nisidhe
Hank Scorpio
O Superman....O judge....O Mom and Dad....
Posts: 5,768
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Post by nisidhe on Dec 2, 2023 13:20:12 GMT -5
Ric Flair was a far bigger deal in the 1980s than Cena was even during his peak. That said, the 80s were a somewhat less connected time then - you might have had a local promotion and, if you had cable, you might know who was champion in one of the Big Three - but that was it. The numbers of tapetraders were miniscule as a percentage of the overall audience. Flair was big among the territories and in some farflung areas that caught NWA on TV, but that was it. Memes kept Flair relevant far longer than he really had any right to be.
Cena's legacy is really still up in the air at this point. Without the veil of kayfabe, it's hard to measure Cena's legacy by his achievements - 16 times world champion isn't the flex it used to be when those achievements are largely the decisions of the company and not necessarily reflective of one's abilities in the ring. We believed in this stuff when Flair was on top and seeming invincible; the suspension of disbelief in Cena, though, unless you were a child, was a little more difficult to achieve.
But Cena as a human being was/is a far more positive force in the world, and that can make a huge difference to one's legacy - as can a segue into acting. Flair will be a prominent figure in the histories written by the wrestling historians years and years from now. Cena's story still has a chapter or two to be written - and it may end up too big to be written by them.
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Post by darbus alan on Dec 2, 2023 14:30:17 GMT -5
Anyway, Cena has transcended wrestling while Flair can't get outside that besides some hip-hop stuff. You could argue strictly within the world of wrestling that Flair's legacy is bigger than Cena's. But in pop culture in general? Cena and it isn't even close.
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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on Dec 4, 2023 6:44:40 GMT -5
In wrestling, it's still Flair. However, I think once Flair dies, it'll be a lot easier for people to actually start shit-talking him for all of his post-peak embarrassments (and depending on who you ask, that could start as early as the 90s) and his legacy will shrink. I think in a few decades it may swing around to Flair possibly being underrated for his achievements if anything.
Outside of wrestling, it's Cena by an enormous margin, and that distance will only widen as Cena gets more successful in Hollywood.
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Push R Truth
Patti Mayonnaise
Unique and Special Snowflake, and a pants-less heathen.
Perpetually Constipated
Posts: 39,372
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Post by Push R Truth on Dec 4, 2023 7:47:05 GMT -5
Flair as a bigger legacy at the moment but it's no longer growing. Cena has a big legacy and it's still growing.
So Flair for now, but Cena will surpass him fairly soon.
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Post by stoptheclocks on Dec 4, 2023 8:49:19 GMT -5
I think this is a lopsided question because Flair's prime as a wrestler and as a star generally was 30+ years ago. The fact he's still a figure in pop culture and having ESPN documentaries and rap songs written about him is an incredible testament to his success.
Comparing that with Cena who is currently at or near the peak of his popularity is apples and oranges. You'd need to check back in 20 years and compare Cena to Flair now.
There is also a vast difference in how Flair is viewed by wrestling fans on the internet, wrestling fans in the stands and then people who don't follow wrestling currently at all.
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Post by Mid-Carder on Dec 4, 2023 11:24:04 GMT -5
Hollywood and who's a nice guy have nothing to do with their legacies in wrestling. It's still Flair. Very few are on his level.
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Post by edgestar on Dec 5, 2023 18:15:59 GMT -5
I like Cena, and I like Charlotte.
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