Soething to think about...

[Guest wrestlingbs]

I was reading it today, and here's something insightful R.D. Reynolds wrote about Ric Flair during his early 90's WCW tenure:

 

"Flair would face his newfound nemesis in some type of nontitle match (be it singles or a tag), and he would lose cleanly. Therefore, the fans knew that Flair could be beaten. They had seen it with their own eyes. The next step was a title match, which Flair would lose, albeit by count-out or disqualification, so the title did not change hands." -page 100

 

Sound like somebody we know?

 

So the question is, was it ok for Flair to do this, and if it was, what's the difference between Flair's actions and the actions of another certain wrestler?

 

Edit: Crap. Can somebody fix the title?

[Tawren 0]

Flair wouldn't bury his opponents.

[ISportsFan 0]

Flair's matches would draw. HHH hasn't proven that he can draw with the formule (considering all of 2002-2003 wasn't so hot).

 

Flair's opponents wouldn't be permanently placed in the midcard for the rest of their career after the title match. HHH has done that to anyone who is not in the kliq/clique/however the backstage friends are spelled.

 

Flair's matches were consistently good. In 2002-2003, HHH couldn't bring the goods in the ring, either.

 

There are more, too, I'm sure.

 

Jason

[Guest Trivia247]

Flair makes everyone look good, the charm of his wrestling career and what really made his character was the fact he kept taking a beating throughout most of the matches, you want him to lose damn it, but at the end he some how small packages with the tights, or does the flair pin in the corner, or pulls out a figure four out of no where.

 

with the Certain other wrestler.... he hardly gives an inch in making someone look good. Just look lucky.

[Guest Fook]

HHH didn't lose by countout or dq. He just pedigreed his opponents to hell.

[Brett Favre 0]

HHH didn't lose.

Fixed that for ya.

[evilhomer 0]

The main thing is what the audience can believe. Flair always made it believable that he could be beaten, the losses where he still held the title further cemented this belief. It's not believable that HHH will lose the title. The non title losing losses are seen as his token job to be returned in the title match. Whether this is because of smarter fans or HHH's inability to get this belief across is a matter of debate. I think it's a little bit of smart fans, but mostly HHH winning so convicingly and failing to enable us to suspend the knowledge and belief that we hold.

[Guest Goodear]

I actually lived through that era and it SUCKED. Flair would drop non-title matches in five minutes to everyone from Sting to the Junkyard Dog (who was past his prime... and wasn't good to begin with). It got to the point where beating Flair non-title meant precisely nothing because everyone did it. That's why Shelton (and Benoit to a lesser extent) is getting the rub off these victories over Triple H, because he doesn't lose all the time. Those nontitle matches were as boring and predictable as anything you have ever seen.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Flair's matches would draw. HHH hasn't proven that he can draw with the formule (considering all of 2002-2003 wasn't so hot).

Like early 90's WCW was such a HOT TICKET~~~~!!

 

Flair's opponents wouldn't be permanently placed in the midcard for the rest of their career after the title match.

 

Like who?

 

I actually lived through that era and it SUCKED. Flair would drop non-title matches in five minutes to everyone from Sting to the Junkyard Dog (who was past his prime... and wasn't good to begin with). It got to the point where beating Flair non-title meant precisely nothing because everyone did it. That's why Shelton (and Benoit to a lesser extent) is getting the rub off these victories over Triple H, because he doesn't lose all the time. Those nontitle matches were as boring and predictable as anything you have ever seen.

 

I agree with this the most.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

It had been said that during Flair's reign in the 80's, he could fight a broomstick and had a *** match. HHH can only get that from Benoit and HBK.

[Steviekick 0]

The main thing is what the audience can believe. Flair always made it believable that he could be beaten, the losses where he still held the title further cemented this belief. It's not believable that HHH will lose the title. The non title losing losses are seen as his token job to be returned in the title match. Whether this is because of smarter fans or HHH's inability to get this belief across is a matter of debate. I think it's a little bit of smart fans, but mostly HHH winning so convicingly and failing to enable us to suspend the knowledge and belief that we hold.

Even the non-smart fans know Trips is always going to wind up getting the title back. Whenever I watch WWE with the marks they always comment about how how he doesn't make his opponents look good. They've grown accustom to lengthy (well, by today's standards) HHH reigns, the fluke loss, and he gets it back.

 

That and since the fact that he's married to Steph isn't that guarded a secret. They always complain that he only wins so much because he's the boss' son in law.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Flair was always pretty good at hiding weak workers weaknesses.....

 

 

Damn it I put weak, workers, and weakness in a sentence.....what an ass........

[King Cucaracha 0]

Flair's matches would draw. HHH hasn't proven that he can draw with the formule (considering all of 2002-2003 wasn't so hot).

Like early 90's WCW was such a HOT TICKET~~~~!!

Early 90's. You mean...the same sort of time Flair left the WCW (mid 91). The same sort of time the WWF was the major draw?

 

Flair's opponents wouldn't be permanently placed in the midcard for the rest of their career after the title match.

 

*cough*Ronnie Garvin*cough*

 

Hell, the guy faced JYD, Bobby Eaton and Butch Reed on Clash Of The Champions shows if they count.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Flair's matches would draw. HHH hasn't proven that he can draw with the formule (considering all of 2002-2003 wasn't so hot).

Like early 90's WCW was such a HOT TICKET~~~~!!

Early 90's. You mean...the same sort of time Flair left the WCW (mid 91). The same sort of time the WWF was the major draw?

I was reading it today, and here's something insightful R.D. Reynolds wrote about Ric Flair during his early 90's WCW tenure:

 

I was quoting him.