Nature Boy still has Flair

By GLENN COLE -- Toronto Sun Wrestling eats its old -- or at least it tries to.

The WCW has attempted to chew up and spit out Ric (Nature Boy) Flair, but Flair took a huge bite out of Ted Turner's Atlanta-based organization instead.

If you missed WCW Nitro, you missed one of the most interesting interview segments in quite some time, far superior to the inane ramblings of Hollywood Hulk Hogan or The Warrior. Flair was in tears as he addressed the crowd in Greenville, S.C., which gave him a three-minute standing ovation. He then launched into a vicious tirade against WCW president Eric Bischoff, who suspended Flair indefinitely five months ago.

After his suspension, Flair, a veteran of 25 years in the ring, filed a lawsuit, the WCW countersued, and while there have been rumours of settlement, it is obvious some bad blood still exists. Flair wants to be a part of the revived Four Horsemen along with Edmonton's Chris Benoit, former Chicago Bear Steve McMichael and Dean Malenko. Bischoff allegedly doesn't want Flair in the ring, knowing full well that Flair, despite being close to 50, still can steal the thunder from Hogan.

The bottom line is that the WCW will build a Flair-Bischoff angle, no doubt culminating in some sort of showdown, maybe with Bischoff facing Flair in the ring.

Does WCW need Flair? Just remember the crowd reaction on Nitro.

HART ATTACKS: Owen Hart, coming off a bad groin pull, put on a fine display of athleticism despite losing to Hunter Hearst Helmsley on WWF Raw this week, one of the best WWF shows in weeks. Hart will be on the In Your House card in Hamilton a week from tomorrow night when he battles Toronto's Edge.

Also added to the card are D-Lo Brown vs. Gangrel and Dustin Runnels vs. Val Venis matches.

The main match is the three-way with Steve Austin defending his championship against Kane and The Undertaker. Bell time is 8 p.m.

DUGGAN ON SHELF: Hacksaw Jim Duggan, one of the most popular wrestlers of the 1980s, went on TV last week to explain his medical problems, which are quite serious. The native of Glens Falls, N.Y., has undergone surgery to remove a kidney and now all that he and his fans can do is pray. He is one of the good guys in the sport, one who always gave what he had.

HERE AND THERE: How serious was The Road Dog hurt last week on Raw? He was supposed to do some interviews next week to hype the Hamilton show, but won't be available. WCW's The Giant (Paul Wight) ran afoul of the law after an altercation with a fan on Long Island, N.Y. ... ECW's Sandman has jumped to the WCW ... Vader has blood-pressure problems, one of many difficulties he has had in his three-year WWF stint. Don't be shocked if he is dropped from the roster ... Those drunk acts by Scott Hall and Animal are tasteless ... While the WWF hotshots are in Hamilton, former star King Kong Bundy will be in Guelph as host of an oil-wrestling show at The Manor. It's for adults only ... Watch for a title change on Raw this Monday.