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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Apr 16, 2022 9:28:03 GMT -5
Flair coming into the WWF in 1998 would have been wild, but at the same time would have seemed so out of place. Once Bret Hart left the WWF at Survivor Series 97, it just felt like a "new generation" of talent - which is ironic because Bret Hart represented the New Generation Era so fittingly. So to see Flair in the ring with the likes of Stone Cold, The Rock, Triple H, Kane, Mankind, Undertaker etc. if that era of 1998 just seems so weird to me. With all that being said, I can't see Flair being WWF Champion in 1998, at all. Austin vs. Flair in 1998 would be an okay PPV match, but no way should that be a program. The way Austin was built in '98 with Foley, Kane, then Taker was perfect. Definitely didn't suggest he got the title...
If Flair came into the WWF in 1998, you better believe he'd get the WWF Title. If not?? He'd be wasted and would be looking to get out of his WWF contract to go back to WCW so fast. Just like what he did in 1993 when he left the WWF for WCW.
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Post by JokerFC on Apr 16, 2022 9:56:24 GMT -5
Definitely didn't suggest he got the title...
If Flair came into the WWF in 1998, you better believe he'd get the WWF Title. If not?? He'd be wasted and would be looking to get out of his WWF contract to go back to WCW so fast. Just like what he did in 1993 when he left the WWF for WCW.
If that was the case? Let him on...he'd served his purpose 100% being McMahons next avatar after Foley to face Austin |
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TheXtremisT
Main Eventer
10 Year Member
This is the way
Joined on: May 3, 2008 8:03:15 GMT -5
Posts: 3,885
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Post by TheXtremisT on Apr 19, 2022 8:10:41 GMT -5
IDK 1998 WWF fans were a different breed. Would he have received a big pop had he appeared? Most likely yeah, but I’m not sure how well Flair would have fit the “attitude era” theme with fans shifting attention to younger/newer stars like Austin, Rock, Foley, HHH, Kane, Taker, etc…Flair just seems to stick out like a sore thumb in this group. And this is coming from a huge Flair fan. I could see Flair being successful had he returned in 2000 or early 2001, but I don’t see fans getting super behind him in 1998 or 1999 just based on the fans and characters at the time. I think it could 100% have worked. The WWF were moving towards the younger, more brash and cocky stars in the AE. But Vince was playing the anti-Austin mega heel boss. Austin embodied the AE. Therefore, Vince could have played up being against what the WWF was becoming. What's more anti-attitude than an older, more established and corporate champion? Flair could have played that role perfectly. The fans would be EVEN MORE against Vince shoving Flair down their throats and more pro-Austin. Flair was so versatile he could have carried that feud no problem and not drawn "go away heat". |
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TWJT
Superstar
Joined on: Aug 7, 2021 19:07:25 GMT -5
Posts: 546
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Post by TWJT on Apr 19, 2022 11:38:22 GMT -5
I think you could make Shawn and Ric babyface co-commissioners from 1998-2000, with them showing up more frequently than we actually saw with Shawn at the time.
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