On a recent edition of his “The ARN Show” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson revealed the secret sauce of a great WarGames match and discussed the feud between Ric Flair and Rick Rude.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On Rick Rude vs. Ric Flair matches not clicking: “Yeah. Just because you have two tremendous workers doesn’t mean they have great chemistry. Rude had a pace that was slower than most. He was better served to be the champion and have a guy challenging. Because he could take the beating and do all of his stuff, the Rick Rude stuff, and the reverse Atomic Drop and all the things that he sold really well. He could do it at his own pace if he was the champion. It didn’t have the same feel if he’s the challenger because you have to step up your pacing and your urgency. You’re trying to become the champion. And sometimes you just don’t have great chemistry with some guys.”
On whether he was surprised Rick Rude didn’t win the WWE Title: “Yeah, I mean, they used him well. He was the Intercontinental Champion, their set-up title for the World [Title], the next guy that was going to be your guy. It just came at a time I think during the Hogan era. It might have been what prevented Rick from winning the title. A lot of guys were standing in line, and Hogan had that long run, which probably knocked a bunch of guys out of a shot at it.”
On Rude winning the WCW World Title from Flair in 1993: “Better served as the champion I think, than being the challenger.”
On what makes for a great WarGames match: “Well, there’s a formula that always works. But if you vary from that formula, I don’t know what you got. Because however many of those I was in, same formula. I would start, Dusty or whoever would start with me, and you had your coin flip. It was imperative that the heels won the coin flip so you would always have a two-on-one situation. Then the babyface came in next and evened it up. Then another heel would come in, and it was like you always had the advantage if you were the bad guys. And you were available then for the next fresh babyface who’s coming in to feed him a comeback. And if you didn’t go to him and soon as he stepped through that door, if you were on the other side of the ring hypothetically, two rings put together. If a guy had to go and cover all the way, two rings to get to a guy to get beat up, flat. There needed to be one guy or two guys, depending on how many were in the ring to meet him as soon as he stepped in that cage and cut down on that dead time, that was imperative.”
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WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson recently shared some insights on his podcast, “The ARN Show,” about what makes a great WarGames match and discussed the feud between Ric Flair and Rick Rude. Let’s dive into the highlights from the podcast.
Anderson first discussed the chemistry between Rick Rude and Ric Flair. He mentioned that even though both wrestlers were tremendous workers, they didn’t have great chemistry in the ring. Anderson explained that Rude had a slower pace compared to most wrestlers, and he was better suited to be the champion rather than the challenger. As the champion, Rude could take a beating and execute his signature moves at his own pace. However, when he was the challenger, the pacing and urgency needed to be heightened, which affected the chemistry between the two.
When asked if he was surprised that Rick Rude didn’t win the WWE Title, Anderson acknowledged that Rude was used well in the company. He held the Intercontinental Championship, which was considered the set-up title for the World Title. However, during the Hogan era, many wrestlers were vying for a shot at the title, and Hogan’s long run as champion might have prevented Rude from winning the top title.
Anderson also touched upon Rude winning the WCW World Title from Flair in 1993. He believed that Rude was better served as the champion rather than being the challenger. This further emphasized Anderson’s point about Rude’s style and pacing being more suitable for a champion’s role.
Moving on to WarGames matches, Anderson revealed the secret sauce for a great match. He explained that there is a formula that always works, and any variation from that formula might not yield the desired result. The formula involved starting with a two-on-one advantage for the heels after winning the coin flip. The babyface would then enter the match to even the odds, followed by another heel to regain the advantage. This pattern continued, with the fresh babyface making a comeback against the heels. Anderson emphasized the importance of minimizing dead time by having the heels meet the babyface as soon as they entered the cage, ensuring a continuous flow of action.
In conclusion, Arn Anderson’s insights shed light on the chemistry between wrestlers, the challenges of pacing in matches, and the key elements of a successful WarGames match. Wrestling fans can find more news and updates on eWrestlingNews.com or follow their Twitter and Facebook pages for the latest information.