Ric Flair Returns; Turns on Fortune!

[It's Damn Real!]

It's official: Naitch is back; but it sure as hell ain't with Fortune — not after what happened on iMPACT! tonight.

For those of you who didn't watch (why are you even reading this if you don't watch the show?), Flair returned during the opening of iMPACT! to remind a very inquisitive and demanding Eric Bischoff of the fact Ric is still a wrestling god and that no one tells him what to do or where to do it. He followed up the segment later with a friendly reunion with Fortune, even "Icing" them in "vintage" Fortune style.

But the love-fest was short lived, as Bischoff wanted answers, and he seemingly got the one he wanted when Flair cost AJ Styles his match against Matt Hardy by pushing him off the top rope, effectively turning on Fortune in the process. He even threw up the Fortune sign upside down, shades of the old "Fuck the 4 Horsemen".

At the close of iMPACT!, Flair accepted AJ Styles' challenge to face him next Thursday.

--

Thoughts on Ric's return and the swerve? How does this affect the playing field between Fortune & Immortal?

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[A Mod's Best Friend (aka Bitch)]

With Flair being injured, i suspect he will be accompanying Immortal wrestlers to the ring, though TNA hasn't been afraid to pit him in the ring with someone 20 years his younger. We saw a feud ended with Jay Lethal getting the win and I suspect Ric will come back into the ring to face AJ at some point in time.

I personally didn't like it and would have loved to see Flair stay with the group. The whole talk of being the new horsemen, Flair would never ever ever have done this back in the day, especially to join up with Eric Bischoff? Doesn't make a whole heap of sense.

 

[DemonToSome]

Is there anybody who didn't see this coming? I'm really starting to believe I could out-book Russo. Having said that...I think it was a good move. Theres not really a face of the company. You can say AJ but he just turned back and has to be re-established as a strong face after his lack luster heel run. Flair being aligned with Immortal makes them stronger and Fortune seem weaker. When Fortune/any face goes over it will give them more of a rub IMO.

 

[Kidd]

I expected Flair to turn on Fortune but It still didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

He formed these guys so why turn on them?

That being said, when he came out during AJ's match I knew it would happen.

Still doesn't make sense story wise though.

 

[dre day]

Think about it use yall brain flair did not turn on nobody in 4tune he playin the role 2 get the belt back 2 aj in mess over hogan,easy e,jeff hardy. Just like they plan on doin rvd take the title no, mr ken take the title no, and whoever else try 2 take the title from jeff at this moment cause its all part of 4tune flair is gone help aj cheat jeff out of the title. there you have it

 

[LSN80]

With Flair being injured, i suspect he will be accompanying Immortal wrestlers to the ring, though TNA hasn't been afraid to pit him in the ring with someone 20 years his younger. We saw a feud ended with Jay Lethal getting the win and I suspect Ric will come back into the ring to face AJ at some point in time.

Lethal didnt win the feud, Flair did in a street fight, but whatever.

This is a good move for a couple reasons. One, it gives Immortal more credibility. Yes, they have the TNA World Title, but they don't have the "big name" presence that Fourtune and associates bring. Unless you're coutning Hogan, which Im not, since we haven't seen him since Thanksgiving. Even with the belt in hand, the group was without credibility when compared to the likes of AJ, Beer Money, Kurt Angle, and even Scott Steiner. Adding Flair to Immortal tips the scales in their favor just a bit.

Second, it gives them an actual wrestlerwho can square off in promo segments against the likes of a Styles. Styles got the rub from learning under Flair, now he'll get to continue that rub by going against him. Excellent move. Beer Money, Angle, AJ, and Steiner, they can talk. Outside of a non-wrestler in Eric Bischoff, Immortal hs nobody who can square off in a war of words with their competition, save Jeff Jarrett. And he's got his own personal feud going on anyway, so he's branched off, so to speak. Flair gives them a wrestler whose "been there, done that" and can talk with the best of them. Hardy's good at cutting cryptic heel promos and he's improved, but he gets lost sometimes during longer exchanges. Flair can go toe to toe with anyone.

With the possession of the TNA World Title, adding Hernandez, and now Ric Flair, the playing field seems somewhat equal, something we haven't seen in a faction war in awhile. This was a good move.

 

[shadowmaster9000]

Probably a good thing to put Flair with Immortal instead of Fortune to make Immortal seem stronger since Immortal already look like a bunch of *****es in the first place. I mean they need stronger names in the group other than has beens who think that they are worth something *cough both Hardys cough*. The way I see it Flair is going to be a mouthpiece for them. And who better to have than someone who can deliver some of the best promo work ever seen in the wrestling business.

