PART 1 HERE
Back at it and we're on to our second region of the first round: The Flair Region. Now I know I said it in the first installment but some of these rankings are absurd, but we aren't changing anything. We move.
(1) Ric Flair v. (16) Christian
I never really realized it before but Christian might have a Hall of Fame resume on his hands. He made his bread in the late-90's to early-2000's as part of a wildly popular and talented tag team with Edge, including being a part of The Brood and The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness. Edge and Christian would go on to have critically acclaimed tag team matches against the likes of the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz, including ladder and TLC matches that captivated audiences. He's got plenty of singles titles as well, including being WWE World Heavyweight Champion twice. And yet, he can't move on here. He has to go up against one of the winningest men in pro wrestling history. Ric Flair is recognized as winning the World Title 16 times across 3 major promotions, a feat only matched by John Cena. Flair is a legend in every sense of the word. He even made just saying "WOO!" popular. He's the Rolex wearin’, diamond ring wearin’, limousine ridin’, jet flying’, kiss stealin’, wheelin’ dealin’, son of a gun! He's the Dirtiest Player in the Game! He's Space Mountain--Oldest Ride, Longest Line! The Nature Boy! One of the greatest talkers in history!
This is also one of the best videos in existence...
This is also one of the best videos in existence...
WINNER: RIC FLAIR
(8) AJ Styles v. (9) Charlotte Flair
Here's one of the weirdest matchups based on bad seeding. AJ Styles has been one of the best, if not the best, wrestlers on the planet since like 2005. Aside from height the man has it all, and even then he's still 5'11". He has been the top-top guy in every company he's worked for. He was one of the main draws forever on TNA and Ring of Honor, was given a rocket pack when he joined New Japan as the new leader of Bullet Club and given an IWGP Heavyweight (possibly the most prestigious title in all of wrestling) feud right of the bat, and then went to his longest rival, WWE, and became the face of that company for a bit. He oozes talent in every facet. How he's an 8-seed is nuts. And then we have maybe the best female in the history of the industry too. Look at that picture of Charlotte Flair and tell me she doesn't seem like a born winner. Now, that is in large part to being the daughter of Ric Flair--she most certainly has clout backstage and is simply one of the more gifted athletes in WWE today. She's been dominant from the jump and helped usher in a true revolution in women's wrestling. It's a tough call but in this case I have to go with the longevity and ability to be the best no matter where you go.
WINNER: AJ STYLES
(5) Sting v. (12) Matt Hardy
Sting's nickname is literally "The Icon". His legendary career spanned over 30 years and saw him as the face of both WCW and TNA, winning title after title. He had never even set foot in a WWE arena until November 2014, when he finally joined the company nobody thought he would.
I mean that pop for an over-the-hill guy who was going to end up getting beaten in his only big WWE match is incredible. The arena would go NUTS for Stinger well past his prime, thats the kind of legacy he's built up. One of the best "Silent Killer" type of characters ever, he was also able to tweak things every so often, going from "Surfer Sting" when he debuted in the 80's to the baseball-bat-wielding "Crow Sting" in WCW and even having a run as "Joker Sting" where he tormented Hulk Hogan in TNA:
Opposing him is another one of the best character creators in recent memory. Matt Hardy is best known to most for his part in the popular Hardy Boyz tag team with younger brother Jeff, as well as his moderate success as a singles competitor which included a real life, bad blood feud with Edge over Matt's real life girlfriend and fellow wrestler Lita leaving him for his tag team rival. It wasn't until he and Jeff were both in TNA recently that one of the most talked about storylines in modern wrestling began. "Broken" Matt Hardy was nothing short of a phenomenon that got a lot of people back into wrestling. He had arenas all over the world just chanting "DELETE!" over and over again.
The "Broken" saga is so detailed and lengthy that I'll just link to a good summary from years ago. The story has gone even further from there, but rest assured that Matt Hardy is a mad genius. I think I'm insane for doing it, or maybe I'm just... broken... but I'm giving Matt Hardy the edge here. Sorry Sting, but--
WINNER: MATT HARDY
(4) Kurt Angle v. (13) Dustin Rhodes
Dustin Rhodes, better known as Goldust, is the son of the legendary Dusty Rhodes and portrayed one of the most bizarre characters I have ever seen.
It would be easy to say that Goldust is his only legacy but the reality is that Dustin Rhodes has become one of the most respected people in the business. His smarts are clearly an inheritance from his dad and he's put it to good use recently as a sort of consultant and backstage dynamo for his younger brothers venture as a promoter. He just can't hold a candle to Kurt Angle, though. Angle is a legitimate Olympic gold medalist, winning the heavyweight division in amateur wrestling at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. Not only that, but he achieved that feat with a BROKEN FREAKIN' NECK, and then he turned that into his catchphrase! Kurt Angle is a pure genetic freak and one of the most well-rounded performers ever seen. He couples his mantra of "Intensity, Integrity, Intelligence" with some of the better comedic acting chops in WWE history. He played every role so well and was an awe-inspiring in-ring performer. The man is adored the world over with good reason. He's given us legendary moments even when he's just walking down the entrance ramp...
