So, BIG IF, Flair vs. Sting happens at WM...

[Limity (BLM)]

...what would be the best way for WWE to build it up?

One thing you can still say about WWE, is they know how to do the slow-build for a feud. I think it would be in their best interest to announce it, or at least start building early for a WrestleMania match. Some people think it would be cool if Sting showed up as a surprise at WM, I have to disagree. While it would be one hellllllll of a surprise, I think it would be better for a long build up.

Maybe announce it early on, and have Sting do the stalking-from-the-rafters like he did the nWo. Slowly push Flair over the edge, so we get some vintage crazy Flair promos.

It would fit nicely, if Flair keeps winning, then Vince comes out, pissed off, and says he finally found someone that beat Ric Flair from the beginning of WCW to the very last show. Sting.


Anyway, what do you guys think?

[The Line]

I say after a flair match at RR, have the lights go out, then come back on, and a black baseball bat is lying in the ring. I don't care how they build the rest of it from then on out, but if they had that, it would be awesome.

[wwerules60]

All they need to do is use their video library to full effect. They can make excellent packages showing the feud that these men have had for so many years.

[SWH - Shane Hero]

No, I don't think the stalking type angle would fit well in this case at all.

I honestly think it would be awesome to do it as a total surprise, one-off appearance. Maybe they could "build it" by showing video packages of Flair's career, constantly showing Sting as a big part of it. They could also show video packages about Sting when the DVD comes out, with lots of references to Flair.

And never have Sting appear on WWE TV, even have him state in interviews how he will never work in WWE.

Then, at Mania have an announced match up of Flair Vs Someone. I'm thinking someone of significance to Flair's career, but can't think of a good example right now. Have the match end with Flair winning to everyone's shock. The ring fills with Flairs old friends like Arn, Tully etc lifting him onto their shoulders, the crowd cheering. Flair takes the mic, tears streaming down his face with emotion, saying he will never quit, he's on top of his game and he'll face anyone-- when suddenly the lights go out.

They come back on and Flair is standing in the ring face to face with Sting. Let them stare down for ages, as the crowd goes nuts. Sting takes the mic and issues a challenge for right there, right now. Have an absolute classic match, Flair loses, and gets a huge send off.

[perpetualn00b]

The problem with that is I very much doubt that the crowd will go nuts at all. I seriously question how many current fans of the product even know about Sting, let alone think as highly of him as he deserves. The WWE would have to really build Sting up prior to 'Mania if they want an appropriate reaction.

Furthermore, as both of the performers are past their prime, it wouldn't be an absolute classic. It would be a nostalgia piece, but not a particularly good match.

[Bobby Womack]

sting having a surprise match with flair would be terrible business, advertising sting vs flair at WM would equal to huge buys and it would be stupid not to capitalize on that

[Janitor From Mars]

perpetualn00b said:

The problem with that is I very much doubt that the crowd will go nuts at all. I seriously question how many current fans of the product even know about Sting, let alone think as highly of him as he deserves. The WWE would have to really build Sting up prior to 'Mania if they want an appropriate reaction.

Furthermore, as both of the performers are past their prime, it wouldn't be an absolute classic. It would be a nostalgia piece, but not a particularly good match.

If they're allowed to slow-pace the match and do it without botching anything, it could still be a classic.

Some wrestlers, no matter how old they get, can still throw decent matches depending on their opponents.

[The Panda Powered]

Something would have to happen in front of the Smarktastic MSG crowd at the Rumble for the majority of the audience to care. You can pretty much guarantee a huge ovation at Mania as well, due to it being the Smark Convention of 08. It's the stuff in between which would worry me.

Still, I know I'd mark, it's Sting for God's sake. Then surely if they do get him, even for six months or something, it would have to be Sting vs. The Undertaker at SummerSlam

[perpetualn00b]

That's true, and I'd definately including Sting and Flair as being able to do that currently, but 'decent' matches don't become classics, especially if the outing is inferior to previous matches between those same people (and I'd bet good money that it would be). And then there's the issue of slow-pacing the match while still keeping interest, something that audiences have made exceptionally more difficult over the years.

[randomranter]

1) A large chunk of the current fanbase has no clue who sting is, their past rivalry, etc. He'd probably get the same lukewarm reception that Jericho got, if not worse.

2) Both wrestlers are way past their prime, so they wouldn't be able to give us the mat classics that they were able to deliver 15 years ago.

3) Unless they signed sting TOMORROW, there wouldn't be enough time to give this feud the proper buildup that it would need to draw the buyrates that Vince (and we) would expect.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

If they were still going with the "If Flair gets pinned he's fired storyline" it would be really cool if Sting kept almost beating him, but then just about as he makes the cover he looks to the audience and can't do it because of his respect for Ric Flair. This then leads to Flair coming in with a low blow and going full on heel on him just like vintage Flair. This pisses Sting off royally who then does one of his vintage flexes after Flair chops him, so that Sting has a superman come-back. Sting of course wins and the two embrace afterwards.

[Deleted]

Sting vs Flair is a big draw...but only to certain people.

Enough time has passed between the Sting/Flair feuds that a large chunk of the viewers just weren't watching wrestling back then. That doesn't mean it's a bad idea, however Sting might ask for more money than McMahon feels comfortable paying him in exchange for what would likely be only a minor increase in buys overall.

[Big Hurt]

A Sting vs. Flair match may mean Sting's last match as well. He would have to be the heel in the whole situation and not sure he would go for that.
It would be nice to see Sting wrestle at Mania though.

[casualobserver]

Have Sting and Flair reunite and form a tag team, only for Flair to backstab him.

[Bobby Womack]

stings going to retire him and then the next night on raw we'll have the wwe debut of the mysterious 'black scorpion'

[Big Hurt]

rs2t said:

stings going to retire him and then the next night on raw we'll have the wwe debut of the mysterious 'black scorpion'

Ha. And an awful cage match will conclude the angle?

[BrodietheSlayer]

Ah....see, I think Sting/Flair would get more of a reaction than some think.

I think the only reason Jericho's return kind of bombed was that after an AWESOME build up.....the pay off was the same Jericho we had been watching since late 1999.

[The Line]

bighurt said:

A Sting vs. Flair match may mean Sting's last match as well. He would have to be the heel in the whole situation and not sure he would go for that.
It would be nice to see Sting wrestle at Mania though.

Eh, not necessarily. Flair could bring Sting in himself, and say something like "there are plenty of guys back there who I wouldn't mind losing my last match to, but there is one guy who I'd like to lose my last to, and he is...The Man they Call STING!"

[BrodietheSlayer]

WWE should sign Sting for a one year deal, ala what they did with Goldberg. I'd love to see Sting have feuds with: Flair, HBK, Undertaker, Kane.....and even Cena, who was compared to Sting all the time when he started on Smackdown.

[rubber johnny]

in all seriousness, i reckon they should keep up the flair trying not to lose storyline

then maybe at the royal rumble he could be against a big heel, let's say umaga in a no-dq match

just when it looks like flair's going to lose to umaga, sting appears and beats umaga over the head with the baseball bat, letting flair keep his career

then it turns out sting helped flair in order for a big match at mania - everybody cheers and buy wrestlemania 24

god, i piss all over vince russo