Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair

[Cookie14]

We all remember the match from WM24, when HBK defeated Ric Flair to retire him from wrestling.

This was a good match, the ending was very well done.

However, it was not the best match of either persons career, not even either persons best WM match. The match is best remembered as being Ric Flair's retirement match......... But he is NOT retired, he continues to wrestle, albeit occasionally in TNA.

Do you think the fact that Flair did not actually retire takes anything away from the match? (note, I'm not asking about his send off from WWE, or his legacy, just this ONE MATCH!!)
Personally, I believe that had it not been for the retirement stipulation, the match would have faded from memory by now, but what do you think?

 

[Chris Kennedy Himself]

I think Flair new it wasn't his last hoorah, he is just a massive attention ****e. That being said, the match was not anything special, and yes, the fact that it was to be Flair's last match did add to the excitement so in retrospect, if it wasn't for the retirement stipulation, it would have been just another match.

 

[Ferbian]

The match would definitely still have been great. It showcased Ric Flair perhaps at a level he hadn't truly been for a few years. He got the chance to have a great match with a guy who is pretty damn equal to him in terms of being one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Shawn and Ric tore down the house, and it's definitely something that would've been remembered, retirement or not.

Shawn always delivers at Wrestlemania, and Ric Flair no matter the age definitely has the ability to keep going. Sure it's not in the same level that Ric Flair was able to go in the 80's or 90's. But there's definitely still some spirit in that guy who could easily transit into 15-30 minute matches, if given the chance. So the match, without a stipulation or anything, would still have been a great match to remember. This saw two guys, sure they were past their prime, but they both showcased that they are definitely two of the greatest to ever live. The retirement stipulation taken away could never hurt that.

 

[Davi323]

Yes, it still would have been remembered as being "that damn good". Shawn Michaels made Ric Flair look 20 years younger, and brought far more than any of us thought possible. I doubt any of us thought Flair still had a match that good in him anymore. That single match can be defined by a Toby Keith lyric:

I aint as good as I once was, but I'm as good once, as I ever was!

To me, that is the perfect description of the match HBK and Naitch had that night. Shawn Michaels had a knack for making people look a lot better in the ring then they actually were, but in this case, HBK took two decades off of Flair career, and for one night, restored the Nature Boy to all his past glory.

Ric Flair was a shell of his former self, and I don't mean that as an insult, merely that his age caught up to him. He simply wasn't the wrestler he was anymore. But, for one night, he did a damn good imitation. An imitation made possible by having the perfect opponent, the only one who could have gotten that effort from him.

Even if it hadn't been Flair's "retirement match" it was worthy of being a Wrestlemania main event.

 

[MOExecution]

To be honest when I look back at WrestleMania XXIV and see Ric Flair vs Shawn Michaels it is no doubt a great match, but I just believe the emotion of it all... We all know the famous Ric Flair being on his knees in tears telling Michaels to bring it, Michaels staring in Ric Flair's eyes and saying, "I'm sorry, I love you." And delivering the Sweet Chin Music (writing that gave me goosebumps) and pinning Ric Flair even though that was emotional you look back at that now and see Ric Flair doing the Hulkamaniac Tour with Hulk Hogan a while back and now he is in TNA... I believe Ric Flair not actually retiring took away from the emotion and hype of the match, but not the match itself.

In the end of the day these two are possibly the greatest of all time (Shawn Michaels more so then Ric Flair in my opinion). And we got to see these two steal the show on the Grandest Stage of them all with a storyline and hype to the match that these two deserved and the fans wanted to see for a long time. (even though the story and emotion was tarnished due to Ric Flair continuing to wrestle). I don't remember Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair at WrestleMania XXIV for Ric Flair's retirement match, but I remember it for a great match that these two delivered.

 

[LitasRevenge79]

I do agree, that WAS the match of the night for WM 24. Had I know back then, that Flair wasn't going to stay retired, I may not have probably been so emotional. Granted, its still sad to see any legend leave some place thinking you'll never see them again. It was the 'build up' that led to the match in the first place. The point to where it was Flair and one of his protege's that he chose to have that final match with, that made it all the more dramatic, then the big send off the next night on RAW. Then you find out like a year or two later that he's coming back and working a full schedule again basically. I mean, is you were in the baseball hall of fame, its almost like you'd have to put an asterisk by that final match at WM 24, like that match for for naught. It almost to me cheapens it really. I'm not saying I hate Flair, but I do kinda have a bit of a problem taking his word or how genuine it would be. I mean, if I was HBK, I'd almost second guess anything that he was saying the whole time. I have to almost give the true validity of 'retirement' match to HBK at this, he had a streak v career match at WM 26 and he's done pretty true to his word by staying out of wrestling light. He stays to his family and private life. I'm not saying to hate flair, but it almost seems like his emotion for the whole match was a bit disingenuous. I'm sure he has fond memories and misses certain people from WWE, but you can't deny that there probably is some burned bridges in the fact that he's now working full time again.