Oh it's true! It's DAMN true!
WINNER: KURT ANGLE
(6) Jeff Hardy v. (11) Harley Race
I have to be frank, Jeff Hardy is one of my all-time favorites so my bias is going to show. The Rainbow Haired Warrior has teamed with older brother Matt throughout his career and has enjoyed good singles success when he gets to fly solo. Due to his thrilling move set, creative look and lack of fear he became a fan favorite instantly. He wasn't some ripped body builder and he wasn't a 7-foot monster. He was the dude you'd buy weed from and then see working at Blockbuster a few hours later, except he was a real life super hero flying off ladders at 20 feet in the air. His triumphs often brought out the greatest emotion. He has the unpleasant task of trying to knock off the man even Ric Flair said he tried to emulate in all facets of life. Harley Race is incredibly accomplished and described as the one true WORLD heavyweight champion. Tough as nails, he didn't need flashy robes or cool music. He didn't need to flip around. He was a brawler through and through, blending street fighting with traditional wrestling and captivating his audience as he went. Harley Race is a legends legend. But I love that Charismatic Enigma...
WINNER: JEFF HARDY
(3) Bret Hart v. (14) Billy Graham
"Superstar" Bill Graham was a trailblazer for Vince McMahon's promotion in the late 70's, and his proteges include the likes of Jesse "The Body" Ventura and Hulk Hogan (super easy to see where Hogan got his look from). He was a good friend and training partner of Arnold Schwarzenegger, meaning he was most certainly one of the larger than life giants that Vinny Mac loves. Nowadays he's best known for his facial hair...
... and for being a bit of a critical asshole the it comes to today's crop of performers. He's suggested that men like Kofi Kingston and Adam Cole are too small to be top guys and should take steroids, while neglecting the fact that both men would wrestle CIRCLES around him. Suffice it to say, he won't be moving on. Even if I liked him, he doesn't just go past The Excellence of Execution, Bret "The Hitman" Hart. A student of the legendary Hart Dungeon, Bret Hart has been one of the most notable pro wrestlers to grace a mat. His look is legendary; his finisher, the Sharpshooter, is legendary; his entrance music is legendary; he's been part of many a legendary moment, including the infamous Montreal Screwjob. In a tag team with Jim Neidhart as the Hart Foundation or as a singles competitor battling for the gold, as a heel or as a face, it did not matter cause Bret Hart was going to wow you. He also has one of the best nicknames ever: The Best There Is, The Best There Was, And The Best There Ever Will Be.
WINNER: BRET HART
(7) Triple H v. (10) Trish Stratus
Another weird matchup but we play with the cards we are dealt I suppose. Triple H has proven to be one of the most important figures in wrestling history, for better or for worse. His range alone is so impressive: Connecticut blue blood Hunter Hearst Helmsley, D-Generation-X funny man, scary King of Kings, The Game, leader of the stable Evolution, evil corporate authority figure with real life wife Stephanie McMahon (yep, Vince's daughter, he actually married the bosses daughter AFTER a storyline where he married her in Vegas while she was unconscious). He is one of the men responsible with "exposing the business" due to the MSG-Kliq incident. He now serves primarily as the head of WWE NXT and a major player in WWE's talent development and recruiting efforts. There's a really good chance he gets a lot of power if/when Vince steps away, and fans are excited at that idea due to his incredible work with NXT. Now, Trish Stratus is a legend in her own right. She's sort of the Charlotte Flair of her generation, and she was WAY too good for her generation. She would be thriving if she was in her prime right now. She was an innovator and a main reason so many of the current crop of female wrestlers even got their start. But she just has an unlucky draw here.
WINNER: TRIPLE H
(2) John Cena v. (15) The Iron Sheik
John Cena is WWE's response to Superman. No one has "overcome the odds" more than Big Match John. He is the joint-leader in World titles won at 16, sharing that honor with Ric Flair. Pena is not the most gifted wrestler when speaking technically, but the dude knows how to build a match. His ring psychology and charisma are perhaps his greatest assets as a performer, aside from his otherworldly physique. Mr. Hustle Loyalty Respect is also one of the best march movers I have ever seen, the man had a new t-shirt like every time he was on camera and always had the matching hat and rally towel to go along with it. His early work as the Dr. of Thuganomics wearing throwback sports jerseys and rapping about his opponents is also something fans LOVE going back to. He;s had some of the most iconic feuds ever, such as his program with Edge in the mid-2000's that produced classics and elevated both men to stardom. The Iron Sheik, on the other hand, played the foil to Cena's greatest comp.: Hulk Hogan. Sheik was the Iranian bad boy to the Hulkster's "real American", and was known for his use of the "Camel Clutch" submission, leading to his famous phrase: "Break his back, make him humble!" He's al;so known for the spitting and his hilarious, intense promos and Tweets.
Despite how funny Sheik is, you have to give this one to the one you cannot see.
WINNER: JOHN CENA
Region #3 is up next.....
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