 

[Kidd]

Lethal didnt win the feud, Flair did in a street fight, but whatever.

This is a good move for a couple reasons. One, it gives Immortal more credibility. Yes, they have the TNA World Title, but they don't have the "big name" presence that Fourtune and associates bring. Unless you're coutning Hogan, which Im not, since we haven't seen him since Thanksgiving. Even with the belt in hand, the group was without credibility when compared to the likes of AJ, Beer Money, Kurt Angle, and even Scott Steiner. Adding Flair to Immortal tips the scales in their favor just a bit.

Second, it gives them an actual wrestlerwho can square off in promo segments against the likes of a Styles. Styles got the rub from learning under Flair, now he'll get to continue that rub by going against him. Excellent move. Beer Money, Angle, AJ, and Steiner, they can talk. Outside of a non-wrestler in Eric Bischoff, Immortal hs nobody who can square off in a war of words with their competition, save Jeff Jarrett. And he's got his own personal feud going on anyway, so he's branched off, so to speak. Flair gives them a wrestler whose "been there, done that" and can talk with the best of them. Hardy's good at cutting cryptic heel promos and he's improved, but he gets lost sometimes during longer exchanges. Flair can go toe to toe with anyone.

With the possession of the TNA World Title, adding Hernandez, and now Ric Flair, the playing field seems somewhat equal, something we haven't seen in a faction war in awhile. This was a good move.

I can see your point on WHY it was done but story wise, it makes no sense.

This is the group he built and he turned his back on the why? Cuz he's tight with the Hardys?

 

[therockiswwf]

Think about it use yall brain flair did not turn on nobody in 4tune he playin the role 2 get the belt back 2 aj in mess over hogan,easy e,jeff hardy. Just like they plan on doin rvd take the title no, mr ken take the title no, and whoever else try 2 take the title from jeff at this moment cause its all part of 4tune flair is gone help aj cheat jeff out of the title. there you have it

What in the hell are you saying?

I didn't really get why Flair turned on them. As someone said before, he built them. I really don't know what else to put than, I'm confused. It makes no sense (to me), just no sense.

PS- Flair's days of putting people over are long over. Look at his feud with Lethal, what did that do for him? Nothing. I'm not saying he can't put people over by mentoring and stuff like that but his days of putting people over in the ring, are over.
I wrote "over" way too many times.

 

[dre day]

What in the hell are you saying?

I didn't really get why Flair turned on them. As someone said before, he built them. I really don't know what else to put than, I'm confused. It makes no sense (to me), just no sense.

PS- Flair's days of putting people over are long over. Look at his feud with Lethal, what did that do for him? Nothing. I'm not saying he can't put people over by mentoring and stuff like that but his days of putting people over in the ring, are over.
I wrote "over" way too many times.

Flair didnt turn on fortune he gone screw jeff hardy out of the belt. And then fortune got all the belts that matter. Cause he the dirtiest player in the game and dont like hogan and the rest of them

 

[AmericanDragonSW]

What I find funny is how as much as Flair calls himself a wrestling god and still goes about his style the way only the Nature Boy Ric Flair can do, he seems to ride the backseat of guys. Evolution/Triple H, AJ Styles/Fortune, and now Immortal. So he would rather be Eric Bischoff's flunky? Whether Fortune stayed with Immortal or split up, Immortal in my opinion still sucks. I mean what? Matt Hardy who doesn't seem to know what his gimmick is anymore than the fans do, Gunner and Murphy who have done nothing to impress me, Rob Terry who still can't wrestle, an MIA in Abyss, and Jeff Jarrett whose wrapped up in a stupid storyline to what should be a series of good technical matches between him and Kurt Angle. So really the only true talent out of that old faction are the very guys in Fortune. Beer Money, Kazarrian and AJ Styles. I know that there's also Jeff Hardy, but frankly his heel gimmick is nothing but a boring slightly ******ed version of Raven. Anti-Christ of wrestling, whoopee. Who cares? And I'm leaving out the belt, frankly, I think the world title looks like a bigger joke than the spinner belt. But for a guy who is a legend in wrestling, he's now notorious for riding coattails of other people.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I guess when you look at just how one sided this feud between Immortal & Fortune is, it's probably for the best that Flair stays with Immortal. Even though they still need a lot of help when it comes to the wrestling aspect of the group, it's still an overall improvement.

As to the swerve itself, it pretty much means nothing. I didn't really think about this at the time but, not surprisingly, this did feel extremely rushed. TNA could have made this feel like a bigger deal if they'd stretched this out and ultimately had Flair turn on Fortune on the March 3rd show. But it just felt like another ho-hum betrayal like we often see.

