DOING THE JOB...... The Nature Boy Ric Flairs journey to his first world title, ~Nature Boy fans youre going to love this one. Im not going to focus on the stuff we already know. Flair has lost the world title at least 16 times. (More with creative math) we know all about that. We are going to take a journey from the beginning of Flairs career, until his first World title loss in 1983. PART TWO will continue on from there and so forth. Here we go Nature Boy fans, Wooooo!!! 1972 American Wrestling Association: NOTE-Ric Flair makes his Professional wrestling debut on December 10 1972 in Rice Lake MN. He battled George Scrap Iron Gadaski to a 10-minute draw. DECEMBER 13 1972, Fargo, ND Rene Goulet beat Ric Flair DECEMBER 26 1972, Moline, IL Larry Hennig beat Ric Flair ~Funny how 20 years later Larrys son becomes Flairs executive consultant. 1973 MARCH 24 1973, Chicago, IL Jimmy Valiant beat Ric Flair MARCH 25 1973 Minneapolis, MN Reggie Parks beat Ric Flair(11:12) via pinfall MARCH 26 1973, Minneapolis, MN(TV) Ric Flair beat Ivan Koloff by DQ ~Flairs first big win over a big name in the business, albeit by D.Q. JUNE 9 1973, Chicago, IL Bob Bruggers beat Ric Flair ~These two were in the plane crash together a few years after this. JUNE 9 1973, Chicago, IL Jim Brunzell beat Ric Flair ~Double duty on the same day, two jobs for Flair. While working for-Big Time Wrestling: JUNE 13 1973, San Antonio, TX Johnny Fargo(Greg Valentine) beat Ric Flair ~The first ever Ric Flair/Greg Valentine match on record. International Wrestling Enterprise(Japan): JUNE 19 1973, Kasama, Japan Rusher Kimura beat Ric Flair JUNE 27 1973, Hanyu, Japan Isamu Teranishi beat Ric Flair JUNE 28 1973, Karasuyama, Japan Animal Hamaguchi beat Ric Flair JUNE 29 1973, Handa, Japan Mighty Inoue beat Ric Flair JULY 4 1973, Toyama, Japan Great Kusatsu beat Ric Flair(13:52) by submission JULY 10 1973, Okayama, Japan Isamu Teranishi beat Ric Flair JULY 12 1973, Takada, Japan Strong Kobayashi beat Ric Flair AMERICAN WRESTLING ASSOCIATION 07/25 Honolulu, HI Hard Boiled Haggerty beat Ric Flair 08/10 Denver, CO Greg Gagne beat Ric Flair via pinfall ~One of several pinfall wins over Flair. 08/11 Chicago, IL Art Thomas beat Ric Flair 09/21 Denver, CO Ricky Romero beat Ric Flair 10/03 Minneapolis, MN(TV) Ric Flair beat Roddy Piper ~These two had a series of matches in the AWA. Flair came out on top each time. These two wrestled each other almost everywhere. Big Time Wrestling: 10/15 Fort Worth, TX Sonny King beat Ric Flair 10/16 Dallas, TX Dale Lewis beat Ric Flair 10/25 Winnipeg, Manitoba Tony Rocco beat Ric Flair 1/23 Peoria, IL George Gadaski beat Ric Flair ~Flairs first ever opponent must have made a few adjustments to score the victory. 12/11 Omaha, NE Chris Taylor beat Ric Flair Give or take, Taylor ended up scoring about ten pinfall wins over The Nature Boy. 12/27 Mendota, IL Ken Patera beat Ric Flair 1974 02/20 Moorhead, MN Geoff Portz beat Ric Flair 03/02 Chicago, IL Pepper Gomez beat Ric Flair 04/13 Minneapolis, MN Buddy Wolff beat Ric Flair 04/19 Denver, CO Ivan Putski beat Ric Flair(8:00) via pinfall 05/06 Moline, IL Jim Brunzell beat Ric Flair ~Flair had done his time, done his jobs, and was heading out for greener pastures. Well okay, he still did jobs. MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 05/20 Fayetteville, NC Ed Wiskowski beat Ric Flair ~Dont google it, who is Ed Wiskowski fans? NOTE-On May 27 1974 in Greenville, SC, Ric Flair & Rip Hawk beat Danny Miller & Nelson Royal. ~Flairs first taste of gold. NOTE-07/04 Greensboro, NC Ric Flair & Rip Hawk beat Paul Jones & Bob Bruggers(26:00) by submission to win NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title 07/12 Richmond, VA Tiger Conway, Jr. beat Ric Flair ~Tiger Conway went on to score around 15 pinfall victories over Flair. 