WWE: Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection
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 This is how WWE chooses to end an era?! I just can't seem to wrap around my head the fact this half baked 3 disk set was green lighted. Ric Flair is a legend who deserves a lot better than this. Sure, wrestling fans love a good documentary in which this partially delivers. But the biggest weakness is definitly in the number of matches. I don't care if some are rare. Ten matches is ridiculous and I doubt Flair fans will be satisfied. That's only three more than Cena's 3 disk of rubbish. To include two of those matches are on very easy to find ppv's(Taboo Tuesday 05 & Wrestlemania 24). I'm sure any fan of Flair would dish out 200 bucks for an eight to ten disk set. Ok, since I got that rant out of the way. I'll give this set some of the credit it deserves. The documentary portion is ok but could have been alot better giving it a second thought. You will hear from Flair himself. Plus several past and present stars. Like Jim Brunzell, Baron Von Raschke, Tully Blanchard, David Crockett, Harley Race, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold and more. Even though some of the events were discussed on previous sets. They weren't told in boring ways. The documentary covers when Flair began with the AWA weighing 300 pounds at one point. Others speak on his work ethic and his potential to be great. The US title runs are very briefly touched on but the most notable feuds aren't really discussed. The responsibilites of the NWA heavyweight title are discussed as well. You have to give Flair his respect for putting up with that grueling schedule. His family gets a small portion of screen time talking about how difficult it was growing up without him. The Horsemen days, WCW, and WWE runs are talked about and other things I don't want to spoil. Atleast the farewell address is added. That adds alot more value to the set. Disk 1 of course contains the documentary and the special features contain a few stories. Stories, Too many distractions Buying Boots Bleaching his hair Hanging with the outlaws Ric's relationship with the members of Evolution Key to the city 3-24-08 Extras Ric Flair Tribute Video Disk 2 Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling 8-18-82 vs. Jack Brisco World Class Championship Wrestling 8-24-82 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship vs. Kerry Von Erich Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling 8-31-83 NWA World Heavyweight Championship vs. Harley Race World Wide Wrestling 12-15-85 w/Arn Anderson & Ole Anderson vs. Dusty Rhodes, Magnum TA, & Manny Fernandez Clash of the Champions 3-27-88 NWA World Heavyweight Championship vs. Sting Great American Bash 7-23-89 NWA World Heavyweight Championship vs. Terry Funk Disk 3 Madison Square Garden 10-28-91 vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper Spring Stampede 4-17-94 WCW Championship vs. Ricky Steamboat Taboo Tuesday 11-1-05 Steelcage match for the IC title vs. Triple H Wrestlemania 24 3-30-08 Career Threatening Match vs. Shawn Michaels Special Features Ric Flair's Farewell Address RAW 3-31-08 Promos Limousine Ridin', Jet Flyin' Stylin' & Profilin', NWA World Championship Wrestling 5-25-85 Take a Ride on Space Mountain, NWA World Championship Wrestling 6-22-85 The Boss, NWA World Championship Wrestling 8-17-85 Slick Ric, NWA World Championship Wrestling 9-7-85 Real Men Stay Up, NWA World Championship Wrestling 9-21-85 What's Causing All This, NWA World Championship Wrestling 12-20-85 Space Mountainettes, NWA World Championship Wrestling 4-7-87 Golden Spoon, NWA World Championship Wrestling 11-13-87 Overall, WWE dropped the ball with this one. I would have gladly waited a few more months or even years to get a much better set on such a historic career. Fans of Ric Flairs lengthy career will probably be very disppointed. New wrestling fans who aren't very up to date should pick up this release along with The Four Horsemen DVD. This is no doubt a very important part of wrestling history. Personally, I am disappointed with the delivery of this release. This just wasn't a good way for The Nature Boy to go out. He deserves one BIg last dvd set This dvd set could be much better. They should have focused more on his wrestling matches than documentaries. I mean his last dvd already covered the plane crash for instance. Some day I'd love a dvd set that has all 16 World title wins. I was hoping this would be that set but they have just been releasing too small of sets of late. Plus this is Ric Flair, who cares if you have to pay $30 to $60 for a dvd set worthy of his career. Because this cheap set sure isn't worthy to it. It's nice that it does have 3 rare matches at least but he deserves more. Especially if this is the last time they release a Flair dvd set. What I actually want to see is Flair vs Steamboat in early matches before the World title feuds. Flair vs Sting where Flair won the title back in the early 90's has never been on dvd. Flair as the Black Scorpion vs Sting was a classic as well since Flair did moves he has never done so you wouldn't know it was him. Jack Brisco vs. Ric Flair Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (18/08/82) 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship