many others now in WCW, his title runs were fewer.
His influence on Triple H led to the formation of the Evolution stable that helped prolong Flair's career.
He was forced to retire from WWE in-ring competition as a stipulation when he lost to Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 24. In one of the more memorable matches in Wrestlemania history, Flair was felled by Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music.
As Michaels was clearly one of the wrestlers who Flair had impacted, it made the 'I'm Sorry, I Love You' moment that Michaels mouthed to the Nature Boy all the more heartbreaking.
He did continue wrestling for TNA after that, but he was clearly well past his prime.
It's hard to name a wrestler today who wasn't influenced by the Nature Boy. Bobby Roode and Charlotte Flair carry on the robe tradition. John Cena is tied with his title reigns at 16 each.
Every time someone is chopped in a match in the USA or Europe, he's remembered with a chorus of 'WOOOS'.
