Ric Flair Retires

[CaptainCrunch]

My problem with the undertaker is that he uses the same stuff over and over, and while he does some impressive things in the ring, his work rate doesn't compare to an HBK, a Hitman (Who could fight a thousand different styles) or even a Flair.

Undertaker is a simple worker, more punch and kicking with the occassional holy snikeys move thrown in, and he's never had to make an opponent look good.

He's a character that I lost a lot of interest in because he was indestructable in the ring.

[The Yen Man]

I guess now Ric can devote all his time into his other business ventures.

http://www.rickflairfinance.com/

[the crispy badger]

"the original ladder match with Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) was epic!"...the actual original ladder match happened in Stampede wrestling between Dan kroffat and Tor Kamata.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladder_match

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by the crispy badger

"the original ladder match with Razor Ramone (Scott Hall) was epic!"...the actual original ladder match happened in Stampede wrestling

......oops......

[bigtmac19]

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.

Have to agree with you, I'm sorry but I don't get all the Ric Flair love on this thread, I thought he was pretty boring.

Bret Hart's book brought up a lot of stuff about Flair that talks about his lack of skill and imagination in the ring.

[greerb]

Hart was a great technical wrestler in his time, but don't forget Benoit he was right up there as well. As for showmanship I would put Jericho ahead of Michaels.

[Julio]

I've been a pretty large Brett Hart fan, but I think that all the Hart love on the thread has to do with familiarity and with how little people outside of the southeastern US actually saw him in his prime. By the time most fans outside of the Carolinas saw Flair he was already in his 40's. Some of the matches that he had in the 70s and 80's were absolutely incredible, and often 60 minutes long. In his later years he was pretty formulaic, but both in and out of the ring, he was The Man.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by greerb

Hart was a great technical wrestler in his time, but don't forget Benoit he was right up there as well. As for showmanship I would put Jericho ahead of Michaels.

I don't know if I would go that far on the Jericho thing. He plays the same kind of character constantly. Michael has the ability to be the hero, the heel, the tweener, he still pulls 5 star matches out when he needs to, I don't think I've seen Jericho hit that level.

I still remember an interview after Michaels as the referee cost the Undertaker the World Title in a match against the hit man. Michaels came out and started off with

"I don't understand why every fan of the WWF is dropping this in my lap". He then did an amazing promo where he destroyed every wrestling fan thats ever watched wrestling.

But he held those fans in the palm of his hands. He may be a jerk and a hypocrite, but he was and is the total package.

[albertGQ]

I agree. HBK can play any role.

He went from face, to heel (match against Hogan), and back to face within weeks. And he played it to a T

Even when he became the first commisioner, he came in as a face at the beginning of RAW. By the end of it, he was the biggest heel on the roster

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

I agree. HBK can play any role.

He went from face, to heel (match against Hogan), and back to face within weeks. And he played it to a T

Even when he became the first commisioner, he came in as a face at the beginning of RAW. By the end of it, he was the biggest heel on the roster

Cannot argue with this point.

HBK is without a doubt legendary.

The way I think of it, the top tier wrestlers (which are different from "classic" wrestlers) would be:

- Hogan
- Hart
- Undertaker
- Flair

Classic would be wrestlers such as:

- Randy Savage
- Ultimate Warrior
- Demolition - Legion of Doom - Nasty Boys - Money Inc
- Superfly - Rey Mysterio
- Mountie - Big Boss Man - Brutus Barber Beefcake - Jake Snake

Modern Heroes:

- Steve Austin
- The Rock
- Edge
- Batista

etc etc

[FlamesAddiction]

What, no love for King Kong Bundy?

[Stranger]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

What, no love for King Kong Bundy?

Or The Brooklyn Brawler?

[the crispy badger]

Originally Posted by Stranger

Or The Brooklyn Brawler?

I hear Pat Patterson has lots of love for the Brooklyn Brawler

[onetwo_threefour]

How can you forget the all-time classic Iron Mike Sharpe billed out of Hamilton, Ontario Canada.

(oh, and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper - superheel )

[albertGQ]

Just two months after retiring, Flair makes an appearance

well, that didn't take too long

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Just two months after retiring, Flair makes an appearance

well, that didn't take too long

I don't think there was ever any doubt that he would make the odd television appearance. He is still with the WWE under a marketing type position. But as far as actually wrestling goes he's done.

[greerb]

He will probably be the next GM of Raw. I'm sure we will be seeing him alot more down the road.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Just two months after retiring, Flair makes an appearance

well, that didn't take too long

Robert Remus, aka Sgt. Slaughter is retired. Pat Patterson is retired. Gerry Brisco is retired. You see all of them from time to time in some sort of capacity. Gorilla Monsoon was a retired wrestler and then became a commentator for many years afterward. For many of these guys the only thing that they know is wrestling. Can't blame them for sticking around in some sort of capacity to make money in the industry that they know and love.

Kinda like how Wayne Gretzky, Randy Carlyle, Doug Risebrough, Darryl Sutter, Bob Gainey, Mario Lemieux, Larry Robinson and Steve Yzerman are all retired.

[CrusaderPi]

Wasn't Gorilla Monsoon the commissioner for a while?

[Buff]

Originally Posted by CrusaderPi

Wasn't Gorilla Monsoon the commissioner for a while?

Yes. That was a role he played after he cut back on his announcing duties.