Ric Flair and Conrad Thompson Talk Wahoo McDaniel

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

While doing research for my book on the history of the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship, I came across an edited audio clip we presented earlier on our site from the old Ric Flair Show podcast produced and hosted by Conrad Thompson for the MLW Radio Network. The topic for "This Week in History" on that episode was the night Ric beat Wahoo McDaniel for the Mid-Atlantic title for the first time in September of 1975.

Ric and Conrad talk about the match with Wahoo, the plane crash that almost ended Ric's career just two weeks later, and some other great stories about Wahoo and what he meant to Ric personally and to his career.

The vintage audio clip during the segment is from "Wide World Wrestling"  in 1975 hosted by Ed Capral, who reviews film of the Hampton match with Ric alongside for commentary. The clip is part of a huge library of vintage audio from David Chappell.

So enjoy this classic audio trip back in time, not only to the glory days of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in the mid-1970s, but also to 2016 during the great run of The Ric Flair Show.

No doubt 1975 was the breakout year for Ric Flair who would go on to become one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the sport, and certainly its greatest champion.

Relive all the events of the landmark year of 1975 in the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling 1975 Yearbook.

The book includes reproductions of all four issues of "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine" that was sold as the arena program that year.

Plus a huge collection of newspaper clippings, posters, and complete results for the entire year. Plus our signature "Almanac" material featuring a complete roster of wrestlers for the year, and summaries of all major feuds and matches for the year.

This post was edited from an original post on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway from March of 2019.

Ric Flair Show Flashback: Ric and Conrad talk about Wahoo McDaniel

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

I've been doing research for an upcoming book on the history of the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight championship and came across an edited audio clip we presented earlier from the old Ric Flair Show podcast produced and hosted by Conrad Thompson for the MLW Radio Network. The topic for "This Week in History" on that episodes was the night Ric beat Wahoo McDaniel for the Mid-Atlantic title for the first time in September of 1975.

Ric and Conrad talk about the match with Wahoo, the plane crash that almost ended Ric's career just two weeks later, and some other stories about great Wahoo and what he meant to Ric personally and to his career.

The vintage audio clip during the segment is from "Wide World Wrestling"  in 1975 hosted by Ed Capral, who reviews film of the Hampton match with Ric alongside for commentary. The clip is part of a huge library of vintage audio from David Chappell.

So enjoy this classic audio trip back in time, not only to the glory days of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in the mid-1970s, but also to 2016 during the great run of The Ric Flair Show.

For the opportunity to see Ric Flair and other great Mid-Atlantic Wrestling legends like Ricky Steamboat, Greg Valentine, Arn Anderson, Barry Windham, Tully Blanchard, James J. Dillon, Magnum T.A., Terry Funk, and Tony Schiavone (plus tons of other wrestling legends from yesterday and today) head to Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas May 23-26 for STARRCAST II, perhaps the greatest wrestling fan convention ever put together! Visit the Starrcast II website for more information.

No doubt 1975 was the breakout year for Ric Flair who would go on to become one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the sport, and certainly its greatest champion.

Relive all the events of the landmark year of 1975 in the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling 1975 Yearbook.

The book includes reproductions of all four issues of "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine" that was sold as the arena program that year.

Plus a huge collection of newspaper clippings, posters, and complete results for the entire year. Plus our signature "Almanac" material featuring a complete roster of wrestlers for the year, and summaries of all major feuds and matches for the year.

Forty-Two Years Ago: Ric Flair beats Wahoo McDaniel for the Mid-Atlantic Title

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway



Forty-two years ago today, on September 20, 1975, Ric Flair defeated Wahoo McDaniel in Hampton, VA, to win the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship. Despite Flair being a bonafide up-and-comer and already getting attention within the business from many different promoters, this was still considered an upset at the time, as no one figured Flair could really beat the veteran McDaniel.

Mid-Atlantic champ Ric Flair

But it did happen in the Hampton Coliseum, and it is considered Flair's first major singles championship win of his career. He had held the TV title earlier in the year, and had held the tag team titles earlier with his "uncle" Rip Hawk.  But the Mid-Atlantic title was considered the top area championship. Wahoo had fought former champ Johnny Valentine for months and had finally won the title and had more credibility with fans in the Mid-Atlantic area than almost any other wrestler. He was certainly the most popular. Flair's victory over him put Flair permanently in the main events and set a hall-of-fame career in motion.

