[2000-03-06-WCW-Nitro] Ric Flair vs Curt Hennig

[soup23]

This was at least more lively than the previous meeting here. Flair runs down North Carolina which helps. Hennig looks pretty spry here for this 2000 aged self. It was during this match that I thought about 17 years before and really young Curt Hennig and compare that to how old and dated he looks here even looking better and that is the age difference of Low Ki or Chris Hero now. Figure four reversals and Madden has a rare good point about the figure four being able to be broken by the original person that applies it. A weird finish with Total Package interference back firing allowing Hennig to hit the Hennig plex and win. Afterwards, the tandem beats down Hennig until Arn comes out and tells him to knock it off. **1/2

[Loss]

Purple and red, Ric? That doesn't really match. WCW often tried to get Flair to get the opposite reaction in North Carolina because reasons, and I don't get it at all. I don't care if he's a heel at this point in time, resistance is futile -- for one night, just let the guy do The Ric Flair Show when it's clear that's what the audience wants to see. They didn't pop at all for much that Hennig did unless he was working on Flair's terms, retaliating to Flair's chops and allowing him to take his high elevation back body drop. I guess they did do that, but with Flair as the heel. Tony lies and says fans are chanting for Hogan in North Carolina when there's not a chant to be heard. And why would Flair be doing a job to Curt Hennig of all people? In 2000 of all years? This match was pretty well-worked and probably Curt's best match in ages, but they didn't have the crowd like they could have because they were insistent on fighting them tooth and nail too much of the time. It's a shame. I liked the match otherwise, even if it's nothing you haven't seen a million times.

[GSR]

Hennig starts out strong and lights Flair up with some chops. The only way the Naitch can slow him down is with a couple of pokes to the eye before hurling him over the top rope to the outside. Some chops and punches of his own, however Curt is able to reverse things and takes his frustration out on Flair’s chest with more blistering knife edges. Hennig suplexes him back into the ring and Flair tries to cower away in the corner. Same tactics he used against Bagwell and here’s the low blow. He immediately starts to focus on Hennig’s right leg, kicking and stomping it. He rolls out the ring to try to recover, but Flair is out after him with a double axe handle off the apron to the floor. Irish whip into the guard rail whilst still concentrating his attention on that leg. Very nice selling by Hennig through all of this. Figure Four, however Curt is able to power over and reverse the hold and Flair has to grab the ropes. Hennig with a back slide for two. Flair with a snapmare, he climbs the turnbuckles, but as always is too slow and Curt slams him to the canvas. Flair backs off and Lex Luger is out to trying and help his Team Package partner. Hennig does a good job fighting them both and a right drops the Package. Naitch goes for a backdrop off an Irish whip, but Curt hooks him with the Perfect Plex for the win. Post-match Luger attacks Hennig with the baseball bat and Flair whips him with Hogan’s belt. Arn Anderson comes out but it doesn’t deter them, as Lex puts Curt’s arm in between the chair and stomps on it trying to break it. Arn stands over Hennig and while Luger is prepared to clobber him with the bat, Flair says ‘no’ and Team Package make their exit.

 

Decent match and much better than the one they had a few weeks ago. I also think it would’ve come off better with a crowd who didn’t seem to be sat on their hands for the duration. Something like the Figure Four reversal elicitied no response from them when I would have expected a sizeable reaction. Hennig was laying those chops in and I liked his selling of the leg. A surprising clean win especially after Luger had made his way out and got involved.