FLAIR

[Deleted]

Would the Nature Boy be remembered as the Icon he is today if DAVID VON ERICH & MAGNUM TA were NOT tragically removed from his path?
It's common knowledge that both were set to be the N.W.A. standard bearers for years to come, before their collective tragedies.
Now there's NO DOUBT Flair would have still gone down as one of the all time greats along with Race, Funks, Brisco and many others - but would he have reached ICON status like Hogan, Taker and Sting?

["Emperor Norton" (Mark T)]

1000 percent yes. He'd have just had different opponents to trade the title with. There may have been a series with Magnum people talk about like the rivalry with Steamboat.

[Vegas]

I would say yes.

[Deleted]

I'm not so sure that he was going to 'trade' the title with Von Erich or Magnum, as they were set to have long reigns and Flair might have faded into secondary title matches or went to the WWF early and been way over shadowed by Hogan.

[j]

I think David would've just had a short run instead of Kerry & I think Magnum not getting injured would've meant Ronnie Garvin wouldn't have won the title in 87 & Sting may not have gotten the opportunity to become a star at the first Clash in early 88. But I think Flair would always be the long term guy. I think Gino Hernandez living & Ted DiBiase not going to WWF would've been more likely possible replacements as long term NWA champions.

["Emperor Norton" (Mark T)]

Feb 5, 2021 18:00:34 GMT -5 @kevinb said:

I'm not so sure that he was going to 'trade' the title with Von Erich or Magnum, as they were set to have long reigns and Flair might have faded into secondary title matches or went to the WWF early and been way over shadowed by Hogan.

Von Erich wasn't going to work into the 80s on a national level. He was too regional and the politics wouldn't have allowed Fritz to control the belt. Magnum had it all to be a star on that stage. The premise that they were "set to have" anything is conjecture because that's just not how it was decided then. If you listen to those who were there talk or read books like Hornbaker's on the NWA or Gary Hart's book from the standpoint of a guy who was there and lived it, the NWA meetings were like a get together of mob bosses. They weren't deciding anything past the next meeting until Crockett defacto got control when they all went out of business and faded away.

Flair being on TBS every weekend and cutting the great promos would never have been relegated to any secondary position regardless.

[WTIC]

One thing to take into account is if Vince would have found a way to bring David VE or Magnum up to the WWF at the time if those tragedies did not occur. I'm not sure if Vince would have tried to acquire David as much as Magnum. Magnum had the charisma PLUS the look! David wasn't the handsome guy Magnum or Kerry VE was, so I don't know if Vince would have been THAT interested with David.

Magnum, though, I'm sure Vince would have offered him Hogan's spot instead of giving that spot to Macho Man. Can you imagine a Magnum as champ VS Macho Man feud? That would have been EPIC, I'm sure!

As for Flair, there was no denying him his ICON status. Flair could wrestle them all and draw $$$. I don't think Crocket would have let sure money get away from him.

Then again, if only we had access to parallel dimensions...

Todd C
WTIC

[TTX]

Flair still an icon. Yes, I think Magnum would have eventually ended up in the WWF if he hadn't been injured. The way Crockett booked, faces would not have had a long world title reign.

[Bazzy]

To me Ric Flair is an Icon just like Hogan , Taker etc

[Big Bri]

DVE would've had a short reign and Flair would've won the belt back pretty fast (probably within 6 months). If Magnum would've won it at Starrcade 86, I give it 9 months before Flair won it back. Maybe they would trade it back and forth a couple times like Flair and Rhodes did, but what other heels would Magnum have had to defend against? Tully and Nikita (who he had already feuded with for the U.S. Title), and then what? I'm not knocking it, as I love the idea of Magnum beating Flair at Starrcade 86, but it just seems like they're were no ready-made heels for him, while Hogan had a monster factory ready to go.