07/15 Greenville, SC Swede Hanson beat Ric Flair 10/04 Charleston, SC Sonny King beat Ric Flair NOTE-On December 6 1974 in Charleston, SC, Paul Jones & Tiger Conway, Jr. beat Ric Flair & Brute Bernard(sub for Rip Hawk) to win NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title 1975 NOTE-On February 8 1975 in Winston-Salem, NC, Ric Flair beat Paul Jones by submission to win NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Title ~Flairs first taste of singles gold!! NOTE-On March 13 1975 in Greensboro, NC Dusty Rhodes beat Ric Flair by DQ in their first ever known one on one match. MARCH 17 1975, Fayetteville, NC Ken Patera beat Ric Flair MARCH 18 1975, Columbia, SC Ken Patera beat Ric Flair MARCH 20 1975, Norfolk, VA Ken Patera beat Ric Flair APRIL 11 1975, Charleston, SC Paul Jones beat Ric Flair NOTE-Probably a series of non title matches. JUNE 21 1975, Spartanburg, SC Wahoo McDaniel beat Ric Flair ~There will only be a handful of Wahoo matches listed here. Be rest assured these two wrestled each other so many times my eyes hurt to read them all. One of Flairs most frequent opponents in his career. AUGUST 8 1975, Richmond, VA Paul Jones beat Ric Flair to win NWA Mid Atlantic Television Title ~Flair drops the title back to Jones after a six month reign. AUGUST 11 1975, Greenville, SC Wahoo McDaniel beat Ric Flair in an Indian strap match SEPTEMBER 16 1975, Columbia, SC Mr. Wrestling beat Ric Flair NOTE-On SEPTEMBER 20 1975 in Hampton, VA, Ric Flair beat Wahoo McDaniel to win NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Title ~Count it! Another title for Flair. Mid Atlantic Champion! SEPTEMBER 23 1975, Columbia, SC Mr. Wrestling beat Ric Flair 1976 FEBRUARY 29 1986, Greensboro, NC Ric Flair beat Dusty Rhodes WORLD WIDE WRESTLING FEDERATION 03/01 New York, NY Ric Flair beat Pete Sanchez ~First match ever for The McMahons. MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 03/12 Charleston, SC Paul Jones beat Ric Flair 03/13 Greensboro, NC Dusty Rhodes beat Ric Flair in a lights out match CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM FLORIDA 04/17 St. Petersburg, FL Ric Flair beat Abe Jacobs WORLD WIDE WRESTLING FEDERATION 04/26 New York, NY Ric Flair beat Frank Williams MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 04/27 Columbia, SC Wahoo McDaniel beat Ric Flair in an Indian strap match 05/03 Charlotte, NC Wahoo McDaniel beat Ric Flair to win NWA Mid Atlantic Title 05/14 Richmond, VA Dino Bravo beat Ric Flair NOTE-On MAY 24 1976 in Charlotte, NC, Ric Flair beat Wahoo McDaniel to win NWA Mid Atlantic Title in a title vs. hair match ~Imagine if Flair had lost his hair? Oh boy. SEPTEMBER 11 1976, Greenville, SC Wahoo McDaniel beat Ric Flair to win NWA Mid Atlantic Title in a steel cage match NOTE-On OCTOBER 16 1976 in Greensboro, NC Ric Flair beat Wahoo McDaniel(21:00) to win NWA Mid Atlantic Title in a title vs. hair match. You see how Flair comes through when his hair is on the line? I do. 12/26 Greensboro, NC Ric Flair & Greg Valentine beat Gene & Ole Anderson to win NWA World Tag Title in a no DQ match 12/27 Richmond, VA Wahoo McDaniel beat Ric Flair to win NWA Mid Atlantic Title in a no DQ match 1977 03/06 Asheville, NC Ric Flair vs. Ole Anderson in a steel cage match NOTE-On APRIL 4 1977 in Greenville, SC Ric Flair beat Rufus R. Jones to win NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Title. NOTE-On APRIL 12 1977 in Columbia, SC Ric Flair and Harley Race battle to a double DQ in their first ever one on one encounter. NOTE-On APRIL 22 1977 in Lumberton, NC Ric Flair battles Ricky Steamboat to a draw in their first ever one on one. encounter. 