The latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has another Ric Flair update. You can read about the reasons behind Flair leaving WWE, temporarily or otherwise, here. Since that came to light Flair has said at a public appearance at the Dover International Speedway that he had not retired yet and that he and WWE were working out an agreement. However, two days before that he had a meeting with Vince McMahon that is said to have not gone well. McMahon was particularly upset that Flair brought his lawyers with him and there are now no longer any plans to bring him back, although the possibility of a January return in time to build to a big WrestleMania match has not been ruled out. In part this depends on how well Flair’s new finance company does, yet WWE is also concerned about how Flair’s health would hold up over the course of a major program as by this point even Flair has recognised that it is time to retire. He has been saying for a long time now that he would retire after a WWE Hall of Fame induction and never come back. That part may still happen but the WrestleMania match to accompany it the night after looks unlikely at the moment.
Chris Jericho was in serious talks with TNA about debuting on their new, two-hour Impact. Despite living just a short drive from Universal Studios, Jericho did not sign with them and appears to be heading back to WWE, which gave him a very lucrative offer due to their present talent issues. Dave Meltzer has also spotted another couple of Jericho-related meanings behind the save_us.222 clip – Jericho made his WWF debut on the 222nd day of 1999 (when he promised to ‘save’ the WWF) and that was at the All-State Arena, the same building No Mercy will be held in this week.
Lastly, Shawn Michaels had been expected to return from his knee surgery in November but now doesn’t know if he wants to come back at all. His knees are still causing him pain, his top priority is his family, which he has gotten to spend a lot of time with since the surgery, his passion nowadays is not wrestling but his religion, which he has been able to devote a lot of time to lately as well, and his only real connection to the wrestling business now is Triple H. Michaels had been approached about coming back to TV earlier than planned due to WWE’s current roster problems, in a non-wrestling role if preferred, but he declined. Triple H took him to OVW to talk to the young talent, feeling it might spark his interest in the business and maybe even moving into management. That doesn’t appear to have worked. Another big reason for Michaels’ ambivalence is that he no longer feels he has anything to prove. His comeback in 2002 was fuelled by a desire to vindicate his career so he could leave a far better impression of himself than when he first retired in 1998. Now that he has done just that it seems he doesn’t want to carry on with it much longer, if at all.
Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 01 October 2007 (subscribe here)