Kerry Von Erich vs. Ric Flair World Class Championship Wrestling (24/08/82) NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match Ric Flair vs. Harley Race Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (31/08/83) Ric Flair / Arn Anderson / Ole Anderson vs. Dusty Rhodes / Magnum TA / Manny Fernandez World Wide Wrestling (15/12/85) NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match Sting vs. Ric Flair Clash of the Champions (27/03/88) NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk Great American Bash (23/07/89) Disc 3 Ric Flair vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper Madison Square Garden (28/10/91) WCW Championship Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat Spring Stampede (17/04/94) Steel Cage Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship Triple H vs. Ric Flair Taboo Tuesday (01/11/05) Career Threatening Match Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels WrestleMania 24 (30/03/08) Other worthy matches that should be here. Flair vs Steamboat in early matches of their careers Black Scorpion/Flair vs Sting in a Steelcage (World title) Flair vs Sting where Flair wins the belt back from Sting vs Bobby Eaton 2 out of 3 Falls (World title at Clash of the Champions) "surprisingly really good" vs Tatsumi Fujanami vs Texas Tornadoe in a rare match in the WWE vs Tito Santana vs Randy Savage in the WWE in a rare match where he wins the WWE title back vs Bret Hart (WWE title) vs Rick Rude at Fall Fall (International World title) vs Antonio Inoki in Japan vs Arn Anderson at Fall Brawl vs Hogan on Nitro in a rare match on Nitro where Flair wins vs Savage in a Steelcage (WCW World title) vs Eddie Guerrero (U.S title) with Piper and Kevin Green vs Syxx, Nash and Hall at Slamboree vs Syxx at Hog Wild vs Sting on the last Nitro vs Vince McMahon at the Royal Rumble vs The Rock on Raw vs Triple H on Raw (World title) vs Jericho at SummerSlam vs Shawn Michaels for the first time on ppv vs Edge on Raw for the World title in a TLC match vs Carlito (IC title) "first IC title win" vs Mick Foley in an I Quit match in last matches vs Kennedy, MVP, William Regal and Vince McMahon  No Respect to the Fans and The Man Himself, GIMME A BREAk This is ridiculous. The fact that the WWE owns many of the matches from Flair's days in the Mid-Atlantic and his traveling days as the NWA Champ to the territory's such as Florida (CWF), World Class, Georgia, and Mid-South is no excuse to put together a sloppy compilation as this. Here is what should be on the DVD in my opinion: Flair becoming the Nature Boy after starting off his career weighing well over 300 pounds and looking anything like the Naitch! His first few years in the Mid-Atlantic and his feud with Wahoo McDaniel. His partnerships with Greg Valentine and Blackjack Mulligan. Winning the NWA World Tag Team title with each and then having subsequent fall outs and brutal wars with both men over the US title. The hat and robe incident with Mulligan that lead to Flair and Valentine having brutal matches with Mulligan. The angel where Flair now a babyface asked Valentine to be his partner against Jimmy Snuka and the Iron Sheik, only to have Valentine turn on him and legitimately break Flair's nose with Gene Anderson cane. His early wars with Rick Steamboat and the infamous "ugly face" angel. Many of thoe matches were classic 30-60 minute draws. His wars with Jimmy Snuka over the US title and the belt changing hands. His first shot at the NWA World Title against Harley Race back in 78/79. A sign of things to come. Champion vs Champion match against Bob Backlund in the Omni from 7/82 The Von Erichs- Flair had classic matches against David, Kerry, and Kevin, including the Steel Cage match vrs Kerry that lead to their famous fued with The Freebirds. Flair's fued with Roddy Piper and their classic interviews over the US Belt. First with Flair as the babyface and later Piper. His matches in Florida against a young Barry Windam, Dusty Rhodes from the 84 orange bowl "Champions of Champions" or as the Midnight Rider, Matches vs other Florida greats such as Lex Lugar. Flair rekindles his fued with Wahoo McDaniel only this time McDaniel is the heel and teams with Tully Blanchard while Flair teams with Dusty Rhodes. More Ricky Steamboat matches from 83/84 when Steamboat comes out of retirement and their match at the Meadowlands in NJ 1984. I want to hear from the mans mouth about the other title changes and his life on the Road. Im just saying with all the choices to put on the DVD this is what they came up with? In the words of the late Gorilla Moonson, GIMME A BREAK! Vince always talks about giving 110% but this is just not it!  Simply The Man Ric is the ultimate showman on camera and inside the ring, and the ultimate gentlemen outside. I would love to see a 500 disc set featuring every match the man ever had but being realistic this is a great set. The Flair/Sting Clash of Champions match and Kerry Von Erich 2 out of 3 falls is worth the price alone. WWE is at their best when making these types of sets and I expect nothing less than a phenomenal offering. I can't wait to sit down once again and re-live my youth with the greatest to ever lace up his boots. I just wish I had some reason to watch WWE programming today. Too bad it is such crap. | |||||||||||||
