Former WWE Writer Reveals Original Ric Flair Retirement Storyline Plans, WWE Trying To Sign Sting
Ric Flair has found himself involved in yet another WrestleMania, as he'll see his daughter Charlotte defend the Diva's Championship this Sunday at the big event. Just 8 years ago, one of wrestling's most emotional moments went down as Ric Flair retired.
However, if Vince McMahon had his way, the story would have started much earlier. When myself and Wrestling Inc founder Raj Giri spoke to AAA and Lucha Underground's Court Bauer, he revealed who pitched the idea.
"At WrestleMania 23, (Steve Austin) floated to Vince that he thought Ric would be retiring soon...and pitched this idea that Ric would lose at WrestleMania, and he'd be fighting the odds every match, and if he lost, he'd retire, and it would culminate at WrestleMania. A broad idea," Bauer said.
According to Bauer, McMahon loved the idea and demanded a plan to be drawn up.
"Vince loved the idea and said we're doing it. He told Brian Gewirtz to do it. By late June Vince is like 'where's that story at? let's do it.' Nothing. He gets upset and I get assigned the story. I map it out, we know where it's going and ending, but how do we get there? I wanted to sprinkle in moments from his life and career, and build these pay-per-views like chapters, revisiting his rivalries. Along the way he was going to have confrontations with younger talents who would get the rub working with him and having these fresh, one of a kind matches," said Bauer.
If the idea had gone down the way it was planned, we would have seen several major legends return, and even the likes of Dean Malenko wrestling again. Bauer also said that the WWE tried to sign Sting, and Ted Dibiase was pushing hard for it.
"I remember we were going to have a Survivor Series and bring back the Horsemen against Flair's greatest rivals," recalled Bauer. "It was going to be Ricky Steamboat, Mick Foley, Dusty and Sting against Flair, Malenko, Barry Windham. I think Sting's contract with TNA was coming up, but he was considering it. Ted Dibiase was pushing it hard. It was very close, but it didn't happen. They did a different, briefer story with Mr. McMahon laying down the gauntlet. I don't think it got the mileage they could have got.
Also going down tonight is WaleMania 2, featuring several big names in the business, and of course Wale himself. Bauer told us that general admission and VIP tickets are both sold out for WaleMania, but tickets may be available at the door. WaleMania 2 takes place this tonight at 7:30 PM local time at Winstons Supperclub. You can find more info at this link.
You can hear Bauer's comments on the Ric Flair storyline in the video player above, or the audio player belon