NoDQ.com > Columns > On the Mat with Matt Henry Wrestlemania/Ric Flair Posted by Matt Henry on 04/10/2008 at 11:33 AM
Hello everyone, welcome to the post Wrestlemania edition of "On The Mat" with me Matt Henry. Today I would like to review Wrestlemania 24, but set my main focus on the legendary Ric Flair, and the end of his near 40 year career.
First of all Wrestlemania provided us with a few surprises as it always does. The biggest shock to me, was Randy Orton retaining the WWE title. Orton is a very deserving champion and has carried the belt very well. I really expected to see Triple H walk out of Florida with the strap, but somehow Orton pulled off the seemingly impossible. He is an amazing young champion with an unlimited upside. Mark my words Randy Orton will be the WWE's top guy for many years to come. "The Age of Orton" really is here and he will only continue to grow as a performer. Kudos to Randy Orton for shocking the world at Wrestlemania 24!
Secondly Taker kept his streak alive by taking out Edge. It was a great match with lots of false finishes keeping the crowd hot and keeping us all guessing. Taker will be here for as long as he chooses to be. There has never been another Undertaker, and there never will be again. He is without question the best big man in the history of the business, and has the most entertaining and longest lasting character of all time.
CM Punk's win came as a shock to me as well. I thought Kennedy was a sure bet to be the winner of the MITB match. Apparently the heat Punk has with some of the boys is not as big of an issue as the dirt sheets have made it out to be. Once again the MITB match was a barn burner full of awesome high spots and great young athletes laying it all on the line. I see Punk switching over to Raw in this years draft and making an impact on the "A" show. I believe he will cash in his contract for the WWE title within the next few months.
I'm not even going to talk about the Belfast Brawl or the Bunny Mania match. The Bunny match was just filler to me, and I thought Finlay and Hornswoggle should have been the sympathetic victors in their match. Taking nothing away from JBL, Finlay is far more over and getting squashed by JBL ruined his tough guy image. I understand that Vince plans to use JBL as a main eventer on Raw, but that match should have been more even. There was no point in squashing Finlay's character. They could have accomplished the same thing by allowing Finlay to win by some underhanded tactic, continuing the feud to the next PPV and then allow JBL the clean win.
Kane's ECW title win was not so much of a surprise, but a very deserving win. Kane has been a top guy for years, but has been given very few chances to really run with his popularity. The ECW title is a great fit on Kane's waist and I think he will do big things with it. I've always been a huge Kane fan, and I think this is a nice way for the WWE to show some appreciation to one of their most under rated and under used stars.
Now onto the match of the night, and the 2 single greatest wrestling performers of all time. HBK Shawn Micheals, and the one and only "Nature Boy" Ric Flair! WHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! There was no way this match would have been anything less than stellar. The lights were on as bright as they have ever been, and "Natch" and the "Show Stopper" did not disappoint. These two guys are gods in the company of mortal men. They deserved to be the last match, and I doubt anyone would have argued that point besides Ric Flair himself. They were offered the top of the card, but Flair refused it. Showing yet again why he is "The Man". Flair is a pure and true class act and deserves every last accolade he has been given.
The match itself was amazing. I won't even attempt to recall the action. This is a must see match full of emotion and action. If I attempted to describe it I would never do it justice. I will simply say that the ending was as great a story as has ever been told inside a wrestling ring. The look on the faces of both men was as priceless and memorable, as it was heartfelt and genuine. If you didn't have a tear in your eye at the end of this one, you simply are not human.
The farewell to Flair that took place last week on Raw was one of the most emotional things I've ever seen. I thought the song used was as perfect as any song could have been. Now whenever I hear that song I will think only of Ric Flair. Flair is a man who crosses the lines of good guy/bad guy. He transcends the very business he helped to shape. There will never be another man who spans as many decades and makes an impact like Ric Flair.
Ric Flair is what's good about wrestling. Ric Flair simply IS wrestling. An era has ended and nothing will be the same from Wrestlemania 24 forward. He is a man who will be not only missed, but will always be "The Man"! HBK may have won that match, but the legacy that Ric Flair has left in his wake will never be tarnished.
I sit here trying to come up with things to say about "Natch" that may have never been said. I realize that is not possible. I have a lump in my throat as I think back at all the great moments that would never have happened if it wasn't for this amazing athlete. Ric Flair will forever be a true legend and go down as the best of the best.
We as wrestling fans all owe Ric Fair an un-payable debt of gratitude. I dedicate this column to him, and I say Thank you Mr. Flair. I will not close this column out in my usual way, by thanking my readers, or encouraging you to have a great weekend. I will close this column in two ways. Firstly, Again I say Thank you Ric Flair. Thank you for being who you are, and for giving what you have given us. You will never be forgotten or replaced. Lastly I end this column the way Ric himself would end it.... WHOOO!
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