Semi-Finals: Ric Flair vs. Steve Austin

[Lee]

The reasons behind this are Austin has won the King of the Ring tournament by winning multiple matches in one night and that was before his prime was in full flow.

Because Bob Holly, Savio Vega, Mark Mero and Jake the Snakes Roberts were the pinnacle of perfection in 1996! Also just a reminder the 1996 KOTR actually on had the semi's and final for Austin. That was Mark Mero and Jake Roberts...WOW

Flair is the man who had an average wrestling match length for 34 minutes between 1986 and 89 with 19 over 50 minutes. Obviously Flair has stamina and can last a bit longer than Austin can against weaker opponents (20mins total between his two KOTR 96 match).

I'm voting the naitch

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Because Bob Holly, Savio Vega, Mark Mero and Jake the Snakes Roberts were the pinnacle of perfection in 1996! Also just a reminder the 1996 KOTR actually on had the semi's and final for Austin. That was Mark Mero and Jake Roberts...WOW

Flair is the man who had an average wrestling match length for 34 minutes between 1986 and 89 with 19 over 50 minutes. Obviously Flair has stamina and can last a bit longer than Austin can against weaker opponents (20mins total between his two KOTR 96 match).

I'm voting the naitch

It doesn't matter how long the average Flair match was. You make it sound like Austin is some fat slob who can't go for thirty minutes. Austin didn't need 34 minutes to beat somebody. This match could be four minutes or it could be 40 minutes. Either way, I'm still picking Austin.

 

[Born To Fly]

While Ric Flair has submissions and could work on Stone Cold's knees, there's something to be said about the resolve of Steve Austin. It takes a lot to make him submit and I don't think Flair could hold on to the Figure Four for long enough. The ref would break it up when Stone Cold got to the ropes and a few moves later, Austin would hit the Stunner for the win.

VOTE - STONE COLD

 

[TheOneBigWill]

I need to understand the situation. You're told to look at this as a match that will happen mere moments (hours or days?) after the previous match each man just had.

In Austin's case, he was in a fight with Jericho, in which it ended in a DQ. Which by kayfabe would stand to reason Austin was beaten up and left for dead, and Jericho got caught so while Austin goes on.. he goes on, worn down and injured.

Now, this is where you get morons rushing in saying NOT KAYFABE! NOT KAYFABE! NOT KAYFABE! So, then what is it? If I'm lead to believe this match takes place in the same night as the one previous, then wouldn't it have to be kayfabe for me to understand why that needs to be taken into reason?

I'm voting Flair because he trumps Austin in everything except for T-shirt sales & maybe brawling. And thankfully, this isn't a tournament on who sold the most shirts during a hardcore match.

If someone can clarify how I'm suppose to see this match, by way of the match happening after the one previous to it.. (kayfabe?) then I'll adjust my defense accordingly and defend Flair once again.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

The reasons behind this are Austin has won the King of the Ring tournament by winning multiple matches in one night and that was before his prime was in full flow.

WHAT?!

Johnny B. Badd & an injured 60 year old Jake Roberts = Ric Flair in his prime? When did this breaking news happen?

Okay, well gosh golly. I guess Ric Flair winning the 30 man Royal Rumble in 1992 by being the 3rd man in, fails to dispell this logic then, huh?

A more rested Austin, with a busted lip, almost lost to Jake.. I have broken ribs because Vader beat my ass unmercifully & I just celebrated my 78th birthday 2 years ago.. Roberts. And you believe because of this.. he should go over Flair?

Why?

that was before his prime was in full flow.

Ohhh.. so a fresher, younger, more energized version of Austin.. (that considering a match between primes wouldn't count here anyways) almost lost to an aging, injured, vet. And that equals him beating an "in his prime" dirtiest player in the game, Ric Flair?

 

[Tastycles]

I really don't much care for anyone left in this tournament, and these two are certainly the worst two that are left. I'm voting for Flair, even though I probably like him less, because he would certainly win the first match up between these two. The story of Austin's career was that he would get shat on by some ridiculous circumstance and then later come back to win. Think of his story with McMahon, McMahon screwed him out of countless title shots, title wins and matches, but then he came back and won in the end.

Flair is precisely the sort of person that would get a completely ridiculous win against Austin, and then get his arse kicked a month later or on WrestleMania or something. However, Austin gets screwed here, just like he did in countless tournament matches during his prime, and that gives Flair the win.

 

[Stormtrooper]

For me it's gotta be Naich, but it's gonna be a Slobberknocker.

