Why Ric Flair's 90's WWF Run Was Good.. But NOT Perfect
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.พ. 2024
- In 1991 Ric Flair was fired by WCW boss Jim Herd. Flair was still the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and he took the title to the WWF. Flair's early 90's WWF run started promisingly, but is could've been so much more. In this wrestling documentary, we find out why.
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#wwe #wrestling #ricflair - กีฬา
Ric Flair was most certainly seen with a manager by his side in the NWA: JJ Dillon.
Upsets me because this was my favorite Flair. Him with Heenan and Perfect was legendary.
I agree...I wished Vince didn't want to lessen his role and take him out of the main event scene causing him to ask for his leave.
I need a Curt Hennig episode so bad 🥲
“He was never seen with a manager.” Uh, ever heard of James J. Dillion?
I loved Flairs 92 run. It's my absolute favorite year of WWF!
Yea...Flair should have stayed longer....oh well...such is history
@@TheKidyoung24 We can thank that idiot Ultimate Warrior for cutting his run short.
@@reallyretro and how'd he do that btw?
@@TheKidyoung24he busted Ric’s ear in October 1992 at a house show which caused Ric to have severe vertigo imbalance affecting his wrestling, and therefore Vince had him drop the belt to Bret Hart a week later in Canada.
@reallyretro yes I was familiar with the vertigo ear situation, just either forgot or never knew that it was caused by that idiot Warrior. Hasn't he caused other career threatening injuries in the WWF to other wrestlers during his runs there? I feel like he had somehow besides just Ric. It's too bad because had he been allowed to keep the belt, he may not have walked away so soon...although Vince was still going for more younger guys to give headway to the upcoming new generation era so it still was only a matter of time. Sadly Ric never got his payback at Survivor Series because typical Warrior took off yet again from the WWF. I just would have liked the championship run to have lasted longer and his alignment with Perfect to not end as it did as well. I actually wouldn't have minded seeing them team up in a match back then as well but that never happened.
His wrestlemania 8 match was a stone cold classic
The fact that they acknowledged his nwa/WCW accomplishments was a huge deal at The time. They didn't do that for Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes or the Funks They let him keep his gimmick, which was also unusual at the time. They booked him strong. The win at the Rumble was a big deal. The house show attendance was a slight improvement over when Sgt Slaughter and/or the Ultimate Warrior were main eventing, but not mid 80's numbers by any means. It wasn't a bad run. I think Vince appreciated it which is why he never mocked Flair in the billionaire ted skits and why Flair was able to get away with so much misbehaviour later on
They said king race had reigned Supreme 7 times
I loved Ric Flair in the WWF during 1992! If he was there longer, he would have been able to contribute so much more!
The Flair/Savage feud is one of my favorite angles of all time. "She was mine before she was yours." LOL It was made even better in WCW when Liz left Savage to join Flair.
Flair's early 90s run can be summed up in a single sentence: "Put that cigarette out!" 😂
Thunder in Paradise was a couple years later, so unless Ric was a little mixed up, I guess whatever TV Hulk was trying to do was somehow so much worse it never aired....
Great video mate! love these
One of the likely memorable things from this WWE run of Ric Flair is not doing Flair vs Hogan at WrestleMania 8
This video has expressed every sentiment I've had regarding Ric Flair and the WWF/E. I NEVER liked how he was booked while working for McMahon.
Well now we all know about McMahon, don't we...??
He was booked well for the most part in his first run...but not his second. I only wish it lasted longer and he held the title longer each time or win it for a third time and stay longer. As much as I love Perfect, I rather he lost the Loser Leaves Town match on Raw.
Good show
I disagree. The run was great.
The rumble win was great, the match vs. Savage at Wrestlemania was great, the Loser leaves town match vs. Hennig was great.
This series is very entertaining
From his debut in the summer of 1991 through to WrestleMania 8 I think Flair had a great run and was the best thing going in the company, post WrestleMania 8 though it was very underwhelming and poorly booked.
It's interesting to me people act like Flair's run in WWF wasn't that great when he was a two time World Champion, Royal Rumble winner and the very top heel in the company right upon entry. I thought he did pretty well for himself, that's a lot more than many legendary wrestlers gave ever achieve anywhere.
Must've forgot that Flair did have JJ Dillon for a long time
not a fan of the AI art... watching this on a big screen just makes the images seem goofy and takes away from the presentation, it doesn't add to it. Every time I see the AI art it's just jarring...
