By Jamie Penick, Torch specialist

"You need to understand something. This is WrestleMania, and I am the Heartbreak Kid, the Showstopper. And if you keep pushing for this match at WrestleMania, you leave me no choice; it is your show that is going to be stopped." -- Shawn Michaels to Ric Flair on last night's Raw.

Silence was necessary from Ric Flair this week on Raw.

For this match at WrestleMania and at this point in their storyline, they are two legends – two friends – with the utmost respect for one another. Flair's career is on the line, and he wants to go out with a bang against a good friend. Last week saw Flair present this challenge and scoff at the notion that if they had this match, it was a foregone conclusion that he would lose.

Shawn's promo this week was the perfect follow-up, because his words were more than his competitiveness coming through; it was more than his drive to be the best. His words were said to make Flair question this decision. He wants Ric to think long and hard about going up against him, because let's face it, Ric ain't the same old limousine ridin', jet flying, wheelin' dealin' son of a gun that he once was. Without explicitly stating it, the tone of the promo was Shawn telling Flair he can't cut it anymore, not now, not against him on the biggest stage.

The cocky HBK reared his head, and at the right time. Shawn told Ric what he didn't say last week, and that is he believes it would be a foregone conclusion that Flair would wrestle his last match if he faced him. More than being cocky, it's what the viewing public would believe, and it adds an edge to an otherwise straight up face-face match.

The reason Flair's silence worked best is that he now has to reconsider this match. Shawn is trying to make him question himself and what he is really capable of at this stage of his career. As he was walking up the ramp, he told Flair to think about it. Shawn's unrelenting drive to be the Showstopper, especially at WrestleMania, works wonderfully here. While he doesn't want to end his friend's career, he's sure enough of himself and recognizes where he's at in respect to Flair to know what would happen.

Now, the key is in the next chapter of this story. After letting it sink in, after pondering his future and this match, and after searching for what he still has left, Ric has to come back next week and he needs to cut a Flair promo on Shawn. He needs to show Shawn that the old dog has something left in the tank. He needs to let the Showstopper know that his show stops for no one. Ric Flair, the greatest wrestler of all time, needs to let Shawn know that despite what HBK thinks is a foregone conclusion, he's still got something to say about the outcome.

If we get a rebuttal from Flair along those lines, this could become something really special, and something to remember for a long time to come.

Jamie Penick is a regular audio guest with James Caldwell on the Raw post-game show, available in the Torch VIP audio section. He can also be heard on the regular ROH audio updates discussing recent DVD and PPV releases.

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