I see Ric Flair maybe underestimating Austin's technical ability (much like everyone else here is). This would give Austin an early advantage. Ric Flair is able to eventually turn the tide, because he was (and still is) a master of using every underhanded tactic known to man. It may take every one of them, but ultimately he gets the upper hand. Eventually, when Austin looks down and out, he will somehow get that second wind that every big-time face has. However, Ric Flair will save his biggest underhanded tactic of all, the one thing that gives Flair the match.

That would be JJ Dillon, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and either Ole Anderson or Barry Windham, collectively known as the Four Horsemen. I see Austin busting Flair open at some point, hitting the Stunner, and JJ Dillon putting Flairs foot on the ropes breaking the pin. The other Four Horsemen will be able to beat down on Austin while the refs back is turned as well. Ultimately, the ending of the match will be the same as WrestleMania 13, where Austin makes a mistake, which allows Flair to put on the Figure Four, Austin tries to counter, but is unable, and passes out.

Your winner: The Nature Boy, Ric Flair.

 

[Kaelthes]

Well, I hate to say it but I am gonna vote for Ric Flair just because of Lariat's Sig.
Nah, I would vote for flair because im sure he can use his heel tactics in order to get some type of victory over SCSA. However, I think this would be a great match.

 

[LigerBomb]

Doing this for the sake of a write-in in case this goes to a tie. Not lookin' for a debate nor am I trying to sway votes either way.

Non-'Fabe: I'm an "up north" guy. I've been to MSG more times than I can recall. Raised on the WWF since childhood. For that reason alone I'd have potentially voted SCSA. Regardless, for the sheer entertainment value I prefer Austin's work. Flair was great but I never cared about his angles the way I did Austin's. I can't (nor would I ever try to) deny his talents just don't really care about them.
Kayfabe: Austin has a very good shot here and possesses the tools necessary to counter Flair's arsenal. One of those tools being a devastating finisher that can come practically out of thin air, and have been known to put down the best of the best. As to the possibility of an Austin tap-out via the Figure-4, I believe Austin could use his upper body strength, to get to the ropes before a tap-out/pass-out (whereas crawling to the ropes against say Bret Hart was much more difficult due to the general positional differences of the Sharpshooter vs. the Fig.4).
Anyway, in the end I've decided to vote for SCSA.

 

[I Suck Ass]

My vote goes to Stone Cold. He revolutionized the business. Also, who can forget when he didn't tap out? Flair was good, but he needs to learn when to just leave the wrestling industry.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

My vote goes to Stone Cold. He revolutionized the business. Also, who can forget when he didn't tap out? Flair was good, but he needs to learn when to just leave the wrestling industry.

I'm shocked this warranted a post. I'm sure you'll have made 10 alts by now to support Austin as well, with reasons just as great as this one.

But he revolutionized the biz. But he sold tons of shirts with middle fingers. But he did a lot of stuff that when it boils down to how a person wrestles in the middle of a ring.. means absolutely nothing.

So Austin was apart of being one of the Headliners during a business boom in the Company. Ric Flair headlined an event in Korea that holds the record (collectively) for the largest attendence for any wrestling event. (340,000)

As for Austin not tapping out.. guess what, genius, he still lost because he PASSED out. Tap out, pass out, you still lose just the same. The beauty of the Figure four is you don't need to tap out, to lose. Its a move that if it causes you enough pain, you forget your shoulders fall to the mat and you can easily get pinned just as quickly.

Oh, and I actually agree with Flair from his TNA standpoint. When you still have the ability to go, why should you have to walk away? Austin was forced away, because his body just couldn't hold up to the punishment and pain.

Flair's back was fucking broke in half, from a plane crash - before his prime even fully kicked in. And all this time later.. he's still doing what Austin couldn't spend half of Flair's career doing - wrestling.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Once again, it's just a matter of who is more popular. And in this case, it's Austin. The majority of us here know that Flair is far better than Austin in the ring. Even Stone Cold himself admitted this fact. When AUSTIN himself says Flair's the greatest wrestler he's ever seen, then logic says you should probably vote for Flair.

Anything Austin can do in-ring wise, Flair has done better. More titles, better matches, longer matches, tougher opponents. Austin has a quick finisher, but that's offset by the fact that Flair would study his opponent and know it was coming and avoid it. Flair should win this...and hopefully advance on to the finals. FLAIR!

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Once again, it's just a matter of who is more popular. And in this case, it's Austin. The majority of us here know that Flair is far better than Austin in the ring. Even Stone Cold himself admitted this fact. When AUSTIN himself says Flair's the greatest wrestler he's ever seen, then logic says you should probably vote for Flair.

