The window of opportunity was there, but it never came to pass...
In 1992, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair was the man to beat in the World Wrestling Federation, as his two championship reigns established him as a member of the "elite" class along with Buddy Rogers, having won both the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Wrestling Federation Titles in his career. During his reign at the top in the "big time", Flair was a fighting champion who turned back the challenges of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage and Sycho Sid on a nightly basis. To be the man you had to beat the man, and very few superstars were able to accomplish that feat while the "dirtiest player in the game" ruled the roost.
That same year, a young Shawn Michaels was just beginning to prove himself as a singles star in professional wrestling. After a bitter breakup with former Rockers partner Marty Jannetty, the Heartbreak Kid would catapult himself to the number one contender spot when he defeated the British Bulldog for the Intercontinental Title. While the chance existed in 1992 for Michaels and Flair to meet inside the squared circle, perhaps Federation officials felt the future member of DeGeneration X wasn't quite up to the ring savvy of the Nature Boy just yet. Almost six years later in 1998, Shawn is arguably the best in the sport, and promoters are no doubt losing sleep over what could have been the match of the decade. In the zone of Fantasy Warfare, however, anything is still possible-including the contest the Titan "brass" dropped the ball on!
"NATURE BOY" RIC FLAIR
STRENGTHS:
Whether you ask the likes of the Undertaker or a rookie starting out in the independents, everyone places Ric Flair in legendary status with names such as Lou Thesz, Harley Race and the late Andre The Giant. His reputation as being "the man" precedes him, and opponents know that he's survived powerbombs and piledrivers, a near career-ending shoulder operation, dozens of broken bones and even a plane crash - and each time has come back for more. Simply put, the Nature Boy is tougher than leather and is perhaps rivaled only by Stone Cold Steve Austin in the department of durability.
WEAKNESSES:
If it's not broken, why fix it? This has been the theory ascribed to Flair's ground-based attack, as he often implements the same tactics each match in order to wear down his opponent and eventually finish him off with the figure-four leglock. However, with the dawning of the aerial athletes in the late 80s to early 90s, some foes were able to avoid the Nature Boy's assault and agitate the legend from the air. An example of this was the late Brian Pillman who many considered a "student" of Flair. Pillman was not only able to avoid the traps of the legend's game plan, including his thunderous chops, but he nearly defeated Ric in several bouts that many wrestling insiders call "classics".
KEY WINS:
Throughout his amazing career, Flair has met - and defeated - some of the toughest athletes the sport had to offer, including Race, Dusty Rhodes, the Funks and Hulk Hogan. The list of grapplers he has beaten in more than two decades would take a wrestling historian hours to complete. Perhaps the defining moment of his career came at the 1992 Royal Rumble when he claimed his first Federation Title reign. Drawing number three in the 30-man field where the winner would claim the gold, Flair survived an unprecedented duration of nearly one hour (a record which Michaels would break in 1995) to finally eliminate Sycho Sid for the win!
KEY LOSSES:
While not a direct influence on his days in the Federation, the "air of supremacy" that surrounded Flair and the Four Horsemen in the 80s diminished somewhat in recent years, leaving him to fight his own battles without backup. Once the most feared pact in wrestling who stopped at nothing to protect Flair's title, the original group consisting of Ric, Ole and Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard became somewhat weakened by the subsequent revolving door of new members. Constantly reforming and readjusting the Horsemen has no doubt taken a tremendous mental toll on the Nature Boy over the years.
FINISHING MOVE:
While he isn't the originator of the figure-four leglock, Flair is among the handful of men in the history of professional wrestling to have mastered the hold to perfection. On some occasions, opponents have passed out from the move, foolishly believing that they could overcome the pain associated with the ripping tendons and joints. One of the simplest submission moves to apply, its effects are purely devastating to both giants and average-sized opponents alike. The theory is simple-if a foe has no legs to stand on, how can he expect to defend himself? A wise veteran like Flair always stuck to that sound thinking, and it has clearly paid great dividends to his win column.
