I saw Buzz Sawyer belly to belly Tommy Rich (Buzz's signature move) on the concrete floor of the Wheeling, WV Civic Center circa idk 1984ish. It was shocking. The whole audience gasped. I hated Tommy Rich but that ol boy could take a bump!
Tommy Rich deserves a lot more credit than he gets. Certainly more than Puke Hogan. As I recall from my youth, he even beat the "Pukester" several times. He was my first favorite wrestler, & I still have fond memories of him today. I was in Augusta GA. the night he beat Harley Race for the N.W.A. title, & I was there for the Last Battle of Atlanta against Buzz Sawyer. One of the all time great baby faces. He wasn't bad as a heel either.
On November 7, 1981 Tommy Rich went on the Superstation and declared that Dusty Rhodes was a friend of his. A week earlier on November 1, 1981 Rhodes attacked Gary Hart just before his scheduled match with Ric Flair, and became the Great Kabuki came to the defense of his manager, Gary Hart, Dusty Rhodes was unable to fulfill his contractual obligation. Tommy Rich then took Rhodes' place and competed against Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. A few years later when Rhodes was booker for Crockett he refused to hire Tommy Rich, showing what kind of friend Rhodes actually was.
WWF fan who discovered GCW when we got cable. There was nothing like that territory in that early 80s. Tommy was the ultimate baby face. He has to be in the mount Rushmore of baby faces. Fans loved him and the heel feuds were legendary
Tommy Rich was very over in Georgia, but that was it. Maybe Memphis, but other than that, Tommy was the embodiment of a regional talent. Turner was trying to go national and compete with Vince. It wouldn't have worked.
Rich was all the rage where I was and I was nowhere near GA or TN. Turner's underestimation of Rich's popularity was a huge misjudgment. That said, had Rich taken care of himself and worked out, he'd have been huge.
After Georgia, Rich spent most of his time in Memphis. Also had a run in WCW, the dying days of Smoky Mountain, and appeared on ESPN with the AWA in 1987.
Agreed! Although I thought the fued between he and Ted "before I became a millionaire" dibiase was good too (the whole masked Mr. R angle)....But never really played out long enough unfortunately.
In my opinion, Tommy's last good feud was with Masked Superstar. I don't think that Buzz Sawyer and he were good influences on each other. He got really fat there for a long time and couldn't move nearly as well as he had. He seemed to come out of that off and on. He really looked pretty damned good in the final days of Smoky Mountain. Catching lightning in a bottle once is hard enough being able to do it again isn't always possible.
You are so right and I will take it a little further by saying it was not only his best feud but it was one of the best feuds ever. For me personally there was Rich/Superstar and then there was Flair Steamboat 70's version as my two favorite feuds. Terry Funk and Dusty was pretty awesome too...
Tommy could take a bump. Buzz belly to bellied him on the concrete floor of the Wheeling Civic Center. It sounded so horrible the whole audience gasped and covered their mouths!
Tommy Rich was a fixture in southern wrestling. The Fabs with Tommy and Eddie flopped. The head heal team would I liked Tommy Rich and Buddy Landel were great and they should have been the original Fabulous Ones
I wouldn’t say Dusty stood in Rich’s way, but he did ALWAYS put himself first. If he wasn’t alone in the top spot, he would attach himself in some way to whoever was and it wasn’t always best for the business.
84sp84 They were Dick Murdoch, Magnum, Manny Fernandez, Dick Slater, Barry Windham, and Nikita Koloff are just some of the stars that Virgil sunk his claws into to get that extra personal push...
This proving my theory that a large, silent segment of the old wrestling audience were gay. That’s not a joke either. The wrestling magazines were a source of gay literature before they could legally be out in the open. It used to be all winks and nods and implications. A lot of old liquor ads are like that too
I was so fortunate to move from WWWF MA to DE in the early 80s and got access to GCW - He was the hottest thing there and just like Dusty in Florida, he was fed a constant flow of villains by the promoter. Another wrestler who was better as a big fish in a small pond. He was a main eventer in Continental, Memphis, TWA, SMW - I know he was part of the FBI in ECW but I have yet to see that run. Plus he took bookings in WWC and SCW. Oh yeah and a AWA run - He had a great career and thank god he never went to WWF - they probably woulda made him the Albino Rat
I thought that the Tommy Rich and Buzz Sawyer feud was great as a little kid , I was rooting for Buzz. I saw Buzz belly to belly Tommy in the concrete floor in Wheeling and that kept kayfabe going for me for another year.
