Ric Flair Update
Flair is scheduled to head to Pittsburgh in order to undergo medical tests in advance of signing a new deal to return as a regular full-time performer. It is expected that Flair will be a manager. Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported that Flair pitched the idea of being Dolph Ziggler's manager but that idea was shot down. It is expected that he is going to be working with the Miz.
Credit Mike Johnson, PWInsider.com
Matches Advertised for the 7/12 WWE Madison Square Garden Show
Here are the top three matches:
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt
HHH vs. Daniel Bryan in a Streetfight for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Sheamus vs. Randy Orton
Credit Mike Johnson, PWInsider.com
Tough Enough Update
The show will begin filming at the Performance Center in early July and the series will air in the Fall on the WWE Network.
Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Updates From Most Recent WWE Tryout Camp
ACH, Rocky Romero, and Roderick Strong, who was listed by the coaches as the best wrestler at the workout, were all told via e-mail that they will not be offered a contract by the WWE.
Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Flair is scheduled to head to Pittsburgh in order to undergo medical tests in advance of signing a new deal to return as a regular full-time performer. It is expected that Flair will be a manager. Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported that Flair pitched the idea of being Dolph Ziggler's manager but that idea was shot down. It is expected that he is going to be working with the Miz.
Credit Mike Johnson, PWInsider.com
Matches Advertised for the 7/12 WWE Madison Square Garden Show
Here are the top three matches:
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt
HHH vs. Daniel Bryan in a Streetfight for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Sheamus vs. Randy Orton
Credit Mike Johnson, PWInsider.com
Tough Enough Update
The show will begin filming at the Performance Center in early July and the series will air in the Fall on the WWE Network.
Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Updates From Most Recent WWE Tryout Camp
ACH, Rocky Romero, and Roderick Strong, who was listed by the coaches as the best wrestler at the workout, were all told via e-mail that they will not be offered a contract by the WWE.
Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
"reported that Flair pitched the idea of being Dolph Ziggler's manager
ReplyDeletebut that idea was shot down. It is expected that he is going to be
working with the Miz."
no no NO NO NO NO NNNOO NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you want to do everything you can to make sure Flair does not get cheered, you put him with the Miz. Makes no sense at all to me. No fan wants to cheer the Miz
ReplyDeleteFlair/Ziggler would be such a perfect fit. HE SUGGESTED IT AND THEY TURNED IT DOWN?? To put him back with the worst fit in wrestling history?? I usually give the benefit of the doubt to WWE, but NO. JUST NO!!
ReplyDeleteMiz is just a lost cause at this point.
ReplyDeleteFlair and Ziggler works for me but the WWE seems to be done trying to push Ziggler anymore.
ReplyDeleteFlair: Oh WWE, keep right on the accelerator. Right off the cliff of fan interest.
ReplyDeleteMSG: "Card Subject To Change".
Tough Enough: Same as last time? Also, what meme will come out of this one?
Tryout: "Damned Indy Stink. Find me some more unknows, and QUIT LETTING THOSE GUYS IN!" -Vince? HHH? Steph? You Decide. (I ain't reporting shit, though.)
That's too bad, there seems to be a glimmer of hope, like a few wins here and there, and pairing him up with Jackman and Aaron Paul, for the "I hang out with big names" thing... I wish they would just give him the ball.
ReplyDeleteApparently, so is Dolph. I bet he could get the Bryan reaction and still not get another push.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what Dolph Ziggler's debut TNA promo is going to be like.
ReplyDeleteSomething along the lines of "I was held back in scripted matches in the WWE, but now that I am in TNA, I will be twice as motivated, and I will be scripted to win!!"
ReplyDeleteOh come on WWE.
ReplyDeleteRic Flair grooming Ziggler to becoming Nature Boy 2.0 would be pretty awesome.
Indeed. It's funny that WWE wants him to so badly be one of their top PR faces simply because he was on The Real World over a dozen years ago (plus several years of various spinoffs). That literally means nothing to the outside media. If the media didn't care about him as WWE champion and headlining WrestleMania, they don't care period.
ReplyDeleteA few days ago people said that the commentary was the worst part of the current product. While I agree with that, I think the longest-term WWE problem is the company's desperate attempts to be accepted by mainstream media. It's never going to happen and forces us to live through shit like the company's attempts to push Miz every six months.
Like it did with AJ Styles? I hate when they do the pass the gimmick on to the next guy thing. All that does is lead to comparisons to the original and does no favors for the guy trying to get over. Flair as a manager is fine, but Dolph doesn't need to be like him.
ReplyDeleteTo say the media didn't care about Miz as champion is incorrect. They received quite a bit of attention when Miz became champion.
