Ric Flair's New Role: Announcer?

[Baximus]

One of my friends made a fantastic point earlier today: Ric Flair would be an awesome announcer.

Think about it: Flair is really a manager at this point. Yes, he can wrestle somewhat but he's really a talking promo now.

Why not put him in the booth with Tazz or Tenay and have him as a heel commentator? He could be Bobby the Brain all over again. I think that this would be so great because Flair would theoretically be able to give everyone in the company the rub and he would be an awesome heel.

Flair would be incredible. Thoughts?

 

[rmaskiell]

I find Flair to be the hands down most over rated talker in the history of wrestling. He isn't nearly as clever as people make him out to be and with his speech issues you can't always even understand him. I think he gets credit for being a great talker because of his charisma, you are drawn to him but I think he would get very old very fast as a commentator.

 

[RockNWag]

Nothing can be as bad as Taz, surely?

WTF!! TAZ IS THE GREATEST ANNOUNCER EVER YOU MORON!.



Just kidding...he sucks....bad. I was so glad that they got rid of him in WWE...and I think I cried a little when he showed up in TNA....I think Flair would be great to replace him as an announcer...he wouldn't have to even talk...he'd still be better...........and he wouldn't say yam bags....

 

[LokiCobain]

Tazz's announcing talent is that he's just an ass most of the time. He's great with guys like Cole and Joey Styles, and now his best stuff is when he gets to make fun of Tenay. He's not just another voice, but has a personality and is recognizable, and I like that better than just any commentator.

I think Flair is going to be AJ's manager for a while, and that's fine. Maybe eventually he can have more of a company job, but for now he should just do that, and give the major rub to him.

 

[wazaveli]

It would be a funny short term thing like JBL, even though he was awesome. But I don't think long term thats a role I could see the Nature Boy in even as good a talker as he is.

 

[wwediehardmark]

i saw keep flair a manager to one of the younger talent wats this that flairs doin wit aj. could we be seen somthing go down

 

[Adalam]

Flair could easily be AJ Styles manager should Styles turn heel. However, Flair proved that he could work commentary as he did on tonight's episode of Impact during the Main Event. Only problem with the Main Event for me was Style's dissing Angle after Angle saved his ass, but I digress.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Flair as a heel announcer wouldn't work, in my opinion. He is damn good with promos and can get a live crowd going. But it doesn't seem like he would be fluid enough to hold commentary for 2 or 3 hours at a time. He would be a TERRIFIC manager for AJ Styles. Turn this kid heel, and give him Flair to run with. I know AJ isn't that great of a talker, and there is where Ric could help him so much. Flair could handle the load on the mic, while teaching AJ how to be more natural when gives promos, instead of sounding like he is reading cue cards. This could be a Bobby Heenan/Mr. Perfect type scenario, which would be amazing. But I think they would have to be heel, it wouldn't work for Flair being a face manager because he is much better when cheating, lying, and just being underhanded.

 

[Greenlight13]

If anyone thought he did a good job on commentary on Impact then I'm afraid you're just wrong. He doesn't want to be in TNA and it shows in a big way. He didn't even look at Taz or Mike Tenay, barely responded to their questions, gave generic and clearly forcefed observations and demonstrated his lack of familiarity with the product.

Now I'm not saying he doesn't have a right to feel that way, or that he should be able to instantly know the ins and outs of every wrestler on the roster, not at all, but if he's going to be an announcer these are things that would have to change.

To me it just stuck out like a sore thumb that Taz and Tenay were going out of their way to involve him in the commentary and he wasn't interested in playing along. I'd much rather see him as a manger of someone like AJ like others have suggested. A multiple time world champion gravitating towards the current champion writes itself (see Evolution).

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I'm not so sure about that, man. Like someone noted earlier, Flair isn't the best guy on the mic because he's the best guy on the mic – he's often heralded for his stick work because of his charisma, not because he uses the right words, or says the right things. I think he'd get really old, really fast as well – no pun intended.

IMO, AJ Styles is going heel and is gonna end up with Ric Flair as his manager anyway, so I don't really see the value in throwing Ric in with Taz and Tenay, no matter how badly I want another Bobby Heenan.

 

[NSL]

I'm thinking Flair got the part as the announcer because Dixie & Co. don't know how to use him, knowing he's only there for the paycheck. He clearly wants as little to do as possible, and sitting behind a desk, talking to Taz and Tenay is about as light as it gets.

His charisma did not, and will not ever, carry over to the announce booth, so this is a bad idea. If he wants to "call" a match or two, then fine, let him do it in storyline. But, for the long haul, it's best he does his mic work in the ring.

 

[Heater41]

The more I m starting to see the Flair/AJ Styles angle the more I am thinking that Hogan is going to use Flair as the new JJ Dillon and rebuild the ever popular Horsemen. Who better than to lead the new wave than the old leader? Styles refused to shake Angle's hand on Impact on Thursday which could lead to the switch. As well, these angles typically lead to that person being the 4th horseman. That said, what are your thoughts and if I was right, who would be the best individuals to join the Horsemen? My 4 would be Styles, Angle, James Storm and Robert Roode. Obviously Beer Money would need a small transformation to become Anderson/Blanchard but I don't see it as a major overhaul. Thoughts?

 

[mooseman]

Agree with Heater. However if you go with the Horseman mold I don't think Angle would fit. AJ and Beer Money for sure as far as the 4th member I would go either Hernandez or Morgan. They have the enforcer feel to them.

 

[Heater41]

If you look at the enforcer role you could even look at AJ's friend, who WAS a horseman for a year...STING! Could this be why he's watching AJ's matches from the rafters?

 

[X]

I really, really doubt that Flair's new role in TNA is going to be as that of an announcer, no doubt he'll be involved in some managerial role to a guy like AJ. Apparently Sting put over Flair HUGE in the TNA locker room a week or so back and said that he owes his entire career to the man and that the sole reason he decided to stay in TNA for another year was the chance to work with Flair again, so I highly doubt they'll just use Flair as a commentator. No doubt he'll be involved in some angles, no doubt in my mind. Some sort of angle involving AJ and Sting I imagine.

 

[mooseman]

If you look at the enforcer role you could even look at AJ's friend, who WAS a horseman for a year...STING! Could this be why he's watching AJ's matches from the rafters?

I'm gonna say the exact opposite. He is watching over AJ and tracking his progress as a champion and as a man. As AJ continues his progress to a heel and joining with Flair, Sting begins to show dissapointment. At some point he calls out AJ for letting success and Flair get to his head to the point where he has turned his back on his friends and fans. Flair shoots AJ a smirk and POW! AJ lays out Sting. Cementing the heel turn. At Lockdown the main event is AJ/Beer Money/ Hernandez (Horseman)w/ Flair vs Sting, Morgan then I dont know maybe MCMG, maybe Joe/Daniels or even Hardy/Kennddy Anderson.