Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
In terms of the whole debate about the best wrestler in modern wrestling history, it comes down to two guys. Bret Hart and Ric Flair.
Flair was the consumate showman, he was a great interview and promo person, and while he could wrestle a 60 minute match, they were all stunningly the same with very little story telling. Flip over the top turn buckle run down the apron and get closed line. Chest slaps, figure four, then reversed, the ball shot, repeated over and over again. In terms of his backstage life, he was a big time partier who lived the life of space mountain, the kiss stealin, limo riding jet flying lying cheating son of a bitch. But its also important to note that he was also one of the worst bookers in wrestling history who protected his friends and was one of the key components in the death of WCW.
Bret Hart was the consumate wrestler, he wasn't a great promo or interview but he wasn't terrible. But his matches were so much better then anyone elses. The only thing that he repeated in matches were his five moves of doom, which was the atomic drop, the russian leg sweep, the flying clothesline, the elbow from the second turnbuckle and the sharp shooter. He was a partier early in his career, and it sounds like he like flair was a constant womanizer, but Hart also gained a reputation as a backstage introvert, he didn't hang out with the other wrestlers and they thought he was snobbish. In terms of booking storylines, Hart only held the book once, and that was towards the end of his time with Stampede wrestling.
Both were wrestling traditionalists, both could wrestle a broom stick and make it look real, but at the end of the day in the Hart vs Flair battles, Hart pretty much carried Flair to some very good matches.
I expect that we will see Flair in some kind of capacity in the WWE, not as a commentator, but maybe as a general manager on screen or a manager, or a part of a story line. But I think that he's truly done in the ring, there's no reason to bring him back at all.
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