Opinions on the “GOAT” Pro Wrestling

[Bigshot69]

Love him or hate him, my money is on this guy...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oESVMyJ20Ik

[samosa4u]

There is no other wrestler who could do promos like him.

[silvor]

Love him or hate him, my money is on this guy...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oESVMyJ20Ik

Best promos ever, sure. But matches? I don't know, but hear me out. While his matches were good (maybe great), they were all very routine.

Until the very late 80's Flair was never on TV. You had to buy a ticket to see him. Once he was on TV every week, his matches were very routine. There's a match he did on TV with Tom Zenk that went nearly 20 minutes. It was the same match he had with Kerry Von Erich, Ricky Morton, Sting, hell the Mulkey brother :)

I mean really, how many times can you flip in the corner, go to the top rope and be slammed off the top? Or how many 60 minute draws can you do over and over?

Bret Hart's stuff was more believable and his matches were different. Randy Savage, Curt Henning, Nick Bockwinkel were also very good and better than Flair as far as in ring performances.

But yeah, Flair could talk you into the seat.

[supplex55]

I'll take the Macho Man--great promos, over the top outfits, eye candy at ringside, and a frenetic, insane style in the ring. You could not take your eyes off him and never knew what he would do or say next.

[Bored5000]

Making a case for who is the "best" in pro wrestling is even more subjective than in other sports, since wrestling is a worked sport. Best at what? In a technical sense? On the microphone? At drawing money? Several of those are mutually exclusive.

From a technical standpoint, Lou Thesz said Hulk Hogan wouldn't know a wristlock from a wristwatch, yet almost no one in wrestling history was a bigger draw or more charismatic. From a technical standpoint, Satoru Sayama (original Tiger Mask) and the Dynamite Kid and Thesz were as good as anyone in wrestling history. But they didn't talk like Flair or Hogan or The Rock.

If drawing power is the most important factor, then Jim Londos has to be near the top of the list, maybe even number one. El Santo and Buddy Rogers and Andre the Giant would also need to be very high on the list.

Trying to determine the "best" pro wrestler depends entirely on what an individual thinks is important in a worked sport.

[Jerry G]

It was Dick the Brusier! He started out as a bad guy, but the fans fell in love with him. We couldn't help it.

[Jerry G]

Enjoying a choke and a smile.

[Bigshot69]

Y’know, I always found Flair to be one of the more entertaining wrestlers inside the ring. Maybe he was not as dominate as Savage or some of the others but I believe we have to consider part of his greatness was in his ability to put over his opponent. Whether it was Magnum TA or Abdullah the Butcher, Flair would build them up and leave the arena with his opponent in a better spot for having faced off against him.

In terms of sheer entertainment, technical wrestling, and legendary promos, I would have a tough time arguing against Flair as the 🐐.

[Jerry G]

There would not have been a Rick Flair if there wasn't a Gorgeous George. In fact, the boxing world may be quite different if not for George's influence on "The Greatest, Cassius Clay." Check out the attached article, but be certain to watch the black and white video.

https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/how-muhammad-alis-fascination-with-pro-wrestling-fueled-his-career-inspired-mma/