Ric Flair Declares 'Mean' Gene Okerlund Greatest Announcer of All Time

Very few people in professional wrestling had as long of a relationship with Gene Okerlund as Ric Flair.

Both men spent time in Verne Gagne's AWA in the early 1970s and maintained a friendship from that point on. Flair later worked alongside Okerlund during his first run with the WWE in the early 1990s and later in WCW throughout the 1990s.

During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Flair remembered Okerlund following his death this week at the age of 76.

"I've been reluctant to talk to a lot of people because I'm not sure if that's appropriate yet—for me to start talking about all the fun we've had," Flair said. "Bubba's known me forever, he knows that whatever I have done in my life, I've had fun. Let's just say I've had more fun on strictly a social level. We contributed to each other's health issues, let's put it like that. But we had — God — so much fun. And not just fun, but quality time. And even when I wasn't with Gene, if he was at a Comic Con or a signing, or whatever, we just always got together. WrestleMania, the most important thing for me, aside from the stuff with my daughter as of recent, was Wendy and I finding Gene and enjoying each other socially. Tremendous relationship, great guy."

Many have been vocal this week in calling Okerlund the greatest in-ring announcer of all time and Flair was no different.

"It's not even arguable as to whether or not he's the best in-ring announcer," Flair said. "I don't mean like Jim Ross at calling the matches, but if a guy didn't have 'it,' or if a guy got lost, or if the crowd wasn't reacting, Gene could save a promo. He could bring wit and humor to it, he could articulate, he was extremely intelligent and loved. If I knew I had a two minute or three minute interview, which back in the old days, we got that kind of time, I knew the show was mine. I didn't have to wrestle if I had three minutes in the ring with Gene Okerlund to have fun with the crowd or entertain them. I just can't say enough about him.

"It's not a rap on anybody today, but you're just not going to find someone like him. I just haven't seen anybody, even if we don't talk about the announcing or the roles people like that play enough. We used to focus on people like Gordon Solie, and Gene, and Jim Ross, and now it's because the role doesn't seem to be as important; And it's not because the guys aren't good, it's just that they aren't featured. Gene was a featured part of every show in my opinion.

"He'll always be remembered, to me, as the most entertaining guy outside of the wrestlers themselves. Ever. In the history of the business, nobody even close."

[H/T to Wrestling Inc.]