ReplyDelete"What's Nicky Nemeth doing in the Impact Zone, Taz?"
ReplyDeleteFrom where? I don't remember it, so I'm asking honestly.
ReplyDeleteSadly, they won care now.
ReplyDeleteHe is old news
Entertainment sites and ESPN
ReplyDeleteDude was all over the place and honestly handled THAT part extremely well. Simply put, he just can't get it done in the ring.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I stand corrected. Was it handled seriously or in the usual "Ha, ha, a guy from an MTV reality show won a fake wrestling belt" mainstream media reports on WWE?
ReplyDeleteI mean as serious as a guy winning a fake title in a scripted form of entertainment can be reported.
ReplyDeleteAnd then they can hire Kenny and reform the Spirit Squad.
ReplyDeleteBut fans do want to cheer Ziggler.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's a fact.
ReplyDeleteHe did a hell of a lot more with the title in the media than The Rock did during his reign.
ReplyDeleteAll the fans do when Miz does the figure four is "WOOO!" No one expects it to finish a match. No different than getting a Woo for a chop.
ReplyDelete" You want to cheer Ziggler? To bad. It's what he deserves for trashing this company while under contract."
ReplyDeleteTrue, but Rock was unable to do anything really. He was scheduled to do media appearances for the various movies he was in, so it's not like those outlets were going to book him to talk about the championship too.
ReplyDeleteHuh, must have totally blanked that out. Thanks for clarifying!
ReplyDeleteSo is this Tough Enough gonna actually have the winner wrestle, or should we expect the first one out to get the job and debut 6 months later?
ReplyDeleteyou know an idea is bad if even Vince Jordan won't defend it.
ReplyDeleteAnd you can take that to the bank.
ReplyDeleteThe winner gets a slap from Vince McMahon and a stunner from Stone Cold before failing a drug test and being fired.
ReplyDeletethis. it would still be a good fit, even if they wouldn't try to turn Ziggler into Flair 2.0.
ReplyDeleteYou summed up the emotion nicely.
ReplyDeleteWho said that?
ReplyDeleteThing is, he already is close to it. Flair just needs to teach him that it's ok to win a match or 2 every few years.
ReplyDeleteDoes R-Truth come out wearing a confederate uniform singing about Lil Jimmies?
ReplyDeleteDolph Ziggler will always be Mr. Perfect to me.
ReplyDeletewould "Mr. Showoff" already be copyright infringement?
ReplyDeleteNo one, that's just probably the general feeling the company HS of him.
ReplyDeleteugh.. the fucking Miz? We can't retire that idea yet? Flair as Ziggler's manager could be old-school goodness.
ReplyDeleteWhat a waste putting Flair with Miz. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteSame with me.
ReplyDeleteYes. And he dances. A lot.
ReplyDeleteFlair is a waste right now as it is. He adds no value.
ReplyDeleteTGGI.
ReplyDeleteAJ with Flair wasn't bad, but it wasn't necessary.
ReplyDeleteProbably accurate. Rock should have just faced HHH as a "one last time" special attraction. Making him champ, ending Punk's reign, and another Cena match were just overkill
ReplyDeleteFor all we know, this could be Flair's punishment.
ReplyDeleteRolf Wiggler.
ReplyDeleteNature needs balance. For DBry getting a run with the title, Miz gets a push.
ReplyDeleteI remember when he was called "The Most Must See WWE Champion in History".
ReplyDeleteYeah. All the media outlets were saying, "That guy SUCKS."
ReplyDeleteMiz was an absolute embarrassment trying to put on the figure four. And no one gives a shit about him anymore. WWE just needs to give up on him and cut the cord.
ReplyDeleteCole cheerleading him was awesome.
ReplyDeleteI kind of disagree with that. I mean he obviously isn't what he used to be, but put in the right situation, I think he could be fine. I think Dolph could have been that. I just think it's a waste all around putting him on Miz.
ReplyDeleteI always liked Cole as a heel.
ReplyDeleteWow, so many guys either get released or are never hired to begin with, yet the total heatsink that is the Miz keeps getting opportunity after opportunity.
ReplyDeleteYea...cause that is what the Miz is missing a mouth piece. Not you know..motivation, a story line,.....something to do..
ReplyDeleteI can see Dolph working that Flair corner bump into his arsenal.
ReplyDeleteand another thing: Miz has proven the best role him (by far) is the one of a obnoxious douchebag .... so of couse the WWE tries to turn him into a "serious" babyface.