Tommy Rich is a great example of a territorial star. At the time if his peak , ya had others like Wild Cat Wendell Cooley, Nightmare Danny Davis , Gino Hernandez , and other really great talents that were huge in their respective territories but never had any recognition nationally . Tommy was missing or lacking a few things to really get over on a bigger stage.
I watched The Last Battle of Atlanta Steel Cage Match on You Tube it was so brutal and bloody. Hardly either one looked like a winner both Tommy and Buzz Sawyer looked like they went through a meat grinder and cheese grater
Tommy Rich is severely underrated and underappreciated.
"Jesus Christ what is this, his Wikipedia page??" :D
I saw Buzz Sawyer belly to belly Tommy Rich (Buzz's signature move) on the concrete floor of the Wheeling, WV Civic Center circa idk 1984ish. It was shocking. The whole audience gasped. I hated Tommy Rich but that ol boy could take a bump!
im amazed they allowed that to happen
Buzz piledrove rich on concrete in cincinnati
Tommy Rich deserves a lot more credit than he gets. Certainly more than Puke Hogan. As I recall from my youth, he even beat the "Pukester" several times. He was my first favorite wrestler, & I still have fond memories of him today. I was in Augusta GA. the night he beat Harley Race for the N.W.A. title, & I was there for the Last Battle of Atlanta against Buzz Sawyer. One of the all time great baby faces. He wasn't bad as a heel either.
I think that he was a better heel than as a face.
But could he beat the Pukester in a pose down? 😄
@@Lewis9709 No
@@kevinpayton2664 I agree, especially in Memphis
@@matthewgabbard6415 Exactly
I remember when he went to the AWA in '88. He had a feud with Adrian Adonis.
That’s ironic that both guys used to be in good shape before they let their phisiques go. Adrian used to be a power lifter..
Back circa 1987 I would have liked to see Tommy “Wildfire” Rich teamed up with Jimmy “Boogie Woogie Man” Valiant.
After hearing this, it’s weird thinking I’ll always remember him for his time in ECW.
you werent around for his earlier runs then
Them Full Blooded Italians! Tommy Rich? What a joke.
Tommy was a great worker.
The scene changed.
After the Last Battle of Atlanta, I didn't think he really hit his stride again until his FBI work in ECW.
I was there in Louisville for that! It was awesome 👏
On November 7, 1981 Tommy Rich went on the Superstation and declared that Dusty Rhodes was a friend of his. A week earlier on November 1, 1981 Rhodes attacked Gary Hart just before his scheduled match with Ric Flair, and became the Great Kabuki came to the defense of his manager, Gary Hart, Dusty Rhodes was unable to fulfill his contractual obligation. Tommy Rich then took Rhodes' place and competed against Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. A few years later when Rhodes was booker for Crockett he refused to hire Tommy Rich, showing what kind of friend Rhodes actually was.
I love me some Tommy Wildfire Rich!
WWF fan who discovered GCW when we got cable. There was nothing like that territory in that early 80s. Tommy was the ultimate baby face. He has to be in the mount Rushmore of baby faces. Fans loved him and the heel feuds were legendary
Whichever town had the skankiest ring rats, thats where Tommy went.
"New Coke, Fake Diesel"
Tommy Rich was very over in Georgia, but that was it. Maybe Memphis, but other than that, Tommy was the embodiment of a regional talent. Turner was trying to go national and compete with Vince. It wouldn't have worked.
Rich was all the rage where I was and I was nowhere near GA or TN. Turner's underestimation of Rich's popularity was a huge misjudgment. That said, had Rich taken care of himself and worked out, he'd have been huge.
Tommy went so far so fast that it was impossible to top. And of course his drinking. He was that good though. It’s to bad.
After Georgia, Rich spent most of his time in Memphis. Also had a run in WCW, the dying days of Smoky Mountain, and appeared on ESPN with the AWA in 1987.
I remember Rich also in AWA. He feuded with Adrian Adonis if my memory serves me correctly.
ya left out a lot.... Continental - WWC - Japan - ECW .............
Tommy Comes Home was a great promo
I only remember him when he was at Georgia Championship Wrestling.
Rich peaked with the Sawyer feud IMO.
That and the work he did with Lawler, Idol, and Heyman in Memphis. In my opinion those were his best years.
Agreed! Although I thought the fued between he and Ted "before I became a millionaire" dibiase was good too (the whole masked Mr. R angle)....But never really played out long enough unfortunately.
@@cretinousjester3475 He and Austin Idol got major heat after Jerry Lawler lost his hair.
