And in pole position, on a staggering 81 points, weighing 243lbs, from Charlotte, North Carolina, he's that kiss stealing, wheeling dealing, jet flying, limosine riding, son of a gun ... WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, the former NWA Champion of the Woooooorrrrlllld, "The Nature Boy" ...1. Ric FlairThe career of the 16-time world champion is incomparible and his wrestling legacy incalcuable. Now I am going to re-post something I wrote back in
this thread:
Yes, I think Flair is the greatest of all time. It's not just about matches -- although he has a list of ***** ones as long as your arm -- it's about the total package: the awesome promos, the charisma, etc.
And then he's got the longevity and the fact he's the only guy who held both World Titles back when that really meant something.
But on top of all of that: Flair was the ultimate traveling champ. He is the only man in wrestling to have literally wrestled EVERYONE and usually 45 minute to an hour broadways. How many shoots have you heard when guys have said "I must have wrestled Ric Flair over a 100 times".
Have you seen or listened to the big long 4-hour Flair shoot? The guy's career is literally incredible. He's been everywhere, done everything, wrestled everyone. He's been up and he's been down. He's been in fashion and out of fashion, been treated well by some bosses and totally treated like s*** by others. He's been part of some of the coolest stables, some of the greatest feuds and angles, had some of the greatest matches.
He's wrestling's one really amazing story. I don't think anyone else comes close. Fact is:
No one, not Harley Race, not HBK, not Hogan, not anyone can say they have done what Flair has: he wrestled all across the territories in 70s and was the NWA champ for close to 10 years in the 80, the last true traveling champ who drew in 30+ states and worked venues from 200 to 10,000. The importance of this cannot be overstated.
If Flair had retired in 1991, he'd still be thought as the greatest of all time. What he did in that decade (80s) is nothing short of incredible, it's almost super-human and I am in awe of the man.
But in addition to all that he was WWF champ at a time when heels very rarely got the strap and while Hogan was still there. He had a terrific run in WWF from 91-3 during which he wrestled practically everyone on the roster. And then STILL had decent feuds and matchs in WCW for the rest of the 90s.
And then in the 00s, in a totally different wrestling landscape, and when most of his peers were either dead or retired he STILL put on Match of the Year efforts at Wrestlemania, gave great promos, got involved with cool stables, had great feuds, and the greatest send off in Wrestling History.
I will maintain till the day I die that people who rate, say, Shawn Michaels as "greater" than Ric Flair simply don't understand wrestling -- or at least don't appreciate the staggering achievements of what Flair did in the 80s.
It's not JUST about matches, promos, workrate, psychology, legacy, title runs, etc. etc. etc.
It's the sum of all of those things PLUS the fact that we will never ever have another Ric Flair and during our lifetimes there is no one else who is comparable. Hogan is incredible for being a superstar, but Flair is incredible for being a wrestler.
Neal Snow said: "Ric Flair, for obvious reasons. Could do it al, and do it with style."
Mac said: "Ric Flair, Ring Skill 9, Mic 9, Work Crowd 7, Overness 8"
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Here are the final votes in full:
You can compare it with the original list that start all this almost two months ago
here. Guess who's number 1 on both! ;D
Thank you to everyone that took part.
And thank you most of all to Youngie, who was extremely helpful with the write-ups.