05/07 Spartanburg, SC Bobo Brazil beat Ric Flair NOTE-05/08 Charlotte, NC Gene & Ole Anderson beat Ric Flair & Greg Valentine via pinfall to win NWA World Tag Title in a steel cage match with Wahoo McDaniel as special referee 05/22 Roanoke, VA Ole Anderson beat Ric Flair 06/15 Raleigh, NC(TV) Ricky Steamboat beat Ric Flair to win NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Title. THE MATCH!......youtu.be/jHG8lIlP64I NOTE-ON JUNE 30 1977 in Anderson, SC Ric Flair & Greg Valentine beat Dino Bravo & Tiger Conway, Jr. to win NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Title. NOTE-On JULY 29 1977 in Richmond, VA, Ric Flair beat Bobo Brazil to win NWA(Mid Atlantic) United States Title NWA WESTERN STATES 08/18 Amarillo, TX Abdullah The Butcher beat Ric Flair(10:42) by countout MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 08/22 Greensboro, NC Paul Jones & Ricky Steamboat beat Ric Flair & Greg Valentine to win NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Title NWA WESTERN STATES 09/15 Amarillo, TX Dory Funk, Jr. beat Ric Flair(11:29) by countout GEORGIA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 09/23 Atlanta, GA Tony Atlas beat Ric Flair by DQ MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 10/21 Charleston, SC Ricky Steamboat beat Ric Flair(30:00) to win NWA(Mid Atlantic) United States Title GEORGIA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 12/09 Atlanta, GA Dusty Rhodes beat Ric Flair MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 12/09 Richmond, VA Mr. Wrestling beat Ric Flair CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FROM FLORIDA 12/21 Miami, FL Rocky Johnson beat Ric Flair by countout GEORGIA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 02/06 Augusta, GA Dusty Rhodes beat Ric Flair 1978 St. LOUIS WRESTLING CLUB NOTE-On MARCH 3 1978 in St. Louis, MO Ric Flair beat Pat OConnor(21:02) ~Big win over former NWA king Pat OConnor. MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 03/18 Hampton, VA Dick Murdoch beat Ric Flair GEORGIA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 04/16 Atlanta, GA Stan Hansen beat Ric Flair MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 07/14 Richmond, VA Blackjack Mulligan beat Ric Flair St. LOUIS WRESTLING CLUB 09/16 St. Louis, MO Ric Flair beat Ted DiBiase by submission 10/06 St. Louis, MO Harley Race beat Ric Flair(19:02) by countout in 2 of 3 fall match MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 11/27 Greenville, SC Jimmy Snuka beat Ric Flair Snukas pinned Flair 20 times, at least. 12/17 Toronto, Ontario Rick Steamboat beat Ric Flair(30:58) via pinfall to win NWA(Mid Atlantic) United States Title 12/18 Kitchener, Ontario Ric Flair vs. Gene Kiniski ~This is where i live and if i had been old enough at the time, i would have been there! 1979 02/13 Raleigh, NC Paul Orndorff beat Ric Flair 11/22 Norfolk, VA Buddy Rogers beat Ric Flair ~Was shocked to learn that they actually wrestled several matches. I was only ever aware that they wrestled twice but no. Buddy came out on top on this night. 02/04 Toronto, Ontario Dino Bravo beat Ric Flair(19:35) Bravo would defeat Flair no less than twelve times during this period. St. LOUIS WRESTLING CLUB 03/07 St. Louis, MO Ric Flair beat Jack Brisco(14:32) in a 2 of 3 falls match with Pat OConnor as special referee MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING ~Jimmy Snuka would prove dominate over The Nature Boy until......... 