BLEED, SWEAT, AND PAY THE PRICE WRITTEN: August 5, 2002

Is anyone looking forward to SummerSlam's main event? Because if you are - you're a better man than I!

I don't plan on ordering the show. Brock's had his chance with me over the past four months - and now that he's on Stephanie's show, I don't even see him anymore. I fell asleep during his match with RVD at Vengeance…literally.

Why is sticking with the "same faces" such a bad thing…especially if the "same faces" have never feuded but you've dreamed about it for years.

1999 wasn't that long ago - but it feels a lifetime away. I occasionally watched RAW, and saw The Rock deliver high quality promos and top notch matches. Meanwhile, over on Nitro - the man who carried WCW through dark period after dark period was locked up in an asylum.

I could only wonder what magic would transpire if The Great One met up with The Nature Boy. And three years later it's even more apparent that Rocky is without a doubt the greatest wrestler of our era. Not Steve Austin, not Kurt Angle, and certainly not Triple H. Nobody has a greater presence inside the ring.

He's exactly what Ric Flair was.

Ric Flair is in the twilight of his career. Within a year, he should be finished. And it hurts to see the greatest wrestler of all time constantly treated like a second class citizen.

Oh sure - Flair's been buried for years, this isn't anything new. Promoters have tried their damnedest to keep him down, but Ric keeps ticking.

Isn't the WWF the place where he was supposed to finally be treated right however? I remember during the InVasion - I must have heard countless times "we want Flair!". And now when I get irritated at the way he's getting used, I get nailed with "he's old, he should retire". So…which is it you want?

I'll tell you what I want. Some consistency from the Nature Boy character. Remember a couple of months ago when Flair jobbed clean to Brock? It didn't bug me so much that he lost - that was the way to go…but it was how he jobbed. Flair lost because Heyman interfered - Flair went over to get rid of him, and walked into the F5. The Nature Boy isn't that stupid.

And last week, he had a non-title shot against Rocky - after which it was "expected" he'd retire. Excuse me if I take the role of Head Booker for just a moment.

We open RAW - we run over what's to come, and tonight Ric Flair has an announcement. He's expected to retire. However, The Rock has requested a go around with Ric just one more time…no titles are on the line.

Do the show as you will. Shawn Michaels goes headfirst through a car, Benoit defeats RVD, etc.

Main event time. The guys do their thing, with Ric looking surprisingly in control. (Rocky is one of the guys in the company who can aid Ric in looking REALLY strong as we did witness on the little things, like chops…) The Rock appears to be making his comeback - but a chop block takes Rocky's legs out for good, and Ric slaps on the Figure Four. Rocky taps.

Ric helps Rocky up, and Rocky's sporting his movie star grin. They shake hands, embrace, and now comes time for the announcement… Rocky starts to head up the aisle.

Ric asks Rocky to hang on for just a moment. Come back here. It's funny - tonight he'd come to the arena thinking he just didn't have it anymore. His wins and loss record wasn't what it used to be, and the time felt right to hang it up. He thanks The Rock for giving him the chance to prove he still had it. Rocky keeps grinning, happy to do it, etc. HOWEVER - after tonight, it's occurred to him that this win would make him the number one contender. And if he's beaten the best in the business once - what's to say he can't do it twice.

"Rock…get your boots on - because at SummerSlam, we're gonna bleed, we're gonna sweat, and we're going to pay the price! You and me for the World's Heavyweight Title pal! WOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Rocky appears perplexed more than anything and tries to talk Ric out of it. But Ric's got all the confidence in the world.

Leave it there… Jim Ross can go through his whole "oh mah god, that's a blockbuster folks! The Nature Boy and The Great One at SummerSlam - it's gonna be a slobberknocker." Whatever.

As the weeks go on - have Ric talk about this being his chance to firmly cement his legacy as the greatest of all time. Meanwhile, Rocky gets more and more irritated at Ric's cockiness, and insinuates he tapped out on purpose as a show of respect - but in a different situation it would NEVER happen again.

And then at SummerSlam…. I'm not giving that away - this is what YOU get to pay money for.

I believe this would draw. Perhaps not any better than Brock vs. Rocky is going to - I can't compare it to something that hasn't happened yet. But it would entertain ME, and ultimately that's all *I* care about.

Brock Lesnar will be around for a long time to come. Ric Flair won't.

It's now or never…and I'm starting to fear for the latter.