Anything Austin can do in-ring wise, Flair has done better. More titles, better matches, longer matches, tougher opponents. Austin has a quick finisher, but that's offset by the fact that Flair would study his opponent and know it was coming and avoid it. Flair should win this...and hopefully advance on to the finals. FLAIR!

Flair can study all he wants but you actually think Austin won't hit the Stunner at least once. I suppose you think Flair has thought of every scenario in which Austin can hit the stunner whether it be Ric coming off the top rope, from the ropes, or a counter to a move. The Stunner can be hit from any angle and I doubt that Flair will avoid every possibility.

I take no stock in Austin saying that Flair is the greatest wrestler he's ever seen. At one time Flair said HHH was the best wrestler alive today when Flair was still wrestling. No wrestler is going to toot their own horn and say they are the best outside of maybe Hart and Hogan.

 

[TheOneBigWill]

Flair can study all he wants but you actually think Austin won't hit the Stunner at least once. I suppose you think Flair has thought of every scenario in which Austin can hit the stunner whether it be Ric coming off the top rope, from the ropes, or a counter to a move. The Stunner can be hit from any angle and I doubt that Flair will avoid every possibility.

You say this, as if you can guarantee 100% that Steve Austin will infact hit a Stunner.. during the match. While I can not say he wouldn't, I can say that more often than not the Stunner was countered more than it actually ever connected.

And to further add to this, usually the Stunner is the highlight of anything Austin related, whether he ever won or not. Who's to say this is the type of match Austin would ever win in the record books - so much more than a moral victory by delivering a Stunner out of spite and being upset that he lost from an underhanded tactic? Which, just so happens to be exactly how Flair does things.

I take no stock in Austin saying that Flair is the greatest wrestler he's ever seen. At one time Flair said HHH was the best wrestler alive today when Flair was still wrestling. No wrestler is going to toot their own horn and say they are the best outside of maybe Hart and Hogan.

I think I'll become blue in the face before anyone will ever believe me that just because you sell a ton of t-shirts, it doesn't make you a great Wrestler.. it makes you a great marketing object.

You don't have to hold stock in Austin claiming Flair was the greatest wrestler he's ever seen. But you should take stock in Austin knowing damn well, he couldn't hold a candle to anything Flair has ever done.. inside a ring. And thus he'd never be stupid enough to think he could match Flair as being considered the greatest wrestler (keyword: wrestler, not marketing object) in the business.

When you look deeper into a situation, I'll admit wins and losses can be based on your bigger selling point. However as its been said time and time again - Austin's biggest selling point was gaining revenge for tainted losses. Why would anyone care about a guy so full of rage, anger and vengeance.. if he constantly won all the time?

Voting for Austin is voting for someone you love, because you're his fanboy - not someone you believe is the better wrestler in this situation. Because anyone who truly understands the situation, would & should see it benefits Flair to advance, Austin to seek revenge, and money to be made in future feuding between the two for the unjustice that was committed.

 

[shattered dreams]

Well, I hate to say it but I am gonna vote for Ric Flair just because of Lariat's Sig.
Nah, I would vote for flair because im sure he can use his heel tactics in order to get some type of victory over SCSA. However, I think this would be a great match.

To me lariat's sig is a reason to vote for austin. Why would I want anyone that hot to get married? If you ever want a chance to bag her vote austin. The Lacey sig was much more convincing.

 

[Stormtrooper]

Flair can study all he wants but you actually think Austin won't hit the Stunner at least once. I suppose you think Flair has thought of every scenario in which Austin can hit the stunner whether it be Ric coming off the top rope, from the ropes, or a counter to a move. The Stunner can be hit from any angle and I doubt that Flair will avoid every possibility.

I would guarantee that Austin DOES hit the Stunner in this match. In every big match, his opponent either kicks out of the Stunner, or gets the ropes to break up the pin. And then it's unlikely that Flair would be foolish enough to get caught twice with the move.

I take no stock in Austin saying that Flair is the greatest wrestler he's ever seen.

because it kills your argument.

At one time Flair said HHH was the best wrestler alive today when Flair was still wrestling.

And Flair was right. HHH was the best at that point. Flair likely was meaning to say right now HHH is the best, but even if he didn't, you act like HHH is shit. HHH was during the mid 2000's the best in the business, bar none.

No wrestler is going to toot their own horn and say they are the best outside of maybe Hart and Hogan.

And you think Flair isn't the type to say that? Ausin may not be, but only because he knows better. Flair is definitely the type to say he is the best, especially when he was in his prime.