03/11 Raleigh, NC Jimmy Snuka beat Ric Flair 03/14 Charleston, SC Jimmy Snuka beat Ric Flair 03/16 Greensboro, NC Jimmy Snuka beat Ric Flair 03/18 Raleigh, NC Jimmy Snuka beat Ric Flair NOTE-04/20 Greensboro, NC Ric Flair beat Jimmy Snuka to win NWA(Mid Atlantic) United States Title ST. LOUIS WRESTLING CLUB 07/12 St. Louis, MO David Von Erich beat Ric Flair(19:52) MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 07/26 Charlotte, NC Greg Valentine beat Ric Flair(29:00) to win NWA(Mid Atlantic) United States Title 08/31 Greensboro, NC Greg Valentine beat Ric Flair CENTRAL STATES WRESTLING 11/20 Kansas City, KS Bob Brown beat Ric Flair ST LOUIS WRESTLING CLUB 11/21 St. Louis, MO Dick The Bruiser beat Ric Flair in a lumberjack match MID ATLANTIC CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING 11/24 Greenville, SC Ric Flair beat Greg Valentine to win NWA(Mid Atlantic) United States Title 1981 01/11 Greensboro, NC Harley Race beat Ric Flair 01/27 Raleigh, NC Roddy Piper beat Ric Flair(13:31) to win NWA(Mid Atlantic) United States Title ST LOUIS WRESTLING CLUB 05/15 St. Louis, MO Ted DiBiase beat Ric Flair in a 2 of 3 falls match CENTRAL STATES WRESTLING 06/11 Kansas City, KS Bob Sweetan beat Ric Flair Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling: 07/28 Columbia, SC Ivan Koloff beat Ric Flair in a lumberjack match Central States Wrestling: 08/06 Kansas City, KS Rufus R. Jones beat Ric Flair St. Louis Wrestling Club: 08/07 St. Louis, MO Dusty Rhodes beat Ric Flair in a 2 of 3 falls match Championship Wrestling from Florida: 09/08 Tampa, FL Jack Brisco beat Ric Flair NOTE-On SEPTEMBER 17 1981 in Kansas City, KS, Ric Flair beat Dusty Rhodes(23:54) to win NWA World Title with Lou Thesz as special referee ~The Nature Boy would start a long hard road as champion. Defending the title against all comers. As we continue to travel Flairs path, just take a look at the schedule this man kept as champion. As NWA World Champion: 09/18 Des Moines, IA Ric Flair draw Harley Race 09/21 Augusta, GA Ric Flair beat Jimmy Snuka 09/22 Macon, GA Ric Flair beat Masked Superstar 09/23 Columbus, GA Ric Flair beat Tommy Rich by countout 09/24 Norfolk, VA Ric Flair beat Ole Anderson 09/26 Columbus, GA Ric Flair beat Tommy Rich 09/27 Atlanta, GA Ric Flair beat Mr. Wrestling II 10/06 Miyagi, Japan Ric Flair beat Genichiro Tenryu in a 2 of 3 falls match 10/07 Yokohama, Japan Ric Flair double countout with Terry Funk in a 2 of 3 falls match 10/20 Kingsport, TN Ric Flair beat Roddy Piper 10/27 Tampa, FL Ric Flair beat Harley Race(25:01) 11/05 Sumter, SC Ric Flair beat Sgt. Slaughter 11/20 St. Louis, MO Ric Flair beat David Von Erich 11/20 Atlanta, GA Ric Flair beat The Iron Sheik 11/29 Charlotte, NC Ric Flair beat Ray Stevens 12/09 Miami, FL Ric Flair beat Wahoo McDaniel 1982 01/01 St. Louis, MO Ric Flair beat Dusty Rhodes in a 2 of 3 falls match 01/02 Greenville, SC Ric Flair beat John Studd 01/12 Wichita, KS Ric Flair beat Harley Race 01/22 Columbus, OH Ric Flair beat Dick Slater NOTE-01/25 Dallas, TX Ric Flair beat Kerry Von Erich by DQ 02/04 Austin, TX Ric Flair beat Kerry Von Erich NOTE-On FEBRUARY 12 1982 in Charleston, SC, Ric Flair and. Barry Windham have their first ever one on one encounter. 02/21 Greensboro, NC Ric Flair beat Ricky Steamboat ~Steamboat and Flair had so many matches against each other i stopped counting. More than Wahoo. 