Cesaro and.... Flair?

[OYDK]

While I was screwing around on the main page, I came across an interview that Flair did in which he briefly discusses Cesaro. They talk about how to combat Cesaro's inexperience on the mic which got me thinking, "hm, Flair's always been a big fan of Cesaro, why not let Flair actually work as a mangager for Cesaro?" A real manager too, not just some legend who endorses a younger wrestler. So as I'm thinking this I read that Ric Flair's solution to Cesaro's lack of mic skills is "Dial 9-1-1 Naitch!" I don't know if this was just something said off the cuff or if Flair is actually pitching a scenario in which he manages Cesaro, but the more I think about it, the more I think it could work.

Cesaro's main criticism is that he lacks charisma and intensity. Well, Flair is brimming over with charisma and intensity. Another criticism is that he can't talk. Flair used to be one of the best mic workers int the business. He also lacks any sort of character. Flair was a master at perfecting his gimmick and he could work wonders for Cesaro's character if he were working the mic for him. In a perfect world, this would be a decade ago and Flair would still have all of his faculties but... what can you do.

This team could easily work as a face team or heel team, and Cesaro needs somebody who is wholly focused on him. Whereas Heyman had to build Brock while managing Cesaro, Flair would be able to dedicate all his time and energy to getting Cesaro over.

It's an odd pairing and my reasoning might be flawed, but I think these opposites would attract.

Thoughts?

 

[Un-Bo-Lievable Jeff]

I can see your point, but if you put Flair in to do all this stuff for Cesaro, he's never going to do it on his own once Flair leaves.

Flair could help him out with it personally, but as soon as you put Flair as Cesaro's mouthpiece (Like Heyman and Lesnar) you take away any chance Cesaro has to get better at it, as the whole point in Flair being there is to be the mouthpiece.

It may get Cesaro to a new level but once the inevitable split from Flair happens, and it won't be long since Flair won't be full time, Ceasro will drop back.

Think you need to let him achieve it on his own, then he will have it in his locker when it comes to being at the top of the card

 

[@smarkmouth]

I hate to be the one to say it, but Ric Flair does very little for me these days. I love the man for all the entertainment he's provided me over the years, and I respect his footprint in history, but now I can't help but cringe when he has a mic. His promos ramble on and his words slur, and frankly, he's a Dudley-Bomb away from being compared to Mae Young.

I read the same article as OYDK, but I didn't read it as a suggestion by Flair to be an on-air manager. I think Flair has some advice he strongly believes Cesaro would benefit from. Cesaro would be wise to call Flair and take him as a mentor, but that role is for behind the scenes, not on television. Beyond my own criticisms, Jeff noted well that a Cesaro/Flair act has a certain shelf life that will eventually leave Cesaro high and dry with little to work with.

Cesaro is growing competent on the mic, and competent is all he needs. He'll never 'electrify' the crowd with a stick, but something remarkable happens when Cesaro wrestles. People cheer. They cheer a wrestler who has no particularly engaging character traits or connection, but they watch him wrestle and enjoy the wild story he tells in the ring. The last person I remember who got over by wrestling talent alone was a few 'YES' chants away from the main event of WrestleMania. Seriously, watch some of Bryan's first year in WWE. No one reacts during his entrance, at all, but then he pulls in the crowds attention when he wrestled. It was remarkable, and I see that in Cesaro.

And with that last thing being said, if Flair has a tool like 'YES' for Cesaro, Cesaro would be wise to use it.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

my reasoning might be flawed,

It's not. Cesaro is awful at everything you mentioned. He may be the best or most entertaining in ring guy in WWE (if not, he's right there), but he has the charisma and personality of a doorknob.

But with Flair it is too late. He's not as good as he once was and he's so old you just don't know how long he'll last. A younger manager would be better for the reasons another poster stated. He wouldn't have to leave so soon. Zeb helped get him over immensely when they were in the Real Americans. I imagine he could've done the same as a singles manager.

