Ric Flair predicts that Michigan will 'kick Alabama's ass' in Rose Bowl

Alex Weberby:Alex Weber01/01/24

One of pro wrestling’s defining icons has planted his flag strongly on one side of tonight’s Rose Bowl matchup and College Football Playoff semifinal between Alabama and Michigan.

Bright and early Monday morning (New Year’s Day), Ric Flair woke Twitter users up with a an emphatic statement on what is to go down in Pasadena, Ca., later this evening.

“Today Is The Big Day!” Flair tweeted, asserting that, “@UMichFootball Is Going To Kick Alabama’s Ass & Start 2024 On A High Note!”

He even added a signature “WOOOOO!” Take a look at the post right here:

Flair visited Harbaugh, Michigan back in November

Ric Flair is apparently a longtime friend of Wolverine head coach Jim Harbaugh and the world-famous wrestler even stopped by Ann Arbor to say hi to Harbaugh and give the program a bit of a boost back in early November, perhaps when off-field storylines were beginning to dominate Michigan’s season.

“Got a visit from ‘The Nature Boy’ Ric Flair, very close friend and that just brought the enthusiasm to a new level,” Harbaugh said of Flair’s stop-by.

That friendship was apparently first forged back in the late 1980s, when a much younger Harbaugh was still in his early days as the Chicago Bears starting quarterback — a role that features such privileges as meeting Ric Flair.

“It goes back to 1989. I was playing with the (Chicago) Bears and Brad Muster was a huge fan of ‘the Nature Boy’ and wrestling,” said Harbaugh, who apparently got the chance to go backstage at a wrestling event back then which Flair was at.

“The cool part was they said you ‘Grab a towel, you and Brad are on the hype squad.’ And just remember going out and and cheering for Ric. Been to many of his shows and competitions, and he’s one of a kind, the best.”

That’s all it took, per Harbaugh: “(Flair’s) infectious personality, just instant friends.”

Now, he’s helping support Michigan in their quest for a first College Football Playoff title.