Ric Flair - Greatest All-Time Wrestler?

[NavyBlue]

To me, Bret Hart is the greatest ever. He's got the complete package and was it not for the popularity of Stone Cold which persuaded him to jump to WCW (and the infamous Montreal screw job which made his break from WWE permanent) he'd have ended his career in WWE. I own his greatest matches DVD and until Angle comes out with his it's be my favorite wrestling DVD of all time.

My other favorites:
Kurt Angle
Ricky Steamboat
Mick Foley
British Bulldog
Hulkster
Macho Man
The Rock
Stone Cold

 

[ChefChiTown]

Ric Flair is good and I'm not saying that he isn't. But, if it wasn't for the fact that he stuck around until way after his prime, he wouldn't be as "legendary" as he is. He pretty much just branded his name into everybody's minds by sticking around so long.

I like Ric Flair, but I wouldn't say that he is the best ever or even close. Why?

Name: Awesome
"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair...how is that not awesome?

Gimmick: Awesome
The robe alone makes his whole entire gimmick top of the line.

Move Set: Terrible
The figure-four is his only entertaining move. Sure, the Flair Chop is nice, but if it wasn't for "WOOOOO", it would piss people off that he did it so much. Other than that, his move set includes a Russian Leg Sweep, Chop Block and the Flair Fall (if you even consider that a move).

Mic Skills: Average
I know that a lot of people really like his mic skills, but I think he's really over-rated in that department. He just said the same exact shit, over and over again. Yes, everybody has their catch phrases that they repeat, but Ric Flair just mumbled about nothing most of the time.

Overall Matches: Average
Without the occassional bloody white hair or hilarious Flair Fall, his matches would all be the same exact thing, no matter who he wrestled. Everytime that Ric Flair was in a match, you could pretty much predict the exact order of moves that would take place and, personally, I found that to be really, really boring. Plus, am I the only one who is going to state that he was shitty at taking moves? God, you'd think he would get better at it after all of those years.

 

[D-rock]

This is one of those things where it totally depends on what the term "greatness" means to you. This is even harder in wrestling than in some other areas because what happens in the ring is totally played out and is due to subjective opinions. If we are talking about things like mike skills, wrestling ability, and everything else combined then Flair is up near the top. If you are talking about what they did for the industry, name recognition, and popularity over time, I hate to say it, but Hogan is probably the greatest by far in that regard. In something that is totally objective it's hard to argue against a person's greatness, when they have had that much popularity. It almost goes against the definition of greatness in that regard.

 

[broderic_randal]

the Flair Fall (if you even consider that a move).

this was always so entertaining

 

[titsrock]

I think Kennedy is in the discussion for Best Mic Workers in the WWE TODAY...he was pretty good the last time I watched the WWE with any regularity (it's been awhile).

I think Kurt Angle -- All things considered---is the greatest Wrestler Post-Bret Hart. Angle could work a mic, work a crowd, and make ANYONE look good in the ring. HHH or Stone Cold never made their opponent look good. One of the greatest "angles" ever is after Edge shaved his head he came out wrestling in the wig and the oldschool amateur headgear. PURE BRILLIANCE.....

I also like the Angle Lock as a submission hold...simple..effective..."real" and counterable by the opponent...

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Flair is the best.

 

[Pirateman269]

I'd say Hogan dude

 

[Master_Gio]

I go with Brett Hart!

 

[Teddy X]

Ric Fair a legend in my book....Real Talk....Woooooooooooohhh!!!!

 

[METAL HEAD]

okay i admit he is but can he please wooooooooooooooooooooo his way to a retirement home please that would be great.

 

[Will E Worm]

okay i admit he is but can he please wooooooooooooooooooooo his way to a retirement home please that would be great.

He might be wrestling in Japan soon.

Flair might make his debut in TNA after that. :hatsoff:

 

[mrtrebus]

Never really liked american wrestling but Ric Flair was bloody hilarious with his wooo-ing & falling down all the time!! So yes, he is the greatest!

 

[BJ_Ryder]

IDK about greatest of all time but most definately one of the greatest

 

[PinkPanther21]

I'd say Hogan dude

I was just watching one of those Legends panels on WWE 24-7 and it was striking that when Eric Bischoff was talking about how they had to construct WCW shows around the fact that Hogan, their champion, couldn't work in the ring at all, nobody on the panel - Jerry Lawler, Mick Foley, Michael Hayes, Jim Ross - had any disagreement.

Hogan was good at relating to the audience. He was never a good in-ring worker.

 

[titsrock]

I really think the best display of Hogan in the ring was Rocky III. I'm serious. After that film, Hogan's wrestling went downhill.

The last 5 or 6 years of seeing Flair in the ring to be nothing more than a punching bag (or a bloody sponge) has been too much to stomach. But, he had bills to pay with his divorces..