On a night more emotional than a “This Is Us” finale set in a wrestling ring, Ric Flair made good on his word, appearing on AEW Collision: Beach Break to honor his late friend and fellow Four Horseman, Steve “Mongo” McMichael.
Fans braced themselves for Ric Flair, Misty McMichael, Dean Malenko, and Tony Schiavone—all standing at the ramp like a Four Horsemen reunion hosted by a Hallmark movie. The montage that followed? Enough to make even the most stoic wrestling fan hide their tears behind a pair of replica sunglasses.
McMichael, who passed away in April at age 67 after a grueling battle with ALS, was not just a wrestling legend. He was a Super Bowl-winning, horse-wrangling, commentator-turned-chopmaster NFL-to-WCW anomaly—and we loved him for it.
Flair, ever the showman even during somber moments, took the mic with the solemn energy of a man who had partied with Mongo and cried with him. His words paid heartfelt tribute to a man who could hit harder than a holiday hangover and still light up a room like a pyro botch on live TV.
Two montages aired—one showing McMichael’s greatest hits (both physical and emotional), and another featuring promotional messages for the Les Turner ALS Foundation, a nonprofit close to the McMichael family.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a tribute. It was AEW giving the Horsemen their flowers, and giving Mongo the kind of sendoff he’d have raised a cold beer to—followed by throwing that same beer at a heel in the front row.
From his NFL stardom to becoming your favorite WCW wildcard uncle, Mongo’s legacy is etched into the steel beams of the squared circle. This was a farewell laced with honor, history, and just a little of that signature Horseman chaos.