 

[FlairFan2003]

At some point Cesaro has to get better himself. Remember Orton was a bland character too and Flair played a huge role as his manager and adviser in getting him over. Same with Batista, another large muscle head who looked like every other large muscle head with no real character and mic skills and nothing special about his look. Flair was instrumental in an on air manager role in getting both over.

Still, both had talent. Orton has never worked well as a face but he perfected his "Silent but deadly" assassin like gimmick, added "the legend killer" twist, and he is a great heel. He could always work in the ring. Flair got him noticed by an audience that otherwise just yawned at "Bob Orton's son", but Randy developed tool necessary to thrive on his own.


Likewise Batista actually became fairly good on the mic and developed significant charisma in his performances, he was solid in the ring but not great, but he was well schooled at maximizing what he could do well and avoiding what he could not. He had excellent matches with Taker, HHH, and few others. Flair maybe the biggest reason Batista was really noticed and given credibility with the audience, but Batista developed a presentation on the mic and enhanced his ring performances enough to be worthy of main eventing long after he and Flair were no longer tied together.

I don't see anything in Cesaro that tells me he could do the same. Maybe I'm wrong, but he looks to me like a very average pro wrestler, a good athlete who lacks the charisma and character to stand out. Maybe if he was teamed with Flair he would develop some confidence and start perform better, but I fear he's more like a less talented version of Lesnar. Brock cant talk but he has tremendous charisma in his presentation and look, which Cesaro clearly lacks. Without a mouthpiece Lesnar loses a lot of appeal but he still has some. Cesaro right now has no appeal, his look is average, his in ring skills are average, his mic work below average. Batista needed work but at least he had a menacing look. Orton was a very smooth and skilled in ring performer, even if his look was just the norm.

Another problem is Flair's popularity. It always takes a huge amount of storyline work to get crowds to booo Flair so you either have to make a major investment in his storyline and air time or you have to accept he is too beloved a figure to be a heel and let him be a fan fave. Usually part of the role of a manager is to protect their client which means acting as a heel and interfering on their behalf. Heyman at ringside has saved Brock against Cena and tried to save him against Taker and is a constant distraction. Typically managers for fan faves are more like "Enforcers" who keep other evil elements away from the matches, but a 68 year old man in an Armani suit doesn't look like an "Enforcer"....even if Flair dressed down (he's in great shape for his age) he doesn't look young, if I'm Big Show or Lesnar and I want to sneak attack Cesaro I'm not worried about Flair thwarting my efforts.

I think in the end its most likely a short term fix that would make Cesaro relevant to the upper mid card for awhile but I doubt he has the charisma on his won to develop and keep the momentum going once Flair isn't part of the equation.

 

[HORRORHOLIC]

Cesaro doesn't need Flair or anybody else. All he needs is for the company to get behind him, because he's already made a connection with the fans.

 

[Navi]

While it might be a good idea to give him some sort of help in the beginning with a manager or valet, Flair is past his sell by date. There was a story the other day on the main page about him botching his lines at the beginning of the European tour.

He introduced Finn Balor as Fit Finley, and call Cody Rhodes wife by her real name. Not much of a problem really, but you don't want someone doing shit like that trying to put a wrestler over. Flair used to be great on the mic, but these days he's lost a bit of that magic. I won't harp again on a gimmick, but that's what's needed here. I see a lot of comments about him being bland and generic and that's true. But if he's gotten over being bland and generic just think of what he could do with a solid gimmick.

Maybe Cesaro's best bet it to have former wrestlers like Flair, Austin and Foley endorsing him to the people that matter. But until the WWE decides that he is worth investing in we will go down this road with no end in sight.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

In all honesty, I don't see Flair and Cesaro being a good match. Flair is much more flashy and flamboyant, Cesaro isn't charismatic in that same way and the result is that Flair's antics would most likely overshadow Cesaro. Cesaro is referred to as a "throwback" sort of guy in that there's not a ton of flash about him, which itself makes him stand out. If they wanted to give Cesaro a mouthpiece, I think they'd be better off going with Paul Heyman or Zeb Colter, provided Zeb ditched the whole super patriot stuff and they just had Cesaro as this passionate, tough, hombre; it's simple and I think he could pull it off in a believable way as the guy's genuinely tough.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Well, Flair is brimming over with charisma and intensity.

