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Post by JokerFC on Apr 13, 2022 20:36:08 GMT -5
So the heat was genuine in 1998 with Flair & Bischoff. The legal litigation was about as serious as it could possibly get....cue Vince mentioning him in interviews and Jim Ross talking about him on WWF TV.
So.....imagine Ric could have got free from his contract in Spring 1998 (as he was trying to do) and goes to Vince....Man I think he would have been dynamite as Vinces "guy" & ideal corperate figurehead to go after Austin and ultimately be unsuccessful. Doesn't effect Rock & HHH's rise at all & we get the Austin vs Flair Programme in Summer 98 instead of the UT programme which I wasn't a fan of at all.
Thrash it out.....it was a very real possibility. JR, Prichard, Bischoff & Flair have all said it could have happened if Flairs contract wasnt so airtight. Ironic since it was the one he kicked up the fuss about prior to HH94 and only signed on the day.......
Discuss
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Post by The Brain on Apr 13, 2022 21:06:27 GMT -5
If Flair showed up anywhere else in 98 I would want em to show up in ECW to confront Shane Douglas.
Imagine the POP he would get at the ECW Arena
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Apr 13, 2022 21:41:43 GMT -5
If Flair showed up anywhere else in 98 I would want em to show up in ECW to confront Shane Douglas. Imagine the POP he would get at the ECW Arena
Shane Douglas has said that it was going to happen, I guess Flair was in talks with Heyman during that time frame.
Shane also said that there was a chance in 1994 for Douglas vs. Flair to happen but it stopped happening because WCW stopped working with ECW.
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Post by The Brain on Apr 13, 2022 21:50:47 GMT -5
If Flair showed up anywhere else in 98 I would want em to show up in ECW to confront Shane Douglas. Imagine the POP he would get at the ECW Arena
Shane Douglas has said that it was going to happen, I guess Flair was in talks with Heyman during that time frame.
Shane also said that there was a chance in 1994 for Douglas vs. Flair to happen but it stopped happening because WCW stopped working with ECW.
Yep we were close but sadly no cigar |
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Post by JokerFC on Apr 13, 2022 22:16:15 GMT -5
If Flair showed up anywhere else in 98 I would want em to show up in ECW to confront Shane Douglas. Imagine the POP he would get at the ECW Arena Oh boy....that would have been sweet.... |
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Post by hbkjason on Apr 14, 2022 0:03:15 GMT -5
Austin vs a corporate heel in Ric Flair in 98 would have been awesome. You do have to wonder though if Vince had Flair as his corporate champion, would we still see Rock walk out of Survivor Series as champion? If this thing really took off, perhaps, it could have stretched to Mania 15 and we would have gotten Austin vs Flair. If there is no corporate champ Rock, does Mankind win the title in winter 98 and become a legit main event guy? As much as I love the idea of a heel Ric Flair in the WWF in 98, it is one of those things that I think would have had a massive ripple effect.
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Post by JokerFC on Apr 14, 2022 1:51:14 GMT -5
Austin vs a corporate heel in Ric Flair in 98 would have been awesome. You do have to wonder though if Vince had Flair as his corporate champion, would we still see Rock walk out of Survivor Series as champion? If this thing really took off, perhaps, it could have stretched to Mania 15 and we would have gotten Austin vs Flair. If there is no corporate champ Rock, does Mankind win the title in winter 98 and become a legit main event guy? As much as I love the idea of a heel Ric Flair in the WWF in 98, it is one of those things that I think would have had a massive ripple effect. I think the programme would have been in the Summer man & wouldn't have effected the rise of those guys at all...I still see fall/Winter going the same way |
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Post by cordless2016 on Apr 14, 2022 7:18:43 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.
