<P> Flair triumphantly returned to WCW as a hero in February 1993 , as a result of a `` no - compete '' clause he was unable to wrestle , so he hosted a short - lived talk show in WCW called A Flair for the Gold . Arn Anderson usually appeared at the bar on the show 's set , and Flair 's maid Fifi cleaned or bore gifts . Once he returned to action , Flair briefly held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship for a tenth time after defeating Barry Windham at Beach Blast before WCW finally left the NWA in September 1993 . At Fall Brawl , Flair lost the title , now rebranded the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship , to `` Ravishing Rick '' Rude . At Starrcade in 1993 , Flair defeated Vader to win the WCW World Heavyweight title for the second time . In the spring of 1994 , Flair began a tweener turn and started another feud with longtime rival Ricky Steamboat and challenged Steamboat to a match at Spring Stampede which ended in a no contest from a double pin , causing the title to be held up . Flair then defeated Steamboat in a rematch to reclaim the held - up title on an episode of WCW Saturday Night . The WWE does not count this victory as a new title win . Flair then challenged Col. Robert Parker to wrestle one of his men at Slamboree , which turned out to be Barry Windham , whom Flair defeated , afterwards he quietly turned heel and took Sherri Martel as his manager . He would also wrestle Lord Steven Regal in a five - match series under Marquess of Queensberry Rules , which aired on WCW Worldwide between April 30 and May 28 , in which Flair won the series , with 2 wins , 1 loss , and 2 draws . </P>
why did ric flair go back to wcw
February 1993