The Roast of Ric Flair HOT TAKE

"The Iron Throne will go to the man who has the strength to seize it."
― George R.R. Martin

"I'm The King Of Drip, And This Is My Throne! WOOOOO!"
― Ric Flair

"There can be no failure to a man who has not lost his courage, his character, his self respect, or his self-confidence. He is still a King." - Orison Swett Marden

"In the land of the skunks, he who has half a nose is king." - Chris Farley

Yes, it will finally happen.

Yes, it will finally take place.

We promise.

This weekend, FITE will present all of the explosive in-ring action, deep discussion, over the top shenanigans and an emotional in-ring farewell for the one of the most beloved professional wrestlers who has ever lived, much less grace the squared circle.

Nashville will be the destination for the most devoted true professional wrestling fans in the world, but FITE will be THE HUB of every single major event being presented as part of Starrcast V this weekend, from Friday July 29th through Sunday July 31st.

After Black Label Pro Wrestling invades The Nashville Fairgrounds and brings their patented pro wrestling madness to FITE fans across the world with everyone from Josh Alexander and Eric Young to Shark Boy and Jake Something to Crowbar and Bryan Keith in action, FITE, as the old saying goes, will present "something a little different."

After several years of setbacks and postponements due to a myriad of issues, including that damn pandemic, THE ROAST OF RIC FLAIR will air live on FITE, as the multi-time World Heavyweight Champion and Hall of Famer The Nature Boy Ric Flair will strut as only he can and then take his rightful place center-stage on his throne…to take the ultimate beating of his entire career.

A bevy of star athletics, professional wrestling superstars, stage-crushing comedians and Hollywood icons will gather to pay tribute to Ric Flair with the greatest gift of all, laughter! With no holds barred, these stars will take to the dais to do the one thing countless challengers for the World Championship could never do - take on and take down Ric Flair with a hilarious verbal Smackdown of which not even The Nature Boy can hope to kick out at!

From the world of professional wrestling, Eric Bischoff, Diamond Dallas Page, Vickie Guerrero, Torrie Wilson, Nasty Boy Brian Knobbs and more are scheduled to appear, regaling the world with their memories and experiences of fighting, feuding and living life alongside Ric Flair on the road.

Flair's legacy has transcended the world of professional wrestling and permeates all corners of pop culture, so it's only natural that star athletes from other sports likewise pay tribute to and take on Flair. From the world of sports, legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong, MMA star Chael Sonnen, NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West, NFL Hall of Famer Eddie George, NHL Legend Tie Domi and more are slated to appear on the Roast of Ric Flair, wooing the audience over with their own unique tributes to the former NWA, WWF and WCW World Heavyweight Champion.

Of course, Slick Ric preened and strutted as wildly and as glamorous as any movie star, so it's only natural that the legendary Chevy Chase makes an appearance to speak of the greatest professional wrestler of all time, opening the door for an incredible gathering of comedians who themselves are looking to bodyslam the audience and Flair's legacy alike, including Earl Skakel of The Inappropriate Earl Podcast, Fight Stories host Tyler Morrison, Wrestle Roast's Dan St. Germain, Casio Kid, Corey Ryan Forrester, Shuli Egar and more!

Of course, it wouldn't be a roast without a few surprises threatening to ROCK the world with their appearances. With a big weekend of stunning summer wrestling slamming the world from Music City, TN, any number of Hall of Famers and celebrities could try to accomplish what Ric Flair did nightly in the ring, shock and awe the audience.

There's no argument that when it comes to being held up on a podium by professional wrestling fans, Ric Flair is and always will be in a class of his own, but this Friday on FITE, this Roast of Ric Flair may prove that this may be the one night where even Ric Flair might regret being the center of attention….but the star of the Roast always gets the last word, so this Friday, just 48 hours before his last match, Ric Flair once again gets to be the main event with a chance to speak to the world and tell them (and everyone else on stage) exactly what's on his mind - a jet flyin', limousine ridin', joke tellin' Hall of Famer with nothing to lose and no censors anywhere to be found!

The Roast of Ric Flair FINALLY happens this Friday live on FITE, bringing the world at large one of the most unique, fun experiences that anyone can ever hope to enjoy, streaming live to your devices across the world, a truly wonderful way to open the door for Starrcast V and Ric Flair's Last Match.

"Diamonds Are Forever, And So Is Ric Flair! WOOOOO!" - Ric Flair

Mike Johnson is the lead reporter for PWInsider.com and has been writing about professional wrestling since 1996. He can be found on Twitter @MikePWInsider and MikeJohnsonWrites.com.