Sad to see Tommy working wrestling in front of 50 people.
In my opinion, Tommy's last good feud was with Masked Superstar. I don't think that Buzz Sawyer and he were good influences on each other. He got really fat there for a long time and couldn't move nearly as well as he had. He seemed to come out of that off and on. He really looked pretty damned good in the final days of Smoky Mountain. Catching lightning in a bottle once is hard enough being able to do it again isn't always possible.
You are so right and I will take it a little further by saying it was not only his best feud but it was one of the best feuds ever. For me personally there was Rich/Superstar and then there was Flair Steamboat 70's version as my two favorite feuds. Terry Funk and Dusty was pretty awesome too...
Tommy could take a bump. Buzz belly to bellied him on the concrete floor of the Wheeling Civic Center. It sounded so horrible the whole audience gasped and covered their mouths!
you can tell it takes Jim by shock that people are this well schooled in his business you can tell he is shocked and its one of enjoyment
Jim's said this and that before but he does seem to be willing to stand with those he counts as true wrestling fans.
Tommy must have weighed 180 and was billed at 220.
That's not true! Ricky Morton is still a teen idol.
Tommy Rich was a fixture in southern wrestling. The Fabs with Tommy and Eddie flopped. The head heal team would I liked Tommy Rich and Buddy Landel were great and they should have been the original Fabulous Ones
I wouldn’t say Dusty stood in Rich’s way, but he did ALWAYS put himself first. If he wasn’t alone in the top spot, he would attach himself in some way to whoever was and it wasn’t always best for the business.
84sp84 They were Dick Murdoch, Magnum, Manny Fernandez, Dick Slater, Barry Windham, and Nikita Koloff are just some of the stars that Virgil sunk his claws into to get that extra personal push...
Sounds like an old triple h quote...."whats best for business" lol. But a true statement none the less.
In his Memphis career he was really over. He was a big draw when he came there.
His run as a tag team with Doug Gilbert was fun.
Tommy also wrestled for Dick the Bruiser WWA promotion along with Scott Steiner
Some one say something bout fired up!!
Tommy Rich is a tale that should be told to children as a warning.
This proving my theory that a large, silent segment of the old wrestling audience were gay. That’s not a joke either. The wrestling magazines were a source of gay literature before they could legally be out in the open. It used to be all winks and nods and implications. A lot of old liquor ads are like that too
He also was in Dick The Bruiser WWA when it went to Toledo.
I was so fortunate to move from WWWF MA to DE in the early 80s and got access to GCW - He was the hottest thing there and just like Dusty in Florida, he was fed a constant flow of villains by the promoter. Another wrestler who was better as a big fish in a small pond. He was a main eventer in Continental, Memphis, TWA, SMW - I know he was part of the FBI in ECW but I have yet to see that run. Plus he took bookings in WWC and SCW. Oh yeah and a AWA run - He had a great career and thank god he never went to WWF - they probably woulda made him the Albino Rat
Is this his Wikipedia page??!! 😂😂
I thought that the Tommy Rich and Buzz Sawyer feud was great as a little kid , I was rooting for Buzz. I saw Buzz belly to belly Tommy in the concrete floor in Wheeling and that kept kayfabe going for me for another year.
should be a WWE HOFer
David Hamilton Tommy Rich should be a Hall of Famer period he is a former N.W.A. World Heavyweight Champion!
Tommy Rich is a great example of a territorial star. At the time if his peak , ya had others like Wild Cat Wendell Cooley, Nightmare Danny Davis , Gino Hernandez , and other really great talents that were huge in their respective territories but never had any recognition nationally . Tommy was missing or lacking a few things to really get over on a bigger stage.
at the time of his peak, there was no national
Rich was as hot as JYD
He worked for the FBI
I watched The Last Battle of Atlanta Steel Cage Match on You Tube it was so brutal and bloody. Hardly either one looked like a winner both Tommy and Buzz Sawyer looked like they went through a meat grinder and cheese grater
their only complete match on film and it was tame and short by their standards
@@tonyh1718 IT WAS!? 😱😳
fbi.
Tommy was over Dusty on every platform. Wtf is Jim smoking?
I guarantee you that in any pro wrestling poll - Dusty will rank way higher then Wildfire
Not in 85 or after he wasn't
Tommy Rich didn't matter after 83
I watched Tommy Rich back in the day. I thought he was ok but definitely not a top guy. He was another bleached blonde with little charisma.
Little charisma
Holy fucking shit
Tommy rich is gross.