Yes he is, but there's a practical concern; can he be depended on to work Cesaro's busy schedule? There's hardly a Raw or Smackdown in which Cesaro doesn't show up....and if the company were to do this, I don't see how Flair could work some of Cesaro's matches, but not others. Further, while it's never been discussed on the air, Flair seemed awfully glassy-eyed and out of it during some of his appearances and I wonder if he hadn't been loosening up at the bar before going on TV. All they need is Ric Flair falling over while leading cheers for his protege.

One other thing. I could be wrong, but it seems to me if there's one performer whose ring work says all that needs to be said, it's Cesaro. I don't know that he needs to talk, or have anyone talk for him. He inspires the crowd by what he does during matches.

One possible suggestion: it would be terrific if he were to somehow develop an audience participation chant, such as Daniel Bryan's 'Yes!' I can see fans looking forward to Cesaro's appearances so they can yell their heads off with words associated only with him.

How about 'Yes!' or 'Kick ass!' in Cesaro's native language?

 

[Kodo Sawaki]

Cesaro and...Flair?

Sarcasm mode on

Yes, because associating Flair with someone and him "Woooooooing" brought so much good for example, on Charlotte.

Sarcasm mode on

Coulter maybe would do good but they have tryed it and he went exacly nowhere. Had high hopes on Heyman(due to fact that when Lesnar is out of picture Heyman can make good promos for Cesaro) and when Cesaro won that trophy but that went exacly nowhere too. But frankly, dont think having a mouthpiece for himself is problem for Cesaro or having not that good mic skills is a problem in WWE. Frankly, I dont find Danyel Bryan that good on mic(average would be good description) and yet he made it. Give Cesaro something meaningfull to do and some space and he could do more then good. For example:

[youtube]MQFE5lrv4_Q[/youtube]

He did just fine here on promo. Sure, he would probably lose that match and went to face Cody and Ascension probably, but he did just fine promo and have hopes to be good match on Monday. If he wants to get good with WWE he needs to take advantage of even small opportunities to show that they are making mistake for not pushing him more.

 

[OYDK]

In all honesty, I don't see Flair and Cesaro being a good match. Flair is much more flashy and flamboyant, Cesaro isn't charismatic in that same way and the result is that Flair's antics would most likely overshadow Cesaro. Cesaro is referred to as a "throwback" sort of guy in that there's not a ton of flash about him, which itself makes him stand out. If they wanted to give Cesaro a mouthpiece, I think they'd be better off going with Paul Heyman or Zeb Colter, provided Zeb ditched the whole super patriot stuff and they just had Cesaro as this passionate, tough, hombre; it's simple and I think he could pull it off in a believable way as the guy's genuinely tough.

See I think it would be kind of funny and work in an off kilter sort of way. Like you said, Cesaro is old-school in his style and Flair is all flash and flamboyance, they're complete opposites yet I think they would play well off of each other. I can picture Flair going into his crazy mode for a few minutes just hyping the shit out of Cesaro, "He's incredible! Unstoppable! Nobody can beat him in the ring bah gawd! 230 pounds of pure, god-given natural ability! WOO WOO WOO!" Than hand the mic to Cesaro who simply says, "What he said." If Flair could still turn it on, I think this would be hilarious.

There seems to be some disparities when it comes to how people view Cesaro. Some people think he's ready to be champion now. Some think he lacks charisma and personality. Some think he doesn't need to develop his mic ability, while others feel that it's crucial.