During the short-lived "Ric Flair Show" podcast, Ric and co-host Conrad Thompson would turn back the clock each week and look at a moment in Ric Flair's amazing career. The segment was sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Gateway and we provided many of the historical audio clips heard on the show.

Ric Flair and Conrad Thompson
"The Ric Flair Show" July 2016

The above audio excerpt is from one of those "This Week in History" segments which focused on this historic title win by Flair. The vintage audio clip during the segment is from "Wide World Wrestling"  in 1975 hosted by Ed Capral, who reviews film of the Hampton match with Ric along for commentary. Ric and Conrad then discuss what the win meant to Flair and of course, Flair's reverence for Chief Wahoo McDaniel.

We miss "The Ric Flair Show." Producer and co-host Conrad Thompson did an amazing job in putting together a wonderful show full of fun and interesting features, our favorite being "This Week in History."

Thompson now hosts highly popular podcasts with Bruce Prichard ("Something to Wrestle") and Tony Schiavone ("What Happened When") on the MLW Radio Network. "What Happened When" this week features Tony Schiavone talking about his many years working with Ric Flair.

Flair beats Wahoo. And the rest was history. Great memories from "The Ric Flair Show" and the Mid-Atlantic Gateway!

Magnum T.A. currently on "The Ric Flair Show"

Ric Flair and Conrad Thompson

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

In case you missed it, go to "The Ric Flair Show" and check out the current podcast with guest Magnum T.A. It is one of my favorite episodes so far, and great to hear some stories from one of my favorite periods of time for Jim Crockett Promotions.

Magnum has a new documentary DVD out called "I Never Quit: The Magnum T.A. Story" produced and edited by documentarian Michael Elliot for Highspots.com. We reviewed that DVD earlier on the Gateway. 

No word yet on this upcoming week's guest, but the show debuts every Wednesday night MLW Radio Network (mlwradio.com), so stay tuned.
 
Along with his co-host (and friend of the Gateway) Conrad Thompson, "The Ric Flair Show" drops every Wednesday at 9 PM  later on the MLW Radio Network (mlwradio.com), RicFlairShow.com, iTunes and many other podcast platforms.


Look for the Ric Flair show every Wednesday night! Ric will review the big news in pro-wrestling for the week, travel back in time on "This Week in Wrestling History", plus the call of the week, contests, and so much more. Wooooo!

In weeks to come, you’ll hear the Nature Boy talk about the “good ole days” with his friends like Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Sting, Bret “the Hitman” Hart, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Kurt Angle, Eric Bischoff, and every other major name in wrestling from the last 40 years.

Ric has some of his other friends on the show too like NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and even Grammy Award Winning Darius Rucker.

The fans even get a chance to be involved with the show and ask any question they want using #AskNaitch. Don’t miss a minute by subscribing to the "Ric Flair Show" today on iTunes."

Proud Sponsors of "This Week in History"

Ric Flair and David Chappell in Raleigh, NC.

The Ric Flair Show is part of the MLW Radio Network and presents a new show every Wednesday night. It's available on iTunes and all the other major podcast platforms, as well as at MLWRadio.com and RicFlairShow.com.

The Mid-Atlantic Gateway is proud to bring you "This Week in History" each week on The Ric Flair Show podcast. Co-host Conrad Thompson selects a terrific mix of great moments in Flair history as well as other memorable moments in which the Nature Boy was involved, including special audio clips and Ric's take on that point in time. It's one of our favorite parts of the Ric Flair Show!

Download it every Wednesday night! Wooooooo!

Official "Ric Flair Show" T-Shirt!

Image on the "Ric Flair Show" official t-shit.

The first official "Ric Flair Show" t-shirt is now available from ProWrestlingTees.com.

The black t-shirt sports the official "Ric Flair Show" logo on 100% preshrunk heavyweight cotton tees and printed with DTG (Direct to Garment) printers.

Support your favorite podcast and purchase your "Ric Flair Show" t-shirt today! They ship worldwide.

The "Ric Flair Show" is part of the MLW Radio Network. A new show rolls out every Wednesday at 9 PM ET. This week's show features two amazing guests, former WWE world champion Kurt Angle and UFC's head honcho Dana White!