STRATEGY: Although Flair is perhaps more dangerous and experienced than anyone in the sport, the athletic prowess of Shawn Michaels might prove lethal to the Nature Boy. The Heartbreak Kid has no qualms about going to a high-flying attack if necessary, and that's exactly where Flair's weakness lies. However, if Ric were to go after Shawn's vulnerable knees at the outset of the match, he might very well have his golden ticket to finishing off the DX member. Based on the recent injuries to Shawn's wheels, Flair's figure-four leglock might utterly destroy his opponent's chances of mounting an offense. Attacking early and going for the legs would be the key to Flair walking out with the win!
"HEARTBREAK KID" SHAWN MICHAELS
STRENGTHS:
Like Flair, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels may get knocked down, but match after match he always gets back up. While many label him "annoying" and "immature", he has the heart of a lion and is considered perhaps the top superstar in professional wrestling today. Shawn is constantly finding new ways to outthink his opponents and if backed into a corner, he can improvise like no other to get himself out. He can match you in a pure technical encounter or bloody you in a vicious brawl-the choice is yours! Also, the fact that the other members of DX watch Michaels' back on a nightly basis doesn't hurt his cause either!
WEAKNESSES:
As mentioned earlier, injuries to Shawn's knees in recent years have forced the Heartbreak Kid to the sidelines on numerous occasions. He may very well be the self-proclaimed "ICON that can still go," but many wonder just how far Shawn can push himself today in a match without putting his knees-and career-on the line. Another weakness that sometimes plagues the Heartbreak Kid lies in what he enjoys doing the most - annoying people! You can only push someone so far and opponents like Bret "Hit Man" Hart have vented their aggression toward Shawn in painful - and sometimes bloody - ways.
KEY WINS:
Like the Nature Boy, Shawn has taken down the best in the sport, while at the same time earning the nickname of "giant killer" based on his wins over Yokozuna, the Undertaker, Diesel and other big men. Three wins highlight his successful career, including his victory in the WrestleMania XII "Iron Man Match" over the Hit Man for the Federation Title. Then came his return to San Antonio, Texas, at the '97 Royal Rumble where he defeated Sycho Sid in front of over 60,000 hometown fans to recapture the belt. After that, the Heartbreak Kid became the first "Grand Slam" champion in the history of the Federation - winning all four belts - when he beat the British Bulldog for the European Title at September's "One Night Only" U.K. Pay-Per-View.
KEY LOSSES:
Former friends and tag team partners have often come back to bite Shawn in the loss column throughout his career, as the Heartbreak Kid's cockiness has caused friction with those around him. After throwing Marty Jannetty through a glass window back in 1992, the former Rocker partner made a surprise return months later and beat Michaels for the Intercontinental Title. Then, in the midst of a Tag Team Championship in 1994, tempers flared between Shawn and partner Diesel, leaving the title vacant and both men at odds. Finally, Sid turned his back on the Heartbreak Kid twice in recent years - attacking him on RAW the night after WrestleMania XI and later snaring the Federation Title from Shawn at the 1996 Survivor Series.
FINISHING MOVE:
In recent years, Shawn has developed perhaps the most effective - and easily utilized - finisher in the Federation. His "Sweet Chin Music" thrust kick can be used at any point in the match, as Michaels doesn't require any type of setup to unleash the effective maneuver. All that is needed is the window of opportunity for execution, which isn`t difficult because of the fact that Michaels simply needs to position himself in an opponent's blind side. Using all his power to kick a foe square in the jaw, the competition is rendered nearly unconscious and often has some loose teeth to tend to following the loss. Shawn has used the devastating effects of Sweet Chin Music to capture both his Federation Title reigns.
STRATEGY:
Because Flair sticks to his ground-based attack so religiously, Michaels might find the key to victory in a sound aerial attack. Standing up to an experienced legend in the Nature Boy would perhaps be a strategy the cocky Heartbreak Kid might wisely think twice about. Always one to seize the opportunity when it presents itself, he should also consider having the other members of DX at ringside to give him the added edge. However, if it were simply one-on-one, Shawn would have to protect his knees from the Nature Boy at all costs - as the effects of the figure-four would convince him what a "show stopper" really is. Both superstars may have the keys to success in their own brand of strategy, but predicting who would be the first to implement it is anyone's guess! In the zone of Fantasy Warfare, this historic match between Michaels and Flair would be too tough even for the most experienced wrestling aficionado to call!