Loss Posted August 17, 2014 Report Share Posted August 17, 2014 Talk about it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted October 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2014 I think this is just about the best match Flair is capable of having at this stage of his career. Flair pulls out lots of tricks he hasn't done in a long time since it's been a while since he's had the chance to go long with the type of great worker he would have faced in years past. It was a little sad to see him call the bridge up spot and for Benoit to be able to do it but Flair having trouble. But aside from that, this is a pretty good match. It looks dated in 1999, but I'll take dated over what we were getting from Ric most of the time in the ring at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim Posted December 31, 2014 Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 Good sort of old school match. Lots of stock Flair spots but without quite the structure that makes it feel like a real 80s Flair match. Felt like more emphasis on back and forth action which made it feel a little more at home in 1999. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstar Sleeze Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 Chris Benoit vs Ric Flair - WCW Thunder 6/3/99 Â I have been singing the praises of DDP in recent months, but in the back of my head I have known there was one challenger to his "Best in America" throne in this time period and that is Chris Benoit. Where DDP faltered, Benoit managed to pull out a very good match from Flair and showcase him at his best since 1998. The match was set up the week before when Benoit decided to challenge Flair's ruling to give the Triad the tag title shot instead of Benoit & Malenko. Benoit and DDP rocked it last week and after Benoit looked poised to win Bam Bam & Flair put the boots to Benoit. What helps this most is that Benoit is a strong definitive face for heel Flair to play off. Benoit and Flair started off firing chopping each other. Benoit goes with the old standby of applying the figure-4 to Flair and continues to work the leg. Flair uses the eye poke to take advantage, but still sells the leg. Flair leverages Asya outside to interfere on his behalf. Benoit is at his bets here chopping through Flair's offense or rattling off a snap suplex. Flair's big push is the kneecrusher/figure-4 combo. Benoit reverses the pressure. The match, commentary and the arena make Benoit seem like a big deal and a babyface on the rise. Flair goes for the bridge/backslide spot which we have not seen from him in awhile. Benoit hits a clothesline and a diving headbutt. This time Flair's new buddy, DDP saves. Not as much heat as the DDP match and some disjointed moment, but the Benoit push continues. But if a push happens on Thunder, is it really happening? ***1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 Much like the Guerrero match felt like a reward for Flair's character work, we have this match here which is very good and featured some old Flair standbys and interesting work including his open handed palm strikes and the work around the leg. I really appreciate the long matches that have taken place on Thunder lately and it was a trend that should have continued. Benoit is a good face to play off of Flair. I don't remember how long this Flair/DDP partnership lasts. ***1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superstar Sleeze Posted March 25, 2015 Report Share Posted March 25, 2015 It is 1999 WCW so not very long. Flair vs DDP are feuding by September. Even though the yearbook does not capture Thunder keeps rolling the following week with a Tag Title match between the Triad vs Benoit/Saturn. For three consecutive weeks in the middle of 1999, it feels like Thunder is the best wrestling show on American TV. So weird and so WCW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Evans Posted March 26, 2015 Report Share Posted March 26, 2015 This felt like two guys who are having a good match on a show no one in managment is watching or cares. Kinda like a match on Main Event these days. Flair proves he could still go if he wanted to and vs a guy that is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteF3 Posted June 25, 2017 Report Share Posted June 25, 2017 A really fun TV main event, brought down by some horrible commentary by Larry Zbyszko. The talk about how wrestlers don't age like football players and boxers is just so weird and nonsensical, and then Larry goes into a weird tangent about Shaolin monks (I'm not making this up) while lambasting the younger talent in WCW who aren't at *all* being held back by the veterans. (Not to mention that pinning the "holding back" of youngsters on Ric freaking Flair is the height of absurdity as well). You'd think a guy with Larry's WWF past would be a little more sympathetic to the youngsters' cause. Anyway, that unpleasantness aside Flair keeps up with Benoit very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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