Mid Atlantic Wrestling 1979 - Ric Flair's broken nose

[bennett849]

a classic

[keenesteve]

It is!

[oldschoolfan420]

every interview flair has a title in his hands. This set looks like its from the 70's.

[Warchief01]

@oldschoolfan420 That was the old united states championship belt. It was on red leather. Not a very pretty belt to look at.

[litehouse6]

Can someone post the actual video of Valentine turning on Flair? I remember fans trying to get into the ring to help Flair.

[NaughtybyNaitcha]

Even with a broken nose Flair still managed to look beautiful.

[Bkamlem]

terry funk was right banana nose flair

[myrules1010]

damn this guy is awesome. he talks the talk and walks the walk.

[gwbulla]

I was at that match in Greensboro where Greg Valentine broke Flair's nose with Gene Anderson's cane. My first wrestling match!

[SmilingSynic]

Greg Valentine, in a shoot interview, said that the broken nose and stitches were real (had some teeth issues as well). He felt badly that he got carried away with the cane, but Flair actually liked it, because he knew there was going to be big money in the feud.

[litehouse6]

@SmilingSynic True. Valentine said just as he was bringing the cane down, Flair lifted his head and he hit Flair on the nose instead of the forehead. He said he called Flair and apologized and Ric said "Don't worry about. We're going to make a lot of money off this.".

[FRSFreeStateNow]

Even with a broken nose Ric Flair was still the Nature Boy

[MoeD66]

This was not 1979. It was Summer 1980.

[T74G]

@MoeD66

yup cause Valentine won the belt shortly after, it was because the Harley-Dusty fued was in motion and the holder of the U.S belt got the shot at the winner. Valentine wanted the shot and turned on flair.

[Buckeyecat2002]

GREG VALENTINE heel TURN ON RIC FLAIR

[CaptNemo100]

I remember this. There was a brutal tag-team match between Flair and Valentine against Jimmy Snuka and the Iron Shiek. Greg Valentine's turn against Nature Boy in this match was probably the best heel turn in the history of wrestling because it was so unexpected and it took everyone by surprise.

[buck2239]

Is this how Flair got his big nose? Guess not.

[xxpandamidknightxx]

THE BEST FUCKING HEEL TURN EVER, GREG VALENTINE TURNING ON RIC FLAIR SAYING, "WHERE WERE YOU BROTHA!!!" It was planned to make Ric a superstar since Flair was a break out star out of the two. Valentine was a monster heel and that time sided with Gene and Ole Anderson. Good footage, now I have seen it in living color. Thanks.

[Rayla840]

Valentine told a story about this incident about how Flairs face was bleeding and he was trying to break the cane over Flairs head. But it slid a lil cause of the blood and it broke his nose. He also said the cane was hickory wood and it wouldn't break

[RSXemperor]

Dear long time wrestling fans in the Carolinas. Many of you may have stopped watching or at the most don't watch regularly. If you want great straight forward wrestling without the sports entertainment shit that Vince and TNA gives us, check Ring of Honor out live on April 3 in Charlotte.

[Lovelygal71]

Why did they cut out the footage of what happend with Ric and Valentine? Was it that graphic? Just curious.

[c0uchsl0uch]

i know alot of people say wrestleing is not real especially wresteling of today, but i think that in the old days say "77-85, that egos did get involved.. you know traveling with the same people fighting every other nite. i think they did put alittle something extra in the moves and it was somewhat real. like the freebirds with their boots and that guy who took the hammer to the other's ear, ear was just hanging. that was around "85

[oldschool6804]

it is very real what happens today egos still get involved!

[DoktorSick]

I think the best looking title was the NWA world TV title.The silver on the red leather look cool as hell.

[brtshstel]

I liked the NWA belt when Jack Brisco and Harley Race had it. It had red leather too.

[T74G]

@brtshstel

it was nice!!! someone had the footage up of Harley getting the new belt in the ring, but it got pulled off youtube.

[ghostinthefog1666]

when they changed them all to wcw logos the styles were mediocre at best

the wwf had nice titles in the 80s too like the tag belts and intercontinental belt.

[ghostinthefog1666]

not the best looking belt ever made. a historic piece now no doubt but a gold america with alaska shape side plate doesnt look the coolest in the world.

i loved the 80s nwa US title and the 90s one was ok but the one nikita and luger held was the nicest i think.

all the 80s belts looked the best the big gold i do like the domed globe too though but the big gold, the nwa US the nwa world tag and US tag and tv belt of the 80s were awesome

[Davidhgi]

The build up was great for back then but we'd see it coming if they did it now: Flair was going to get revenge on Jimmy Snuka and Gene Anderson and Greg volunteered to help. It was the reuniting of the great Flair-Valentine team. Then Valentine turned and broke Flair's nose. Just great promos before and after.

[winklewis1]

This was some of the hottest wrestling footage ever put on TV. Actually, that incident took place in Late Spring or Early Summer of 1980 after Flair's 4/19/1980 win over Jimmy Snuka for The (Mid-Atlantic) U.S. Title. As stated earlier by RayNDeere, there were 2 or 3 NWA U.S. Champions at the time. However, the San Francisco and Detroit U.S. Titles were discontinued in 1980 and leaving the Mid Atlantic U.S. champion as the Undisputed NWA United States Heavyweight Wrestling Champion.

[1975tooto]

You are right! Very Accurate info!!

[bcgabba1970]

didnt valentine and flair tag again in end of 1982 and attacked piper?

[aj31313]

This was a face turn for Flair (first one I'm pretty sure.) He even teamed with Ricky Steamboat in his pursuit of Valentine. I was about 11or 12. I hated Flair before this, liked him ever since.

[aj31313]

There is a clip of Valentine talking about it. Said he broke his nose, knocked out teeth

[Th3DrunkGuy]

thank you

[mrhollister09]

Wow, look at that United States Championship. The Orginial Sheik used to wear that

[RayNDeere]

Several promotions used that design of belt for their version of the U.S. Title (There was about two or three U.S. champions around the US at that time.)

[biggamejd]

Does anyone have footage of the cane shot that broke Flair's nose?

[ccie12933]

Flair wrestled Snuka on the house show circuit while his nose was still broken, and there was a really cool improvised spot - Snuka ripped that protective mask off of Flair and the fans would throw it back up in the ring. They did that about three times the night I saw them wrestle.

And you guys are right - that was one near-rioting crowd.  Not to mention Ric's nose really was broken. Just reading about it in his book made me cringe.

[GohModley]

This isn't a work either. His nose really was broken.

[jdc1222]

I thought the fans were going to riot that night in Greensboro.

[GohModley]

This was a year before I was born but my dad and two brothers went to that event and they said the place went apeshit too.

[Th3DrunkGuy]

thank you.