Noted
A lot of people say Flair's run was disappointing, but I don't agree. He had the best 1992 of any main eventer other than Bret in my opinion, and Bret was in his prime and just starting his main event push, while Flair was on the decline. Hogan, comparatively, was stagnating, had his worst wrestlemania and left the company with no fanfare at all. Sid seemed to be going somewhere until fell off the face of the earth. The Undertaker's push was essentially put on hold. The Ultimate Warrior showed and totally flamed out. Savage carried the belt for much of the year, but all I remember about it was a kayfabe injury that did him in. Flair's Royal Rumble win was a legendary PPV achievement, and a rare clean title win for a heel. It's really the only thing that stands out about the whole road-to-wrestlemania of that year, other than "uh, ya got me, brother," and Papa Shango's missed run-in, and it's the only thing that stands out in a good way. It's true that Flair's was a short run and he didn't leave on top, but it didn't do anything to tarnish him.
That acheivement was goes to show you how he can still showcase his ability.
His run in the 2000s was a bit better than this one.
Nah
@@choke9270 Yes
Omg no way in hell. The first year of his 2001 return was entertaining until his age started catching up, and his hair and body as well as ring performance declined quickly. Watching him wrestling in 2001/2002 vs. 2003 was like night in day. Such a drastic change within just 1 year.
He was still past his prime in his first run... but he had a great team with Heenan and Perfect, and he still performed at his peak, and he played the perfect heel during that time in the WWF. The only regret was it was short-lived, and it started too late... Although if he had arrived years earlier, he'd be just another victim of McMahon's Hulkamania creation.
I think that was more to do with the fact that early 2000s wwe was miles ahead of the early 90s wwe, both in terms of talent and general direction. The fact he was as good as he was during his 90s run is honestly a testament to him.
@jimbo_1312 Agreed!! It proves how great he was as a performer in wrestling.
I never got to see him in his prime.
Mean Woooooooo By God Gene
I still think they should have saved Ric Flair Vs Mr. Perfect for WrestleMania IX, but I understand why. Ric didnt want to job two years in a row at a WrestleMania perhaps.
*Put that cigarette out!*
Flair was a glorified jobber in WWE after he dropped the World belt for the last time.
Please don't use creepy AI in your vids. They detract from the otherwise good content.
i agree. its weird.
Yeah that shit looks super creepy
agreed.
Phuck AI.
Which bit was AI? 😅
Problem was he came in and w a s immediately given a huge push. I was a fan of wcw on tbs back in the 80s so we knew who he was and understood, but there were a lot of kids who were trashing wcw as inferior. If they had let him ease in and win over the fans. It would have been a better run for Flair. But i was happy.... wooooo
U should do one Ric flair return to WCW in 93
Great idea I'll add it to the list
Thank you
One question: why did Flair always reference 'Space Mountain' back then?? Still don't get it...🤔
Because Flair once said: "Space Mountain may be the oldest ride in the park, but it has the longest line."
@@thomasbaader6629 got it. Thanks! WOOO!
Thank you. But please, no more AI generated images.
The flair vs machoman fued was way better than him vs hogan. some guys just work together better
Yeah, that’s true, but if McMahon was SMART, he would’ve booked and followed thru with Flair vs Hogan, and market it by REALLY promoting them as the 2 giants of wrestling, finally clashing. SO much more could’ve been done with this scenario, but, not surprisingly, McMahon dropped the ball.
Bullshit
@@chrischar9428 , Ric Flair: the greatest to ever lace a pair of wrestling boots.
Woooooooooo nature boy ric flair still a legendary wrestler wooooooooo 4 horseman
Hogan wouldn’t wrestle Flair because he was getting booed. Plus Flair wouldn’t let Hogan bury him. Flair vs Savage was far more entertaining in my opinion. The real double main event at WM8 Flair v Savage and Piper v Hart. Flair v Savage should have lasted longer and been better, but Savage was having marital problems. Flair thought he’d be better of going back to WCW after Herd got fired.
Totally wrong. You just don't like Hogan and your silly post only proves it. How old are you? I'm guessing you were born probably in the mid 2000s. Sad and misinformed.
The WWF championship looked like a toy compared to the WCW World Heavyweight championship ... Lol
I think both Hogan and Flair didn't want to lose by a 3 count and that's why the match didn't happen.
Flair would have done business.
He lost clean to savage didn’t he.
@@choke9270yeah but not to Hogan.
"Jim Herd was completely right."