 

[waylon p]

I think this one feels like a swerve in the making. We will find out that he's been with 4tune all along, and this was for a bigger purpose. I just have a hard time figuring a good way to work the angle.

 

[fenfool]

"Ric Flair? Aligned with Immortal???" Tenay overdid it a touch, as except for the first hour of Impact, Flair was aligned with them for their entire existence. The turn was weak and predictable. They really could have saved it for something where it would have meaning, a title match or something, not a random match between Matt Hardy and AJ, where neither had backup nearby...which is another thing I don't understand, Matt is supposed to be a big part of Immortal, the two groups hate each other, why does neither wrestler have anyone at ringside to watch their back?

Well, Flair is a good mouthpiece, but this gives the members of Fortune a chance to develop their mic skills. I don't know how it helps Immortal, since they already have a few non-wrestlers as members, but we'll see what kind of role he takes on.

 

[Dean Winchester]

I think this one feels like a swerve in the making. We will find out that he's been with 4tune all along, and this was for a bigger purpose. I just have a hard time figuring a good way to work the angle.

I think this whole storyline a swerve after another swerve. Hogan and Bishoff turning on Dixie Carter, Fortune turning on Immortal. I bet you Dixie will then turn on Fortune then later turn on Immortal and was with Fortune the whole time but joined Immortal to destroy them from within.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

While watching this unfold, I couldn't help but feel this was just another swerve for the sake of having a swerve. Fourtune seems to be on their own now, for the most part, with Steiner, Angle and Crimson not following them around. Without those additional members, Immortal has the numbers with or without Flair. I just don't see the point.

Flair and Fourtune are quite entertaining together. The "icing" is always funny, not to mention it's a hell of an alternative to watching Flair and Bischoff cry and moan about Dixie, Hogan, The Network, or whatever else Russo comes up with.

The guys in Fourtune are decent on the mic (minus Kaz), but nothing more. Flair was a great mouthpiece, and I just don't see his value in Immortal being equal to his value with Fourtune. Also, this leads me to believe this storyline is nowhere near over, and that saddens me.

 

[SpecialFNK]

Lethal didn't get over after wrestling with Flair?
Lethal might not have become some big star, but he is bigger now than he was before. he used to do a Macho Man impression and I don't remember seeing him in the ring very often to even wrestle.

I don't know how Flair really fits in with anyone in Immortal. he and the Hardy's are tight, since when? but I think Flair can be used better heel with Immortal than face with Fortune.

 

[Kenny Powers]

As some have said, it is hard to be shocked by a swerve on Impact since we have seen so many. I'm glad in a way that Flair is still with Immortal. I'm not actually sure why he would be with Immortal when his original agenda was to push the home grown TNA talent. Fortune are good enough on the mic to stand on their own two feet. They don't need Flair talking for them anymore. Flair is always more entertaining as a heel then a face in my opinion. I just don't know who Flair will represent now that he has left Fortune and has stayed with Immortal.

It would be odd seeing Flair manage Terry, Hernandez, Hardy, Abyss, or anyone else in the group.

 

[WCWMondayNitroOnYT]

Flair forms Fourtune and then turns on the group he created...Only in TNA would this make a lick of sense. At least AJ is a face again even though he should never lose to Matt Hardy. Did you see how Matt botched just bouncing off the ropes and couldn't even pull off a 3.5 minute match? Now next week were treated to another match of Flair and his bouncy titties. That's gonna be a ratings booster! I wish Flair would just go away. He's been nothing but a joke since his TNA debut. His horrible matches, his disturbing promos when he's hitting on the 15 year-old-girls in the audience. If he must be around though, he needs to stay heel and out of all the scenarios, I guess TNA made the right decision.

 

[dre day]

What in the hell are you saying?

I didn't really get why Flair turned on them. As someone said before, he built them. I really don't know what else to put than, I'm confused. It makes no sense (to me), just no sense.

PS- Flair's days of putting people over are long over. Look at his feud with Lethal, what did that do for him? Nothing. I'm not saying he can't put people over by mentoring and stuff like that but his days of putting people over in the ring, are over.
I wrote "over" way too many times.

FLAIR LOOK LIKE HE TURNED BUT THATS NOT IT HE WILL HELP AJ GET THE TITLE AND THEN GO PARTY WITH 4TUNE DO U NOW GET IT HE DONT LIKE HOGAN OR HIS BOYS SO SCREWIN JEFF MEANS HIM AND 4TUNE GOT ALL THE TITLES THAT MEA N SOMETHIN