ReplyDelete(and there was even a point - Summer of 2011 - when he might have been a babyface, not the one that is usually around in the WWE at this point though. instead of smiling and being nice he could have been an a**hole babyface - in the broadest sense like The Rock in mid-1998, still being arrogant, a loudmouth etc. but getting cheered for it)
"I can't wait for Flair to re-sign so he can contiue menotring the Miz on screen!" - No One Ever
ReplyDeleteAwesome Truth was the last time he had real motivation.
ReplyDelete"Not you know..talent, charisma,.....a pink slip."
ReplyDeleteFTFY
I'm not the biggest Miz fan but of all the guys in that locker room who could use help on the mic (I'm also not saying Flair is necessarily the guy to do that anymore) Miz is fine on the mic.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I guess what I"m saying is who would benefit from Flair more at this point: Dolph or Miz. Hell, there are PLENTY of guys who would at least improve a little working with Flair other than Miz.
ReplyDeleteFlair coming out as Ziggler's "z
ReplyDeleteFlair coming out as Ziggler's "executive consultant" sounds good to me.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem seeing him as a commentator.
ReplyDeleteI like Cole when he's quiet.
ReplyDeleteIf anything Miz should be a manager
ReplyDeleteNot even Miz or Flair would say that.
ReplyDelete*Top 5 handshake*
Or when he's not shilling something.
ReplyDeleteLet him manage a Diva. For some odd reason it seems....right.
ReplyDeleteI thought MIz earned a run with the title. He has been garbage for about 2 years now, but he was a pretty hot heel act at that time and showed some potential.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking that, maybe Alicia Fox?
ReplyDeleteI liked him in a tag team. He just doesn't do it for me as a singles wrestler.
ReplyDeletebeing booked in storylines in which you always have to play the third wheel can do that to you.
ReplyDeleteIf no one watches, does the promo actually exist?
ReplyDeleteBecause black.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think he's ok for little US and IC reigns here and there.
ReplyDeleteYeah he's a good transitional champion. I just think he'd do more as a manager.
ReplyDeleteKnowing the WWE, they'd pair Flair with Hornswoggle.
ReplyDeleteMorning, downvoter guy.
ReplyDeleteJust make Dolph and Miz a team and make Flair the coach. Problem solved.
ReplyDeleteNow Stevie, Flair,would be a perfect manager for you, we all know you need the extra charisma.
ReplyDeleteThat grouping sounds like it could be funny.
ReplyDelete:refresh:
ReplyDeleteAnd gone.......
You can call them, the C Team.
ReplyDeleteHe could have at least carried the belt with him and gotten it on TV. I never once heard a mention of wrestling at all from him in the media... and it seemed that's why they put the belt on him in the first place.
ReplyDeleteYou would think that moments like now, Punk's gone, Bryan's out, Brock's between runs Batista is leaving again and so on that WWE would think...you know maybe we should be giving people like Ziggler more attention so that they could get called up the card when we are paper thin on top. Maybe having people like him and Kofi and so on job all the time isn't best for business.
ReplyDeleteThat could work.
ReplyDeleteI'd like it, these guys deserve somewhat of a main event picture.
ReplyDeleteSTOP DOWNVOTING ME BLACK PEOPLE!!!
ReplyDeleteExactly. A few wins on television and almost anyone can be turned around. People want to see Dolph and Kofi succeed, because they always get good reactions, but they know they're taking a pin.
ReplyDeleteAny guy who can do this
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUgfDK4-QNE
Has a place in any wrestling promotion.
TJ: I work on a rather high floor, and I just noticed a window washer outside. I immediately thought of Bad News Barrett on his podium.
ReplyDeleteBut can he downvote?
ReplyDeleteKofi shows no motivation to do anything but what he has been doing for years. He's good for some fun spots in a battle royale or Royal Rumble but nothing about him says main even to me.
ReplyDeleteI really liked his "dr Strangelove" act
ReplyDeleteWell I'm afraid I've got some bad news.....it's not Barrett.
ReplyDeleteIf he had stayed on course when he took on Orton back then, he'd have been way higher on the card by now.
ReplyDeleteYep, after the botch is where he slowly started to go down the card.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even sure he can do that anymore.
ReplyDeleteHe needs to dance more.
ReplyDeleteStop down voting me Barrett!
ReplyDeleteHe was very close to being a made man after the super boom drop at MSG.
ReplyDeleteProbably the highlight of his career.
ReplyDelete>> I hate when they do the pass the gimmick on to the next guy thing. All
ReplyDeletethat does is lead to comparisons to the original and does no favors for
the guy trying to get over.>>
That's exactly what happened with Buddy Rogers and Ric Flair and that worked pretty okay
Outlier.
