WWE Raw (3/31)

[Vampiro69 0]

Was this the best Raw ever to anybody else?

 

Even without the Flair sendoff, this was a great show. The Flair sendoff has achieved "Never Delete" status on my DVR.

[Matt Young 0]

I think we all cried tonight. I defnitely did. Wrestling will never be the same.

 

What a sad month it's been so far. My favorite football player retires (Favre) and now one of my favorite wrestlers retires...

 

I know how you feel, buddy.

[slimm44 0]

Was this the best Raw ever to anybody else?

 

Even without the Flair sendoff, this was a great show. The Flair sendoff has achieved "Never Delete" status on my DVR.

 

I'm betting it will be an extra on the Wrestlemania DVD.

 

And yes tonight's show was pretty awesome. It looks like they are trying to revive the tag team division.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

They need to put this on the WrestleMania 24 DVD.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

I don't think I like this Batista/HBK thing. I mean, I know in storyline it has some merit, but it's almost like Rey/Eddie. Batista is going to get face heat (not that he needs any) off of Flair.

[LooseCannon25 0]

Watch Hogan try to out do this, I hate to say it but he will.

 

Funny you say that, because during that final segment for a second i thought to myself "now Hogan is gonna come back just so he can have a retirement farewell speech and try to top this one"

[RonL21 0]

If they include this and the entire 4 hour Hall of Fame to go along w/ the 4 hour WrestleMania 24 on that Limited Edition DVD Set, I'll gladly shell out the money for it.

[Guest cheetoe]

Watch Hogan try to out do this, I hate to say it but he will.

 

Funny you say that, because during that final segment for a second i thought to myself "now Hogan is gonna come back just so he can have a retirement farewell speech and try to top this one"

 

 

Hey, he does owe HBK a job.

[Silence 0]

It looks like they are trying to revive the tag team division.

 

London and Kendrick finally won a match again.

 

[The Truthiness 0]

Watch Hogan try to out do this, I hate to say it but he will.

 

Funny you say that, because during that final segment for a second i thought to myself "now Hogan is gonna come back just so he can have a retirement farewell speech and try to top this one"

 

 

Hey, he does owe HBK a job.

 

Show would be the one he gives the job, after dominating the match and no selling most of Show's offense.

 

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Hmm...a thought I just had...

 

With Ric retired from the ring, will they try to find a new role for him?

 

*Wonders if Ric on color commentarry would work. He could replace Coach on Smackdown.

[packwingfn 0]

I think I read that Flair said he wouldn't do commentary but he will probably work backstage similar to what Malenko/Steamboat/Dusty do since he is still under contract.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Also so much for TNAB (and thank goodness for them) for Cryme Tyme. Despite there issue with Lance and Cade, they actually have a really good work ethic.

 

I'm guessing that TNAB meant something else entirely.

Nope, it was a ploy. Da Metlz and a ton of other people reported that they may be headed for TNA because of it. Very good surprise by WWE, lot better than the Jericho one. Sometimes the smallest surprises are the best.

 

Meltz said people ASSUMED it was TNA bound. Clearly it was "The N's Are Back".

[Exslade ZX 0]

Hmm...a thought I just had...

 

With Ric retired from the ring, will they try to find a new role for him?

 

*Wonders if Ric on color commentarry would work. He could replace Coach on Smackdown.

I know many people don't like Coach....but at least he's coherent majority of the time. >_>

 

Point being, I can't really see Flair on commentary.

[Fartsauce 0]

After the show went off the air, everyone stayed out. Undertaker, Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and John Laurinaitis all came out. Undertaker came out and everybody parted to let him to the ring and he bowed to Flair doing his old urn pose. When Flair walked out of the ring, they parted. The whole place was chanting "Thank you Ric."

 

From Meltzer. AWESOME stuff and I hope it's on WWE.COM shortly.

 

(wont let me quote for some reason)

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I'm assuming they faded out with Flair's robe and boots in the ring?

[The Truthiness 0]

After the show went off the air, everyone stayed out. Undertaker, Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and John Laurinaitis all came out. Undertaker came out and everybody parted to let him to the ring and he bowed to Flair doing his old urn pose. When Flair walked out of the ring, they parted. The whole place was chanting "Thank you Ric."

 

From Meltzer. AWESOME stuff and I hope it's on WWE.COM shortly.

 

(wont let me quote for some reason)

 

Ok, long as Taker showed up, I don't mind that it wasn't on tv.

 

[ChrisMWaters 0]

And if this is included as an extra on the Mania DVD, that post show thing needs to be put on too.

[Anakin Flair 0]

I really wich they'd bring back the old WWE title and loose the spinner.

[Kinetic 0]

Why couldn't they do that on TV? There's no kayfabe reason, given that Edge was the lead Flair cheerleader.

[The Dames 0]

Im just leaving the Amway right now. Where did the show go off the air?

