“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair is often recognized as one of the most charismatic performers pro wrestling has ever had. This is partly due to being so memorable on the mic. Whenever he would speak, he knew people were going to listen.
Flair spoke recently with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on the latter’s podcast, The Steve Austin Show. During the show, he divulged what he considers to be a major problem with today’s current product and roster of superstars: heavily scripted promos.
Catch-22
He believes that the majority of current promos are so scripted due to WWE’s lack of faith in their superstars to talk and entertain in the way he, Austin, and The Rock did.
Flair recalled watching Austin pace the backstage area, collecting his thoughts before getting on the mic. He had full faith in Austin because he “knew where he was going” with the flow and point of the promo. He had a “gameplan” and didn’t need “40 writers” to help him craft his story.
“[…] when you have that groove and the capacity to entertain the crowd, they [the WWE] have to let you run with it, and I don’t see that much these days because I think they’re worried that the kids don’t have enough experience,” Flair explained.
“It’s not that they can’t, but that they don’t have enough experience, so I think it’s harder these days from that standpoint.”
The issue becomes a Catch-22 for the WWE. With no faith in their superstars, their roster will never develop and learn the skills needed. Without those skills and trust, the WWE will never veer from heavily scripted promos.
What do you think? Should WWE trust their talent more? Do you believe that scripted promos are fine the way they are?