ReplyDeleteI wish Savage would have done that. I believe that was a gimmick they were going to do but they scrapped it soon after.
ReplyDeleteStop down voting me Kofi!
ReplyDeleteStop downvoting me, Dolph.
ReplyDeleteJamacian me crazy!!!!
ReplyDeleteCan't believe I didn't think of that.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you.
Good point hhh, why put flair with ziggler when you can stick him with miz. That will go over great
ReplyDeleteRic Flair would elevate Ziggler.
ReplyDeleteMiz just drags Flair down.
Actually, he probably couldn't. I've gone into this before, but I work in entertainment journalism and have some insight into media appearances like this. If he was on Kelly Ripa to promote GI Joe 2 (for example), Paramount is footing the bill (travel, food, hotel, etc.) which would mean he would be expected to talk about GI Joe 2 and nothing else. Since Paramount has no affiliation with WWE (in fact, it's affiliated with a rival company NBC), Paramount would not want him walking around carrying the belt or talking about Wrestlemania because it would take time away from promoting GI Joe 2.
ReplyDeleteTrust me, a fluff media interview on ET or something isn't a "ask whatever you want." It's booked by publicists to promote a specific project.
One of my career highlights should have been when I interviewed Robert De Niro. I literally have dozens of questions I would love to ask him about his body of work. Unfortunately, I interviewed him when he was promoting The Family and was told by the publicist I could only ask him questions about The Family. It happened to be right around his 70th birthday and when I asked him how he celebrated his birthday the publicist almost ended the interview. It's that strict sometimes, and I don't even work on TV (in which time is limited to 2-5 minutes of clips)!
Can Flair be dragged down any further at this point?
ReplyDeleteIf they make sure he's sober, he can talk. You don't forget how to talk.
ReplyDeleteStop downvoting me, Ric.
ReplyDeleteBuddy did no passing of the torch to Flair, Flair just outright took it.
ReplyDeleteTrue, he can talk about having an onion on his belt, which was the style at the time.
ReplyDeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteAppearing to like the Miz while sober is far worse than appearing to like the Miz while drunk.
Alicia Fox should be with Sandow.
ReplyDeleteThat's another good pairing.
ReplyDeleteThat sadly makes a lot of sense.
ReplyDeleteBased on the discussion below, who do you all think is the most redeemable? Miz, Ziggler, Kofi, Del Rio, Cody Rhodes, Sandow, and others are all pretty beaten down, but can any of them be elevated at this point?
ReplyDeleteAny of them could be, but the chances of Creative bothering to do so aren't high. I'd have more faith in some random NXT guy making that leap at this point.
ReplyDeleteGuys can easily be elevated if WWE decides they want them to be.
ReplyDeleteJust eat the damn orange!
ReplyDeleteStop downvoting me, Ric.
ReplyDeleteZiggler, but he'd probably have to go away for a while. Kofi is fine as sort of a modern Tito-level face.
ReplyDeleteYou have Evolution running rampant on TV, so they bring in Ric Flair, one of the founding members of Evolution, and put him with the Miz. The only type of sense that makes is WWE sense. Hopefully they hold off on bringing him back until Triple H, Orton and Batista disband, otherwise it's seriously flawed logic.
ReplyDeleteEven if you have him aligned with the Shield AGAINST Evolution, it makes more sense than putting him with anyone else right now.
As far as the MSG house show goes, it's another event near me I won't be bothering with.
Short term, yes. One of them facing the champ at a "B-PPV" is always possible, but any of them becoming "made men" is highly unlikely.
ReplyDeleteWhat you are seeing is the negative results of the brand split. Put these dudes on Smackdown without having to worry about losing time to the DBry/Kane/Stephanie angle and they would do well.
ReplyDeleteCody and Sandow definitely deserve better.
ReplyDeleteI think Smackdown is where guys like Adam Rose should be starting out. A lot of guys made their name on Smackdown and that just doesn't happen anymore.
ReplyDeleteCome ON. Don't you get it?? Flair?? Miz?? Duh...
ReplyDeleteI get that it's stupid.
ReplyDeleteNXT is good for development but there is nothing in between that and the big players that could help them develop further. That is what Smackdown should be.
ReplyDelete"Here comes the Geno Auriemma of professional wrestling, the Miz!"
ReplyDeleteNot really. they wrestled, he put flair over.
ReplyDeleteanyway - regardless of of whether Roger's saw Ric as the new Nature Boy- the gimmick was passed on.
Exactly. At the height of the brand extension, Smackdown helped a lot of people iron out their characters. Not all of them panned out, but it's better than just dumping a guy on the live show and hoping for the best.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that when a wrestler gets over they are jobbed out because that is what happened to HHH and iit built him up.