For more information on the show including how and where to download it, visit RicFlairShow.com.

The Mid-Atlantic Gateway is a proud sponsor of "This Week in History" on the Ric Flair Show!

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine Reunites with the "Nature Boy" on "The Ric Flair Show"

Ric Flair and Conrad Thompson

It's time once again to walk that aisle.

Ric's guest this week is Greg "The Hammer" Valentine! These two career-long good friends reunite on this week's podcast.

Back in the 1970s, these two terrorized Jim Crockett Promotions rings as the NWA World Tag Team Champions, feuding with teams like Paul Jones & Ricky Steamboat and the "Minnesota Wrecking Crew" Gene & Ole Anderson. A detailed look at this Mid-Atlantic "Dream Team" is currently being posted in an 8-part series on the Mid-Atlantic Gateway.
 
Along with his co-host (and friend of the Gateway) Conrad Thompson, "The Ric Flair Show" drops every Wednesday at 9 PM on the MLW Radio Network (mlwradio.com), RicFlairShow.com, iTunes and many other podcast platforms.

Look for the new show every Wednesday night! Ric will review the big news in pro-wrestling for the week, "This Week in Wrestling History" looking back at the Nature Boy's career, the call of the week, contests, and so much more. Wooooo!

In weeks to come, you’ll hear the Nature Boy talk about the “good ole days” with his friends like Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Sting, Bret “the Hitman” Hart, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Kurt Angle, Eric Bischoff, and every other major name in wrestling from the last 40 years.

Ric has some of his other friends on the show too like NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and even Grammy Award Winning Darius Rucker.

The fans even get a chance to be involved with the show and ask any question they want using #AskNaitch. Don’t miss a minute by subscribing to the "Ric Flair Show" today on iTunes."

Shawn Michaels on "The Ric Flair Show"

Ric Flair and Conrad Thompson

The Nature Boy is back, stylin' and profilin' as never before.

It's time once again to walk that aisle.
 
Along with his co-host (and friend of the Gateway) Conrad Thompson, "The Ric Flair Show" drops every Wednesday at 9 PM  later on the MLW Radio Network (mlwradio.com), RicFlairShow.com, iTunes and many other podcast platforms.

Ric's guest this week is "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels!

Look for the new show every Wednesday night! Ric will review the big news in pro-wrestling for the week, "This Week in Wrestling History" looking back at the Nature Boy's career, the call of the week, Ric on the Road, contests, and so much more. Wooooo!

In weeks to come, you’ll hear the Nature Boy talk about the “good ole days” with his friends like Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Sting, Bret “the Hitman” Hart, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Kurt Angle, Eric Bischoff, and every other major name in wrestling from the last 40 years.

Ric has some of his other friends on the show too like NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and even Grammy Award Winning Darius Rucker.

The fans even get a chance to be involved with the show and ask any question they want using #AskNaitch. Don’t miss a minute by subscribing to the "Ric Flair Show" today on iTunes."

He's back! The Nature Boy returns to "The Ric Flair Show"

Ric Flair and Conrad Thompson

The Nature Boy is back, stylin' and profilin' as never before.

It's time once again to walk that aisle.
 
Along with his co-host (and friend of the Gateway) Conrad Thompson, "The Ric Flair Show" debuts later today on the MLW Radio Network (mlwradio.com), RicFlairShow.com, iTunes and many other podcast platforms.

Ric's first guest on his new show is Cody Runnels, aka Cody Rhodes, the son of the legendary "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes.

You've got that right: "Rhodes and Flair." Something about that just sounds right.

Cody will be talking about his father, about leaving the WWE, and all of his current plans and future endeavors with Ric and Conrad as they return to podcasting, this time on the MLW Radio Network.

Look for the new show every Wednesday night!

In weeks to come, you’ll hear the Nature Boy talk about the “good ole days” with his friends like Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Sting, Bret “the Hitman” Hart, Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Kurt Angle, Eric Bischoff, and every other major name in wrestling from the last 40 years.

Ric has some of his other friends on the show too like NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and even Grammy Award Winning Darius Rucker.

The fans even get a chance to be involved with the show and ask any question they want using #AskNaitch. Don’t miss a minute by subscribing to the "Ric Flair Show" today on iTunes."