03/07 Dallas, TX Ric Flair beat The Spoiler 03/11 Tampa, FL(TV) Bruce Reed beat Ric Flair 04/01 Kansas City, KS Harley Race beat Ric Flair in a Texas death match 04/17 Sarasota. FL Ric Flair beat Bruce Reed 04/22 Kansas City, KS Ric Flair beat Dewey Robertson 05/18 Mobile, AL Ric Flair beat Terry Gordy 06/20 Columbus, GA Ric Flair beat Bob Armstrong 07/08 Lakeland, FL Ric Flair beat Mike Graham 07/16 Lakeland, FL Ric Flair beat Barry Windham NOTE-On AUGUST 14 1982 in Memphis, TN(TV), Ric Flair goes to a no contest with Jerry Lawler. 08/17 Raleigh, NC Ric Flair beat Jimmy Valiant 08/16 Greenville, SC Ric Flair beat Jake Roberts 08/18 Wadesboro, NC Ric Flair beat Jack Brisco 09/27 Albany, OR Ric Flair beat Terry Gibbs Thought i would throw that in there that Gibbs received a shot at the NWA title. Funny story, he also received a shot at WWF Champion Hulk Hogan in London in 1985. 10/31 Mobile, AL Ric Flair beat Austin Idol 11/11 Kansas City, KS Harley Race beat Ric Flair 12/13 Augusta, GA Bruce Reed beat Ric Flair 12/16 Waterford, Barbados Ric Flair beat Carlos Colon via pinfall 12/25 Dallas, TX Ric Flair beat Kerry Von Erich(24:02) in a steel cage match with Michael Hayes & David Manning as special referees. The famous cage door slamming on Kerrys head angle that ignited the Von Erichs and Freebirds wars. 1983 01/01 Charlotte, NC Ric Flair beat Roddy Piper 01/06 San Juan, Puerto Rico Carlos Colon beat Ric Flair by submission to win NWA World Title in a NWA World Title vs. WWC World Title match....youtube/watch?v=aJjc89PJ6GU ~NOTE-There was an NWA rule enforced and Flair was given back the title. 01/07 Caguas, Puerto Rico Ric Flair beat Hercules Ayala 01/09 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Jack Veneno beat Ric Flair via pinfall to win NWA World Title ~Flair has made this story famous. Read Flairs book for the whole story but this was supposed to be a draw. After a second match and Flair again losing because he was in fear for his life, he was given back the title. 01/12 Miami, FL Ric Flair beat Ron Bass 01/25 Canton, OH Ric Flair beat Paul Orndorff 02/07 Greenville, SC Ric Flair beat Mike Rotundo 02/08 Port of Spain, Trinidad Victor Jovica beat Ric Flair to become the NWA World Champion. The decision was never recognized by the NWA. 02/09 Miami, FL Midnight Rider beat Ric Flair to win NWA World Title ~After Dusty donned the mask, he took the belt. Alas it was not meant to be. The title was returned to Flair and The Midnight Rider rode off into the sunset. Probably hanging out somewhere with the Yellow Dog and Mr America. tongue emoticon 02/20 Toronto, Ontario Ric Flair beat Terry Funk(17:28) via pinfall 03/05 Birmingham, AL Ric Flair beat Jimmy Golden 03/24 Kansas City, KS Ric Flair beat Bruiser Brody by DQ 04/12 Tampa, FL Ric Flair double DQ Big Daddy 05/04 Akron, OH Tony Atlas beat Ric Flair 05/05 Toledo, OH Tony Atlas beat Ric Flair Wow Tony Atlas certainly got the best of Flair in obvious Non title matches. He was getting a huge push back in those days. 05/12 Portland, OR Ric Flair beat Buddy Rose 05/13 Eugene, OR Ric Flair beat Billy Jack Haynes 06/08 Tokyo, Japan Ric Flair battled to a 60 minute draw with Jumbo Tsuruta in a 2 of 3 falls match 06/10 St. Louis, MO Harley Race beat Ric Flair(35:00) to win NWA World Title in a 2 of 3 falls match Harley wanted one more run folks, and he got it. Well he kinda got another one after this one. Well get to that part down the road. ~Shockingly enough fans this was just the very beginning of Flairs Journey towards being the man. Plans would be put in place to build Flair towards regaining the title at the NWAs very first Starrcade. He would become the face of the NWA once again, not missing a beat along the way. Check out PART 2 tomorrow for an in depth look at Flairs 80s dominance.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:54:53 +0000
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