Make Movement: Old Yeller and Flair’s Moment

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Last night’s RAW will be remembered as the night Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels became the best reason to watch WrestleMania weekend. There’s not much else to say about the rest of the show. The opening segment was too predictable–I wish the WWE would stop depending on writing formulas just to execute as many people as they can in the first segment to give a predictable 8 man tag main event “showcase.” A showcase is a really good, ring classic, one-or-one or tag team match, in my opinion. I think Flair and Michaels will have a showcase. The only major plus for this opening segment was the comical “promo” by Umaga. Really this night was all about Ric Flair, sure there’s the obvious change in the air with the WWE Heavyweight Championship, but nothing compares to what the emotional undertones in the possible last match of Flair’s career.

WWE gave us another quality video package on the career of Ric Flair which proceeded one of Flair’s best promos in years. Seeing the original NWA belt and Flair using that to the best of his ability, reminding everyone how many years he’s given this sport against other incredible legends like Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race, Sting, The Funks and The Briscos, etc. that he NEEDS Shawn Michaels to bring everything he has against him. Michaels gave him the perfect timing and the perfect emotion and then promised to put “Old Yeller” out of his misery. Flair’s freaked out response and three shotgun slaps to Michaels face to no retaliation from Michaels was well done. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, I’m buying WrestleMania this weekend to see this match. This is what happens when two talented men in wrestling are allowed to just go for it with little to no scripting. This is something John Cena can’t do as well as the masters since Cena’s promos all revolve around implying the heel’s sexuality.

Really, nothing else matters about this show other than Flair in the eight-man tag got to have his “last RAW moment” (and not get Superkicked) and made Randy Orton (who sold it like a champion), flaying his arms around and tapped in front of Flair’s Mid-Atlantic, Flair Country crowd to a incredible response. If this is Flair’s last match at WrestleMania coming up, my North Carolina heart will break because there will be no other performer quite like Flair, but if the last dance is with The Showstopper, it’s going to be one that we’re going to be talking about for a long time. My biggest hope that this match is in the last hour and not the second.

Enjoy this weekend’s WrestleMania festivities, and a special shout out to Kace who is going to have a blast at Smackdown tonight! Always remember, for things to change, you have to make movement. Thanks for reading, for all your support and for all the feedback, feel free to contact me anytime at Bam@4sternstaging.com.