- Nobody
AI 4 Life...
Nice!
As an 8 year old. I was so confused to who this guy was. 😅
I thought it was widely accepted that the reason why Hogan and Flair didn't happen at WM8 was because they knew Hogan was leaving, so they didn't want to put the belt on him, and decided not to put on the legendary match if they couldn't have a legendary finish. (Putting Flair over wasn't gonna work for the Hulkster brother.) I think that has to be the explanation. The house shows wouldn't have mattered. Flair and Hogan would have rose to the challenge and gave the crowd a good show, just like Hulk and Andre did at WM3 when Andre could barely move.
Flair was only good outside the ring. Very charismatic character.poor performer in the ring. Overratted badly
By far the MOST overrated wrestler in all of pro wrestling. He was never a good wrestler. Ya he could talk and that was it. Could never understand that hacks popularity.
Ric Flairs Imperfect career is more like it.
Those AI photos are great.
Ric flair is a wwe plant.
Fun fact apparently Vince hated that iconic promo by Flair at the Rumble
Where did you hear that? Just curious.
It was on a podcast by 3 Irish mega wrestling fans: th-cam.com/video/Z4IoFIPkPvY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=OSWReviewHD 1:22:15@@STONESGAM
Do you know why?? It was great!!
Flair didn't have his music in the WWF. He had a crappy rip off.
It actually wasn't a bad version of it though.
Vince McMahon told him by the beginning of 1993 he was going with younger talent in the WWF so back to WCW Period
Which was good idea, until sometime in mid-march of that year when he changed his mind and put the belt back on Hulk Hogan. But he wizened up eventually.
But it is ushering a new era, Hogan was not old crop in 1993.
Well when Warrior dropped Ric on his head it was no wonder Ric couldn't carry the company...
But for Vince as normal just discarded people like something he would scrape off the bottom of his shoe....
It was wrong but hey....it is what it is
Each to there own, my personal opinion, but I always hated Flair, his move set consisted off....flair flop, big chops, figure 4 leg lock and the flair corner bump, sorry also being on his knees begging to not be hit and then doing a cheap shot. His promos was him really shouting and then going WOOOO at the end. Again my opinion but he was over rated and I loved it when Brett Hart buried him a few years ago in a sit down chat with fans.
He wasn't as technical as Hart or Perfect.
He didn't have the work rate of Michaels.
He didn't have the personality/ character gimic as cool as Razor Ramon, stone cold, The rock or even Kevin Nash, the crow sting.
Wasn't an everyman like Mick Foley.
Couldn't script a match like Macho Man .
Even Hulk Hogan ( who's matches you could always script atleast knew how to work his American man gimic to the crowd. He had only a few moves at well just like warrior).
My opinion but I never ever got the fuss that every one made over Flair. I followed wrestling since the golden age of the 80's to the early 2000's
I hate marks using the phrase moveset. Tell us you're a mark without saying it
@chrischar9428 is that at me? Are you calling me a mark? hahaha, you melt!!, I said in my personal opinion!. That means I'm not hating on him to garner a response!,
This video actually highlights Brett Hart against him (I wrote my comment before I watched it) and also explains how underused he was in WWF , which is what I watched more. So, if anything, it showed me why I never took to him. Also, am I not allowed a personal opinion? Do I have to follow the masses?
How old are you anyway? The way you attacked me then said what a fan boy you are!, also whats wrong with the term move set? It's common language in the wrestling entertainment industry....its what each wrestler has...there own unique move set.
@chrischar9428
Now, do a constructive adult breakdown of how my personal opinion is wrong in your eyes. With your own personal opinion. You obviously like Flair... Good on you...each to their own. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder ....I didn't like him. I preferred other wrestlers . Where some hated Michaels, I liked him, the same goes for HHH during his blue blood gimic
I still think Flair had a decent run in WWF at the time, but it looked to me as though the writers didn't know what to do with him longer term, I think that was the problem.
Flair is a very specific type of character, his closest comparative archetype was the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase and his lifestyle gimmick was already done to death by the time Flair arrived.
It shows that if you don't have the right dance partners, or you don't have the versatility to change up character or image, there is a danger your career hits a roadblock. WCW weren't wrong in trying to freshen Flair up before he left for WWF, it was just how they suggested he do it that was absurd.
I don't think you could really change Flair, he was too engrained in his character and everyone had seen it all.
Also didn't help that Hogan never put him over either.
Unlucky timing, but still a good run nonetheless.