Giving Cesaro a manager (doesn't have to be Flair) that's completely focused on getting him over helps solve some of these problems. While Cesaro is not somebody right now who can cut a great 8-10 minute promo, he seems to be able to handle the shorter ones better. A manager would handle the heavy work for him on the mic until he could improve. I personally think Cesaro has a decent amount of charisma and personality otherwise he never would have gotten as over as he has, but again, a manager would more than make-up for Cesaro's perceived lacking in these areas. At the end of the day, Cesaro has the most important part down... being over with the crowd. His wrestling is superb as well. If you allow somebody else to help Cesaro with the other areas, in theory, nothing would be stopping him from being World Champion.

 

[the_peoples_adam]

Oh no no no no no no..
You remember what happened to The Miz once Ric Flair left him..Adding Flair won't do good for Cesaro anymore..If they added Flair at the early stages of Antonio's career then it would've worked..
But now adding Flair will do damage to the future of Cesaro..
Cesaro doesn't need any manager, he is where he belongs in that mid card region..
And if you haven't noticed Cesaro has climbed up a long way ahead after Tyson Kidd's injury..
He is getting better everyday and he is great on his own..He will continue to do what he does best and that is great in ring wrestling..People like that Cesaro if you don't agree ask Cesaro Section..

 

[Vanilla Midget]

My first concern is how long can WWE hold off before making anyone paired with Flair into a little Naitch? Flair as manager reminds me of his time in TNA with AJ Styles. Styles was a quiet family man who did his talking in the ring, Cesaro similarly does his talking in the ring.

It was awkward to see a guy/character like AJ suddenly want to do the limousine riding and womanizing that Flair/his character are known for. I don't want to see Cesaro get chicks or wear feather and sequin robes, I just want to see him kick ass and win matches.

Ric is also pushing 70 and probably should consider not being on the road at his age. Flair's personality is too big and distinct, he inevitably overshadows who he manages. Yes, Flair managed Triple H, but even he started to shave clean and wear tights that weren't black.

Let Cesaro find his own distinction. WWE puts too much faith in talking and not enough on talking in the ring. If Cesaro does get another manager (let's not forget that weak run with Heyman, a career manager) then it should be someone fresh and complimentary to Cesaro, not Flair making Cesaro into the bald nature boy.

 

[ShinChan]

I think no.... It shouldnot happen..... Though Cesaro needs to enhance his mic-skills from a skilled veteran like Paul Heyman, Zeb Colte etc atleast at backstage...... Even if he gets his skills enhanced, Vince is not on for him so thats the end of the story...

 

[kadroan]

I can see your point, but if you put Flair in to do all this stuff for Cesaro, he's never going to do it on his own once Flair leaves.

Flair could help him out with it personally, but as soon as you put Flair as Cesaro's mouthpiece (Like Heyman and Lesnar) you take away any chance Cesaro has to get better at it, as the whole point in Flair being there is to be the mouthpiece.

It may get Cesaro to a new level but once the inevitable split from Flair happens, and it won't be long since Flair won't be full time, Ceasro will drop back.

Think you need to let him achieve it on his own, then he will have it in his locker when it comes to being at the top of the card

True. If Evolution was still around, he could have filled the Batista role. Unfortunately it's not.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

Man, a Cesaro shocking the world tonight would be awesome. It's about the only reason I'd watch tonight if he won. But I friggin know he won't so I'm not going to bother watching.

 

[MartialHorror]

Doesn't do anything for me...

I think most of the older wrestlers struggle with scripted promos. Whether it's Hogan or Flair, I can't remember the last time either blew me away on TV. Or maybe Flair is just too old and he simply can't act as wild as he did a few years ago. But all a manager would do is take attention from Cesaro. 'Lana-Rusev' makes sense as Rusev's silence adds to his mystique. 'Lesnar-Heyman' works for similar reasons.

Cesaro might not be the most charismatic or the most fluid talker, but he's not completely lacking in those areas. I personally thought his pairing with Heyman worked as they had a certain repertoire. It wasn't just one man doing the talking. But most see it as a failure because of the timing. Cesaro was ready to become a babyface and WWE screwed that up by making him heel, even though there were too many heels in the spotlight, forcing Cesaro to become a jobber.

Axel needs a manager a lot more. I'd be more interested if he was placed with Flair.