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Post by MKSavage on Apr 14, 2022 8:17:52 GMT -5
It is an interesting thought. I think if Vince brought him in as his corporate champion, and he had a feud with Austin in the summer and fall of 1998, I could see that working. But, I don't see it working long term. One of the things that really helped the WWF in the late 90s was the infusion of new, younger talent. Bringing the Rock, HHH, New Age Outlaws, and Mick Foley up the card really helped the WWF win the war over WCW - who at the time was giving us feuds that we had seen for a decade or more (Hogan/Piper, Hogan/Savage, Hogan/Flair, Flair/Sting, Flair/Savage, Sting/Luger, etc.) I also don't think Ric Flair would have played the corporate champion very well. He was/is very much set in the "Flair" persona. When I think of the perfect corporate champion, it is/was the Rock. He was young, good looking, cocky/arrogant, in great shape - he was the epitome of what Vince would want as his champion. However, with that being said, I could see Flair being the short-term, corporate champion. Bring him in after WM14, have him feud with Austin throughout the summer and in to the fall, give him one, short title reign. Then by the Survivor Series, have Vince turn on Flair, and go with the Rock. Vince's explanation for the turn could be the same stuff I mentioned above about the Rock, that he was the "New" model of what a "Champion" should look/act like, and that Flair was past his prime, and that Flair couldn't get the job done anymore. This could turn Flair face, and he could feud with Vince and the Rock for a time. Though, I would still rather have Rock/Mick for the long term, before getting to Rock/Austin. They could maybe even do Flair/Vince at WM15.
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Post by JokerFC on Apr 14, 2022 9:01:58 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. But that would have been the idea & principle behind his heel heat if ya get me...particularly the motive for Mcmahon bringing him in |
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Post by cordless2016 on Apr 14, 2022 9:20:11 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. But that would have been the idea & principle behind his heel heat if ya get me...particularly the motive for Mcmahon bringing him in I get the “corporate champ” idea, but outside of wearing suits, I don’t see Flair fitting that role better than Rocky did a year later. He wasn’t young and wasn’t in great shape (Flair was a machine in the ring, this is more based on the physical appearance we know Vince looks for). Flair was also more brash and not as calm-headed as a character as Rocky. And I’m not sure 1998 WWF fans would have latched onto it based on the character that were popular at the time (Austin, Taker, Kane, Foley). I’m not against the idea and would have been interested to see it play out had he jumped back then. I’m just not sure it would have been something fans would have been clamoring for over the Austin/Taker/Kane/Foley stories going on at the time. Austin/Flair in 1998 reminds me more of the rumors of building towards an Austin/Dr. Death match at the time. Just seems out of place for the era (I’m not saying Flair and Dr. Death are on the same level but that they just don’t seem to fit the period in my head). |
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Post by Grenouille on Apr 14, 2022 9:42:17 GMT -5
I really like the idea of Flair as Vince’s corporate champion. However, I can see the downside in that it blocks the Rock.
Looking further back I really wonder about Flair coming in late summer ‘88 as was rumored. Flair in ‘89 WWF would seem strange, but I would’ve loved it.
