Stars and thoughts: RIC FLAIR’S LAST MATCH

 RIC FLAIR’S LAST MATCH: the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.

Preshow!

NJPW Young Lions Match: Ren Narita Vs Yuya Uemura.**3/4

(very good lil young lions match. I don’t think this will make anybody who’s not watching new Japan watch new Japan but these guys had a very good face filler)

Bunkhouse Battle Royal: 

Bubba Ray Dudley, Mance Warner, Kal Herro, James Storm, Big Damo, Gringo Loco, Komander, 

Wolfie D, Joey Janela, Crimson, Crowbar, Effy, Mathew Justice, Manders, Jordan Oliver, Rickey Shane Page, Blake Christian **

(Very disappointing this should’ve been outrageous instead they made it just  a throwaway)

Main show: 

Impact wrestling dream match

The Wolves (Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards) Vs The motor city machine guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) ****

(I haven’t heard anybody talking about this match but it’s really really good don’t sleep on it)

MLW showcase

Davey boy Smith Jr. Vs. Killer Kross (w/ Scarlett Bordeaux) ***1/4

(A hose fight with AA mix of MMA! If this is the future of big man stuff I’m totally into it) 

#1 contender to the Progress World Championship. 

Alan Angels Vs Jonathan Gresham Vs Konosuke Takeshita Vs Nick Wayne ***3/4

(Super fast great action. I like all these guys a lot) 

Legacy tagteam match:

Kerry and Ricky Morton (w/ Robert Gibson) Vs the four Horseman Brian Pillman Junior and Brock Anderson (with “the enforcer” Arn Anderson) **1/2 

(I want more Pillman and broccoli Anderson.. Find mix of the new and the old)

AAA Four-way match

Bandido Vs Black TaurusVs Laredo Kid Vs  Rey Fénix ****3/4

(Watch this match) 

Impact World Championship

Josh Alexander C. Vs Jacob Fatu **** 1/4

(Five more minutes and a better ending in this could’ve been a classic.. I understand why the ending was the way it was but…) 

BROTHERS WAR

Marshall and Ross von Erich Vs. Jay and Mark Brisco **1/2 

(I saw the one Eric boys a few years back and they don’t look to have progressed very much. Briscos are incredible. )

Impact Knockouts World three way Jordynne Grace c. Vs Deonna Purrazzo Vs Rachael Ellering ***

(I’ve said it before but impact wrestling women’s division is the best in the United States. It’s consistently good all the athletes bust their ass every match.  I feel like this match was slowed down by Ellareen  getting hurt early. Not a bad match but I had very high expectations)

Soooooo I decided not to watch Ric Flair’s last match…

My relationship with the nature boy is complicated. The more I hear about him the less I like him but I can’t put how much of an influence he was on me in the presentation of my character.

The four Horsemen and Hossman… it’s integrated into my DNA… My homage to him and his legendary faction over the years has leaned into plagiarism. . 

But as I grow older wiser more sensitive.. The cool stuff about the nature boy just comes off as creepy… Gross… Regressive.

So I’m of two minds…

Fact…

Ric Flair with the lights on hurts my feelings… The stuff is done the stuff he said. 

Part of me doesn’t know if he deserves this, seems like all the legends have forgotten or forgiving but im not sure I can. 

Fact

From 1980 to 1994 Ric Flair was the best there was between the ropes. End of story. 

From everything I’ve heard this is not a  performance The nature boy will want to hang his hat on. 

The part of me that Can’t put my life long love for him back in the box, doesn’t want to see him like this. Old… unable to breath.. struggling. 

It’s a lot to unpack but whichever

Of Theas 2 hills I decided to die on either Death leads to not watching. 

So I’m not… 

What I will say is that Conrad Thompson put on one hell of a show. Action packed matches with a reasonable length that won’t alienate any casual fans or returning fans that checked in to see The last flight of a legend (or the troglodytes who wanted to see somebody die in the ring)

if you’re not interested to watch more modern Lucha libre after that match you  will never be!

I hope he continues to put on more shows going forward! He seems to be the perfect convaluence of fan and businessman!