ReplyDeleteYou get a up and coming star, sacrifice him to the main event players with no type of positive payoff and have nothing for them to do afterwards and they wonder why no one gets over long term.
Ooh I like the idea of Ziggler going away for a few months and coming back with Flair as his manager doing a hybrid Mr Perfect/Flair character with less of the manufactured "energy" he throws out now with his character
ReplyDeleteIt's biting them in the ass now. Most of the current main event guys are people that the crowd is beyond sick of like Kane, washed up like Batista, or directionless Orton. The upper card needs a cleaning out like in 1996.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note I'm surprised the WWE hasn't done the mass future endeavored purge yet.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I agree. they concentrated to very few and not the up and coming talent. It's like the Yankees farm system.
Anyone can be elevated. It would take a commitment to let some die so that others may live (tm Kevin Sullivan).
ReplyDeleteThis is a good question: I know that HHH is helped to get DBry over and he's getting the Shield over as faces. But Do you believe he's taking a spot from someone else?
ReplyDeleteI'd use Main Event and Superstars to fill that role; get these guys winning and 'on TV' without the pressure of the 'big shows' weighing on the writers. It also adds star power to these shows. Perhaps a brand new show called World Wide Wrestling or something can feature B angles.
ReplyDeleteOf course there are obvious guys like Tatsu and JTG, but is it just me or are there less members of the roster than in the past?
ReplyDeleteTake the US title and use it specifically for those shows.
ReplyDeleteMaybe his daughter?
ReplyDeleteI think it would be neat if Flair came back to manage Evolution and get them back on track, and Sting comes out to manage/mentor The Shield. Both guys get groups that fit their personalities, there's history with Sting and Flair, and best of all it keeps both guys from wrestling.
ReplyDelete:: Top 5 Handshake ::
ReplyDeleteIf you stay busy you can make that a Top 1 Handshake...
They should pull the trigger on Zack Ryder and fire him too.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually not that bad of an idea.
ReplyDeleteMiz and Flair had no chemistry and the WWE just needs to accept that Miz has become a punchline.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's because he was on The Real World but rather because he's very good at doing PR.
ReplyDeleteStop downvoting me, Zack.
ReplyDeleteWhy even bother bringing in Flair to pair him with Miz?
ReplyDeleteAnd did Ziggler shit in Stephanie's coffee or kick HHH's dog? You have a guy with a great look, excellent charisma and solid ringwork....and you do nothing with him. I dont get it.
Funny side note: I finally got around to listening to the Steve Austin podcasts with Paul Hayman. Apparently Miz headlining WrestleMania was one of the things that pissed CM Punk off to no end. In hindsight, I have to agree that was total bullshit.
ReplyDeleteUpvote to offset the downvote.
ReplyDeleteI think Adam Rose's bunny downvoted you.
ReplyDeleteUpvote cause u my motha fucka
ReplyDeletePunk cries URRR talks about it a lot on his DVD also.
ReplyDeleteIf they are bound and determined to have Flair mentor a singles wrestler, I just don't think it can be anyone on the active roster. Fans will see right through it for what it is: trying to polish a turd.
ReplyDeleteI think Flair would be best introducing WWE fans to someone new. Off the top of my head, I think Prince Devitt would be a cool guy for Flair to bring in. Flair could even get a custom-made LIGHT ROBE for him.
It went so well the last time. What else of Flair's can Miz co-opt? He already mastered the figure four. Maybe he can do the Flair flop and somehow wind up on his back? Do the Flair flip and accidentally launch himself to the floor?
ReplyDeleteI've read they don't see him as a main event guy because of mic skills, which I don't disagree with, but give the guy a chance.
ReplyDeleteSomebody is downvoting everyone. You KNOW it is a conspiracy when my quality posts get the DV.
ReplyDeleteDownvote to keep you humble (As opposed to the Iron Sheik's method of making people humble.)
ReplyDeleteAgreed that you can't just throw Flair with anyone. It has to be someone with a certain style. Ziggler is a good fit with the blond hair and attitude. Basically it has to be someone who looks good in a suit.
ReplyDeleteHe certainly hasn't delivered a "DEAL WITH IT" money promo before.
ReplyDeleteMark Cuban...When keeping it real goes wrong
ReplyDeleteFlair being with Evolution would make sense but this is probably more just giving him something to do to make money. Like letting a neighbour kid rake leaves. Which is essentially what managing the Miz is in - it's the raking leaves of the wrestling world.
ReplyDeleteMaybe not main event, but give him SOMETHING to do. ANYTHING!!
ReplyDelete