Jerry Lawler vs Ric Flair (NWA Heavyweight Title Match) Part 1 - The Interview
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- Опубліковано 13 кві 2010
- Part 1 of 4. The first and only appearance of Ric Flair in the Memphis studios leads to a NWA World Heavyweight title match versus Jerry Lawler to the delight of Memphis Wrestling fans.
"The Interview"
As NWA World Heavyweight Champion, one of Ric Flair's jobs was to travel to all the territories and have non-title matches with the local champion; putting the local yocal over as potentially having a shot at the belt. So it's business as usual here in Memphis for Ric--same game, different town--but also I think he wanted some TV time with Lawler who was becoming a crossover success with his Andy Kaufman angle.
During the interview, Ric fully exploits the mantle of Heavyweight Champion. His infamous arrogance puts a backhanded twist on every compliment and the fans quickly begin to get the feeling they're being insulted. Oh sure, we miserable fans in this Memphis Wrestling bubble wished to behold and admire the notorious NWA champ, but now... Hmmm. Now we're sort of hoping somebody would come along and shut him down. Perhaps a regal and charming local hero to reclaim Memphis' pride and dignity? (Wink wink.) Nope, not today. How about a yocal with a little poolhall hustle instead?
Date: August 14, 1982
Location: WMC TV5 Studio, Memphis
Interview: Lance Russell
This angle has four distinct parts:
1. The Interview: • Jerry Lawler vs Ric Fl...
2. The Hustle: • Jerry Lawler vs Ric Fl...
3. The Match: • Jerry Lawler vs Ric Fl...
4. The Meltdown: • Jerry Lawler vs Ric Fl...
From Playlist: "Jerry Lawler vs Ric Flair (1982, Memphis)"
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Related Playlist: "Jobbing in Memphis"
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![Ric Flair & Bob Backlund Interview [1982-07-03]](/img/n.gif)
Without a roided out body, scripted dialouge, or pyrotechnics, Ric generated real heat in a territory he's never been in before. He made everyone in that building want to see him get murdered, without breaking a sweat. Story telling, an art that was so simple, but so seldom achieved by many. He made you feel insulted even though you were a thousand miles away. Truly legendary. Truly.
Flair definitely juiced throughout his career. He looks like he was coming off a cycle in this match, which is basically when you stop for a month or so, then go back on another cycle and bulk back up and get more shredded. You can’t just stay on roids 24/7, otherwise your body gets no benefit after awhile and gets used to it. Plus, he wasn’t exactly known as a gym rat. He may have even been on roids here and just been doing the lazy, bare minimum once or twice a week in the gym. Hard to tell. But almost everyone on top was hitting the juice. This is coming from someone that’s fascinated by bodybuilding and the insane human anatomy’s ability to transform. I don’t know everything, but I know a good bit. Why do you think Triple H looked like complete shit sometimes and then 3 months later could have been on the cover of every muscle magazine in the world? He cycled on and off roids his whole career.
He had to put down Memphis twice before the audience seemed to get what he was saying. Too funny.
First time was to apologetic.
yeah no you’re just not familiar with that level of subtlety but they are
He talked to Lance like he was Tony Schiavone. LOL
Call Ric what you will, but he always carried himself with class.
I like how nature boy humiliated them with so much dignity 😂
That’s exactly what he did.
I didn't grow up with this era, but I could feel the importance of being the World Champion. A World Champion should travel all over and be respected and treated like a special athlete. The set up here and the wrestling also feel like legitimate competition. I could see boxing being divided up into territories in the 1970s and 1980s and being set up similar to this.
An unrated promo in my estimation. Flair's subtle turn from arrogance to condescension is hilarious. Basically he's playing the Kaufman role but with less camp and more bite It must have been tricky because Memphis was such its own animal among the territories... it had a little bit in common with some of the other NWA/AWA region, but you really get the sense that it thought of itself as something bigger than itself. And Lawler, such a phenomenal personality own right, was really taking a chance by letting Nature Boy shine during his prime time.
The territories were something special. You can't have angles like this anymore.
No hell no
How did they keep a straight face with the shit Ric was talking. "Oh this is not custom made but with the money that will follow me maybe you will be able to afford one". Classic salesmanship
Hands down the best time for wrestling
I can not stop watching this whole episode. Absolutely brilliant!!!!!!!
“I’m gonna slide out of this gold” - HA! HA!
I think the territory days had something special that lacks today, with companies going all over. Back then you had smaller areas, so wrestlers could go home a little more often. Bookers would often work deals to trade talent to freshen up their cards. The smaller territories would take wrestlers who needed to get back into ring shape after an injury, and other such things. I wish I had been able to watch more of that, but that was before my time. Things like this where it's a BIG DEAL when Ric Flair shows up in a different territory than the NWA/JCP territory. It gives a special excitement that watching the same people 52 weeks of the year doesn't give.
Ric Flair was the NWA World's Heavyweight Champion for all of 1982.
The HHH of The of the 80's & NWA!!!!
I love his promo. Ironically he was born in Memphis 😂
Ric is the absolute GOAT. Wow can't believe they have Caddy's and can read in Memphis. Woooooo
What a polite heel.
........until the other videos from this telecast 😂😂😂😂
Honored to have met Lance Russell, In 2015. He was a super nice guy.
This dude was so funny with out the high key off the chain yelling. Damn his style and charm was undeniable.
