A Chaotic Theory: Flair Is Fighting A Losing Battle

By Chad

Through the years of professional wrestling we have watched stars come and go. Some of them may have only been in the business for a short period of time, but left an everlasting impression on us. But others, the ones who have remained, helped define and shape the sport that we all have come to love. Those wrestlers built an empire with every leg drop and every figure four performed. They are the ones who laid the foundation for the superstars of today, they had it bad, so we could have it good. So what happens to them now? Do they just say ‘thanks’, pack it up and head on home? Or do they continue to try and keep up with their younger counterparts, due to addiction to the limelight? By the recent antics of Ric Flair, it seems leaving is not an option, at least not alive anyways.

As a huge fan of Flair, I am actually worried about him. Match after match he has been busted open, trying to prevent himself from drowning in his own blood. But it’s not just Flair’s ring in-capabilities that has me worried, it’s also the fact that Flair acts a little, well I’ll just go ahead and say it, kooky. Over the past few episodes it seems that TNA is having a hard time wrangling in Flair and his ego. His latest battle involves Abyss, it seems they are fighting over the WWE’s Hall Of Fame Ring, which in itself is a whole separate column, but he is angry that Abyss is wearing the ring that Hogan gave him, without earning it himself. His biggest argument was that he had to work in the business for 39 years to get his and doesn’t think Abyss should even be wearing Hogan’s’. He probably doesn’t even think that Hogan deserves one himself, let alone Abyss. But this feud is a little different than other feuds that we have witnessed Flair in.

Flair has always been the top player of the game. The self titled “God of wrestling” has always left us wanting more, using every trick at his disposal. His mic skills were matched by no one, he could get a crowd cheering for him, or jeering for him, they were like putty in his hands. Now that Flair has put on a few years, it may seem that the skills he once had, aren’t as fine tuned as he thinks. Last week Flair came out and challenged Abyss to a match, ring for ring. The interesting thing about this segment was that it seemed completely impromptu. When he first came out and grabbed the mic, nobody had a clue what was going on, that was evident when they started playing music over his challenge, like he was accepted the best actor Oscar. This was a huge surprise because it didn’t seem like the organized, methodical, player that Flair was.

This week the two finally met in the ring and if you’re like me, you were praying for Flair just to come out alive.  Right from the start of the match, Flair showed his age and how it has affected his previously superb in-ring skills. He couldn’t perform basic wrestling moves without it looking forced. He seemed like his ability to sell the pain that Abyss was dishing out had been lost, some punches didn’t even get a reaction. The match was failing and had no potential of ever getting good. Abyss did his best to make up for what Flair might have been lacking, which I didn’t think he minded as long as he got a chance to step back into the ring with a legend. But all in all, the match was a bust.

Ric Flair is past his time in the world of professional wrestling and it’s time he let go. I know you can’t knock a man just for trying to earn a living, but it’s time to try different avenues Flair. I want to remember Flair like he should be remembered. The Nature Boy, the dirtiest player in the game, the man who defined charisma and success. I don’t want to remember Ric Flair as the man who gets beat down every show, a man who is covered in his own blood every time you see him. I don’t want to remember Flair as the man without a coherent thought of his own. That’s not the legend I know or even want to know. Say goodbye to the ring for good Flair, let us remember the man who was on top of this industry for so long as he was, not as he is. Then again that’s just my chaotic theory….