Even Jim Ross Doesn't Want To See Ric Flair in the Ring, What Do the Fans Think?

As I was looking for articles to read on a wrestling Web site, I came across Smackdown announcer Jim Ross' weekly blog. He talked about some interesting topics, but here’s one thing that interested me.

Ross talked about Ric Flair stepping back in the ring. Of course, we know he will be at WWE RAW live next week, but I’m not too sure why he would be back as a wrestler.

The following is from Ross’ blog

"Ric Flair will be making a special appearance on Monday Night Raw this week (you weren’t naive enough to think that a huge star like Naitch would show up on Friday Night Smackdown for a special guest appearance would you?).

As the past has taught us, retired wrestlers rarely make guest appearances on wrestling programs unless they are promoting something, like a book, or they are perhaps going to stick their toe back in the water in some form.

I have no idea what is on Flair’s agenda but I am certainly going to change my travel plans to Fresno so I can be there to watch Raw on Monday night prior to taping another Smackdown doubleheader on Tuesday.

Flair is still an amazing personality who can verbalize as well as any one in the business today, past or present. As a fan, I would pay good, hard earned money any time to [see] the Nature Boy step into the ring and listen to Flair speak on any subject with the passion and emotion that helped make Ric famous.

Ric Flair, veins popping, with his face beet red and eyes bulging is still great TV and will transcend young fans and their baby booming dads and moms.

The issue for me is that I don’t want to see Naitch wrestle again, not just one year after retiring. I think Ric keeps himself more special and his retirement, which was an entertainment and emotional work of art, special and an everlasting memory in the minds of fans worldwide.

To see Ric manage someone, be a guest ref, etc. works for me personally.

I would love to see Ric Flair have a role at Wrestlemania XXV in Houston because having the greatest wrestler who ever lived at the year’s biggest event just makes sense.

You wouldn’t believe all the NFL greats that were at the Super Bowl on Sunday to be showcased by the National Football League to their loyal fans.

Ric Flair makes any event bigger and his star still shines brightly in my eyes but, simply as a fan, I would rather remember Ric Flair the wrestler, no pun intended, as he was and enjoy his antics and machinations in other forms at an event like Wrestlemania if that indeed is a potential destination for the incomparable “Nature Boy.”

I have to agree with Ross. See, Flair retired after the last Wrestlemania. He is too old to carry a match or even be carried to me. He was arguably the best of all-time. And we all know his success in the ring. Just say 16 world titles and we all know who you are talking about.

But that version of Flair is not around anymore. If he was the Flair people saw in 2001 when he came back after the “Invasion storyline,” then I could foresee a match with him because he was still really good.

Now, he can't be that Flair anymore. He is not the Flair we want to see. So why not let someone else wrestle?

Mickey Rourke, I feel, would be better right now than Flair. Sure, Flair is a better wrestler, but right now, Rourke has the better upside.

Plus, we just saw him last year at Wrestlemania, as JR alluded to. Why see him again?

Chris Jericho is a great wrestler and heel in the wrestling world. He should face Rourke, as anticipated, who would have Flair in his corner.

It works, and maybe Flair can get involved to help Rourke pull out the win. But wrestling the whole match?

I’m not too sure if the wrestling fan wants to see that. Unless you are a member of Ric Flair's family, there are not many who can say they want to see it.

Heck, even the biggest Flair fans would have to say it is over now. I'd like to see him as a commentator or manager in the WWE in the future, but not as an active wrestler.