This is the calmest promo I've ever seen from him. Sans cocaine and liquor. 🤣
The reason this worked so well was because of three important factors: 1. Ric Flair, no matter what anyone said then or says now, sold and delivered like no one. ; 2. He always was able to pull off the anti-face favorite and the dirty heel at the same time and really get away with it.; and... 3. Jerry Lawler was really on his level, and they both knew that the last thing Memphis needed was to have the NWA Championship there. It would have been impossible after that without a third split (which, it turned out, was unavoidable when Lawler became the AWA World Champ...), and the controversy would have killed NWA as a major force a decade or so early.
Your first two points are absolutely correct.
wow thanks for the uploads and the effort you put into the links and descriptions
Of course it's a little funny that the guy badmouthing Tennessee was based out of North Carolina.
DYK: Ric Flair was born in...that's right Memphis.
That's right. Opening chapter of his autobiography mentions that and the circumstances (the title says it all: "Black Market Baby")
The immortal ric flair
Nothing cooler than a REAL NWA champion traveling territories.
Ric had SWAG boy lol
I wish wrestling go back to more territory's ,more belts
Awesome times
'Top shelf individual' I love that
Funny thing is Ric Flair is actually from Memphis and was born there
When being a world champion was special and protected.
i love how hes trying to shit all over Memphis and they aint biting..
I love Ric's Q Tip hair
Flair was born in Memphis.
A REAL, live, literate tv announcer??? In MEMPHIS?!?? Heck, even I'M impressed...
Woooooooooooooooo
I want that hair and those shades when I retire
The LEGEND Rick Flair!! Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo whether you like it or not!!!💪
"I got off my jet today..."
People don't know bout memphis tennessee back then wow
Ric flair motto "To be the man you have to beat the man "
Haha I don't know if you are serious or not, but it wasn't his decision, it was the NWA's decision not to send Flair to Memphis a second time. Back then Flair didn't had much power in the NWA and he would have never dared to say "Hey, I'm not going to Memphis again" or he would have been stripped of the title. My guess ( and only a guess ) is that Lawler wanted the belt, the NWA didn't wanted to give him the belt therefore Lawler said "Screw them" and decided to work with the AWA and Bockwinkel.
ill be the star of that show too....
jerry Lawler had to bow down when the nature boy is in town
🤣 calm backhanded compliments..that's why they call him "slick" Ric...lol woooooooo😂👏👏👏✌
Did the Flair vs. Sothern Champ match ever happen? If so, who and where did it happen.
This video is part 1 of 4. Keep following thru in numerical order.
1982? His fly suit still reeks of the 70's
Saidah Murphy just like you're bank account still wreaks of bankruptcy......
Classic !
@@Bails77 Haha! WOOOOOOOO
What year was this? '81 or '82?
Christian Hollister 1753
literate. lol. one word made the whole promo
Is it just me or does it look like at first, Rick's not wearing pants? :l
He didn't use to wear any.
snarlingrabiddog5150 it's just you
Jerry could of been NWA World heavyweight Champ but he didn't wanna travel to different territories with the belt so he said "Nah, I'm staying in Memphis. I don't wanna travel with the belt. Book Flair to be NWA World Champ still."
Lawler was always in different territories. I grew up a military brat, the first time I remember seeing Lawler was in Jacksonville Florida, he had an amazing feud with the Funks, Dory and Terry. Then later I saw him In the Virginia Territory (which may have been part of the NWA, I can’t remember) then Later still in New Orleans, and then my father retired from the military and moved us all back to his home town of... yep... Memphis TN. So Imagine my shock when I see the hometown hero is none other than Jerry Lawler! Except he was the babyface here, he was a heel in the other territories, and I will say this, Lawler (just like Flair) could pull heat on a dime, or he could be the best babyface you ever saw! He really had it down and could work a crowd like a maestro! The thing that was cool about Lawler was he could be very subtle. He knew how to tell that story without being over the top “brother”! He was never a wrestling “character” or caricature, he always came across as believable. Just go back and watch the David Letterman interview where he slapped Kaufman. He was completely subtle the entire time. He was/is one of the best performers of all time, and he never had a “ripped” physique, barley 6 ft tall, just always had the best psychology, and could make pretty much anything believable
@@raywideman7157 cool
nah, he's just Flair.
Slick Ric
look at all that hair flair had.. flair = god
Ric flair..born and raised in Memphis..yup.
Chump you were born in Memphis, TN in 1949 don't act so detached
He started it all this was before Hogan. They don't give him enough credit.
Kansas City? Ric, did you know that Memphis is bigger than Kansas City?
😳😎😉
:10 memphis black Population !
Jerry the king lawler would lost to Ric Flair every time so be happy
you mean RIC FLAIR, and for you to make comments like that is sad. YOU have NO knowledge at all,, so sad
@Buckeyecat2002 - April Fools! Good one!
Note however that, if you think about it, all your hilarious and insightful references about Memphis are ACTUALLY historically attached to the state of Mississippi, not the city of Memphis. That being said, I would have to say that Memphis sucks just about as much as any other place. :)
He only came to memphis once? if that is indeed true its because he knew he would eventually have to drop the belt to lawler ,the real king of pro wrestling.
He came back a second time three years later. He wrestled Koko Ware and the NWA title was on the line. The match was at the Mid-South Coliseum. When he came back, the NWA was on its Great American Bash tour.
Great talker but the wrestling skills not at par.
Lawler isn't fit to tie ric flairs boots he's just a pathetic low rent jobber.... nuff said
hes still not wrong about memphis
Flair was born in Memphis.