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Post by MKSavage on Apr 14, 2022 9:56:01 GMT -5
I really like the idea of Flair as Vince’s corporate champion. However, I can see the downside in that it blocks the Rock. Looking further back I really wonder about Flair coming in late summer ‘88 as was rumored. Flair in ‘89 WWF would seem strange, but I would’ve loved it. I think it could have worked, mainly depending on how they worked it. I could see him first feuding with Savage over the title in 1988. Then in 1989 he takes a secondary role so they can do the Hogan/Savage thing. Then by 1990, I could see Flair/Hogan, maybe at WM6. Flair cheats to win the gold, loses it to the Warrior at SSL90, regains it at RR91, then loses it to Hogan at WM7. The only bad thing about that is, you lose Flair in WCW in 1989. Flair's 1989 in WCW was pretty epic, he had an amazing year. His feud with Steamboat is an all-time great, his stuff with Funk, Muta, and Sting was all great as well. |
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Post by The Brain on Apr 14, 2022 11:09:14 GMT -5
I really like the idea of Flair as Vince’s corporate champion. However, I can see the downside in that it blocks the Rock. Looking further back I really wonder about Flair coming in late summer ‘88 as was rumored. Flair in ‘89 WWF would seem strange, but I would’ve loved it. I think it could have worked, mainly depending on how they worked it. I could see him first feuding with Savage over the title in 1988. Then in 1989 he takes a secondary role so they can do the Hogan/Savage thing. Then by 1990, I could see Flair/Hogan, maybe at WM6. Flair cheats to win the gold, loses it to the Warrior at SSL90, regains it at RR91, then loses it to Hogan at WM7. The only bad thing about that is, you lose Flair in WCW in 1989. Flair's 1989 in WCW was pretty epic, he had an amazing year. His feud with Steamboat is an all-time great, his stuff with Funk, Muta, and Sting was all great as well. Flair as the centerpiece of the Heenan Family in 88/9 wouldve been great TV but we all know in the end he would take the L to Hogan. Glad he stayed in WCW like you mentioned his stuff with Steamboat/Funk that year man was fantastic. |
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Post by MKSavage on Apr 14, 2022 13:43:32 GMT -5
I think it could have worked, mainly depending on how they worked it. I could see him first feuding with Savage over the title in 1988. Then in 1989 he takes a secondary role so they can do the Hogan/Savage thing. Then by 1990, I could see Flair/Hogan, maybe at WM6. Flair cheats to win the gold, loses it to the Warrior at SSL90, regains it at RR91, then loses it to Hogan at WM7. The only bad thing about that is, you lose Flair in WCW in 1989. Flair's 1989 in WCW was pretty epic, he had an amazing year. His feud with Steamboat is an all-time great, his stuff with Funk, Muta, and Sting was all great as well. Flair as the centerpiece of the Heenan Family in 88/9 wouldve been great TV but we all know in the end he would take the L to Hogan. Glad he stayed in WCW like you mentioned his stuff with Steamboat/Funk that year man was fantastic. Yeah. And I think Flair in the Heenan Family would have been a watered-down version of the Horsemen, they wouldn't have been able to get away with a lot of the stuff they did in WCW on WWF TV. Plus, I actually liked Flair's run in the WWF in 1991/92. I really enjoyed his feuds with Savage/Piper/Bret/Perfect. The only thing really missing from that run was a match with Hogan at WrestleMania. |
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Post by JokerFC on Apr 14, 2022 19:08:19 GMT -5
I really like the idea of Flair as Vince’s corporate champion. However, I can see the downside in that it blocks the Rock. Looking further back I really wonder about Flair coming in late summer ‘88 as was rumored. Flair in ‘89 WWF would seem strange, but I would’ve loved it. Ya see? it doesn't block Rocky though....Nation vs DX still carries the midcard in the Summer of 1998 and the fall remains unchanged...Flair takes UTs place in the Summer. The programmes is Flair vs Austin for June/July/August after Foley and it ends in failure for Flair...so Vince comes up with the idea of UT/Kane vs Austin as his masterplan The feud is still McMahon vs Austin but Flair is his guy. I genuinely think it would have been white hot because you were adding another very talented promo to Austin vs McMahon. |
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nibs92
Main Eventer
Joined on: May 29, 2008 5:47:21 GMT -5
Posts: 2,352
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Post by nibs92 on Apr 15, 2022 4:57:48 GMT -5
I’m not sure if it would quite fit the timeline but I think it would have been a hoot if DX had “kidnapped” Flair when they invaded WCW in the spring of 98. Where Flair fits in from there I don’t know but would have made compelling TV seeing DX capture a WCW icon.
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Post by The Brain on Apr 15, 2022 21:42:57 GMT -5
I enjoyed the interactions Austin/Flair had in 2002 so I have no doubt a feud in 98 wouldve been entertaining as hell.
The promos wouldve been gold for sure
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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on Apr 15, 2022 22:44:49 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.
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Post by JokerFC on Apr 16, 2022 7:50:54 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... |
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