 

Dames

[Fartsauce 0]

Dames, it ended a few minutes after the wrestlers came out. Taker, Vince, Steph didnt make the air.

[The Truthiness 0]

Why couldn't they do that on TV? There's no kayfabe reason, given that Edge was the lead Flair cheerleader.

 

I agree, but I think they wanted to protect Taker to the TV audience, I'm fine with that. I think he's a bit of a "mark" for himself, but hey, still glad he made a appearence.

[Perfection 0]

a little more detailed report from prowrestling.net

 

After the show went off the air, Undertaker's music played and he walked to the ring in full gear. The wrestlers who were at ringside all spread apart so that he could get to the ring. Once in the ring, he got down on one knee and struck his usual pose to honor Flair.

 

Vince McMahon came out with no music and joined Flair in the ring. Everyone who was in the ring filed out and left Flair to take a final bow. He took the mic, thanked the crowd, and then took off his jacket. The crowd cheered him on as he strutted and then bounced off the ropes and dropped an elbow. He stood up, bounced off the ropes again, and dropped a knee onto the jacket.

 

Flair called his family back into the ring for a final bow. When they left the ring, the wrestlers all spread apart and bowed to Flair as he made his way toward the back. The entire arena joined the wrestlers, agents, and referees in bowing to Flair. Once he was at the top of the stage, he hugged Stephanie McMahon and a few other people before finally heading backstage.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

That could have been the worst 1 hour and 40 minutes of TV WWE produced and it still would have been awesome, but they were nice enough to book an all around great Raw to build to Flair's big send-off. The return of Cryme Tyme, solid angle builds with JBL, Matt Hardy, and Orton, a SECOND tag match with Kendrick and London going over, and a good Jericho / Punk match. I wish Raw could be this solid more often.

[zappafrank 0]

I also thought it would have been great if TNA had allowed Sting to show up, although I could imagine Vince would have been just as leary about promoting the competition.

 

I'm so glad Hogan didn't show up. I was wondering if he might, and immediately realized how much of the spotlight (read: ALL OF IT) he would have hogged.

 

Heenan, Piper, and Terry Funk would have been great appearances (but I realize in Brain's case, he's still recovering). I lost it when the Horsemen's music hit.

 

And yeah, Festus staying in character was great. And I also made sure to look for Taker, but wasn't surprised not to see him.

 

Am I the only who was legit worried that HHH was going to Pedigree Flair to set up another "last match"?

[The Dames 0]

Allow me to fill in some of the details. Takers music hit and he came to the ring in full gear. He entered the ring, took off his jacket and hat and then hugged Ric. He said something to him for about 10 secs before bowing to him with his signature pose. He then hugged him again and then joined the rest of the guys on the floor.

 

Then Vince came to the ring, hugged Flair bigtime and then raised his arms to all 4 sides of the ring.

 

Then his family went into the ring, cried together and walked back as the wrestlers and the entire arena bowed as he went up the ramp. Ric got on the mic for one last "thank you" to the crowd and at the top of the ramp, one last Woo.

 

It was one of the most emotional moments I've ever seen in wrestling. Period.

 

Dames

[Frankie Williams 0]

Allow me to fill in some of the details. Takers music hit and he came to the ring in full gear. He entered the ring, took off his jacket and hat and then hugged Ric. He said something to him for about 10 secs before bowing to him with his signature pose. He then hugged him again and then joined the rest of the guys on the floor.

 

Then Vince came to the ring, hugged Flair bigtime and then raised his arms to all 4 sides of the ring.

 

Then his family went into the ring, cried together and walked back as the wrestlers and the entire arena bowed as he went up the ramp. Ric got on the mic for one last "thank you" to the crowd and at the top of the ramp, one last Woo.

 

It was one of the most emotional moments I've ever seen in wrestling. Period.

 

Dames

 

WTF....why couldnt they show that. Theres GOTTA be video of it somewhere soon.

 

[Hawk 34 0]

They didn't show the entire celebration from 2002 on tv but it made it on DVD. I'm sure the post match stuff will find its way on DVD as well.

[Promoter 0]

Watch Hogan try to out do this, I hate to say it but he will.

 

Funny you say that, because during that final segment for a second i thought to myself "now Hogan is gonna come back just so he can have a retirement farewell speech and try to top this one"

 

 

Hey, he does owe HBK a job.

 

Show would be the one he gives the job, after dominating the match and no selling most of Show's offense.

 

Man, I thought the SAME THING. If Hogan saw that he must have got egotistical by saying HE deserved that send off since he built the company. Flair got the greatest send off ever. I still can't believe this. Watching Flair all these years and even being one of the guys saying he should retire. Wrestling will never feel the same again UNLESS he pulls a Foley

 

I don't think HBK against Hogan would be right. Maybe against Cena or even Edge.