Bodyslams!: Memoirs of A Wrestling Pitchman (PDF)

They’re held captive by the glamour and the grotesque of the oldest spectacle known to man. But the inquisitive public at large, along with a vast international network of pro wrestling aficionados, yearn for more than the intriguing soap opera scenarios and daring athleticism that they view every week on television and live at venues around the world. They want a behind-the-scenes view beyond what is routinely represented to the public. In short, curious observers and ardent wrestling fans will be captivated by what Gary Michael Cappetta has delivered in Bodyslams! Memoirs of a Wrestling Pitchman. A tome about one of those guys who rents a tuxedo and tells us who's about to enter the ring? How informative could that be? The answer is: “Very, if you open your mind and open the book.” Unenlightened fans may be quick to dismiss ring announcers when considering who is part of wrestling's inner circle. They fail to realize these people occupy the same locker rooms, hotels and vehicles as their athletic counterparts, and deal with the same bosses, road temptations and co-workers. Though a mike man shares only a fraction of the glory, he is definitely “one of the boys.” Originally a schoolteacher, Cappetta spent over 20 years working the wrestling arenas. Starting as a part-timer with the WWWF in 1974, when he was paid the sum of $25 per show, Cappetta stuck with it until he lost his spot in the asylum that was WCW in 1995. It would be an exaggeration to say Gary has known everyone and seen everything - but only a slight one. The author was in the thick of things when Vince McMahon began his take-no-prisoners national expansion, and later watched Verne Gagne destroy the once-mighty AWA and Eric Bischoff resurrect WCW. Who was there when the infamous hotel bloodbath between Arn Anderson and Sid Vicious erupted? Who wound up with Mick Foley's ear when it was torn off in Germany? The only witness to an incident wherein rookie Mark Callaway nearly sent Buzz Sawyer to meet a real undertaker? The one and the same G.M. Cappetta. Bodyslams! seamlessly weaves commentary about the business and the people who populate it, travel tales and insight into the personal life of its author. Unlike many other mat biographies, this is neither a boast or a bitch-fest―and there is no promotion behind the publication attempting to rewrite history to its liking. Bodyslams! is the first book to shed light on the dangerous games that both the performing wrestlers and their corporate employers play in order to acquire power, fame and wealth. The book runs chronologically and serves as both a history and an expose of American wrestling as Mr. Cappetta has witnessed during the three decades he spent as an announcer for America's two dominant wrestling promotions.

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Is WWE Planning To Revive WCW??? After Netflix Had Gained Exclusive Rights To The Wrestling Promotion

World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988. It was home to legends such as Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho and Eddie Guerrero all of which formed part of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

Through the United States Patent And Trademark Office (USPTO), WWE seems to have filed a new trademark for the former promotion. For those who aren't aware, WWE had purchased select assets from WCW and this included contracts from various talents. 

According to the website, it is being used for entertainment purposes in the field of sports. Including the production and exhibition of professional wrestling events rendered live through broadcast media including television and radio.

Of course, this wouldn't be the first time WCW made headlines as another instance came when AEW revived Bash At The Beach. This came with a lawsuit by the WWE for trademark infringement so this was proceeded with AEW's own version of WarGames. 

Earlier in the year, Netflix had garnered exclusive rights to wrestling promotions Raw and Smackdown alongside live events like Summerslam. This leads one to wonder if WCW's possible revival may have to do with the endeavors of the streamer. 

Netflix is begun entering the world of sports as mentioned they have garnered rights to WWE for 2025 season and this was followed by an NBA Christmas special and Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson's fight.

More Broadcasters Are Reportedly Set To Lose WWE Following Shift To Netflix

Earlier in the year, it was reported that WWE had signed an exclusive deal with Netflix worth $10 billion to bring the trademark exclusively to their services. This would bring WWE's run on linear TV to an end after 31 years as it broadcasts on Netflix in 2025.

Netflix would become the exclusive home to weekly shows Raw, Smackdown and NXT alongside premium live events like WrestleMania and Crown Jewel. This would affect consumers in U.S., U.K., Canada and Latin America with international expansion underway. 

Existing broadcasters such as FOX (U.S.), SportsNet (Canada), TNT Sports (UK) and ESPN (Latin America) will need to find a replacement. Sports journalist Dave Meltzer sites AEW as one of the potential leads for international broadcasting deals. 

But there's a catch as mentioned by Dave:

"Essentially they’re all losing their wrestling, and if the stations want to keep wrestling the best option is AEW. And if AEW is able to get deals with these stations at even half of what WWE gets, or less than half of what WWE gets, that alone would make it profitable even if the WBD deal isn’t a big increase.”

If anything, could SuperSport look into snatching AEW from TNT I mean compared to when WWE was with its previous broadcaster. All events are Express From The U.S. and unlike WWE's endeavors none of the weekly live events were shortened.

Perhaps even Ring Of Honor, it is currently owned by Tony Khan who also manage All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Then lastly New-Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), they have done several events with AEW with some familiar faces like Jon Moxley, Matt Riddle and Mercedes Moné.

If anything, don't expect this content to get a standalone channel on DStv for now at least. Considering that these promotions don't have familiarity with audiences it's future is dependent on them and that would determine its growth on SuperSport.

News Shorts: A Rebroadcast Of Game Of Love Launches On Star Life, WWE Channel Extends Its Reach To DStv Ahead Of WrestleMania And Vodacom Will No Longer Offer Facebook Free Mode

Game Of Love returns to Star Life

The series celebrates the extended relations particular with Indian family set up while it follows the lives of three brothers as they navigate through life, career, family and falling in love. The show first follows the bond between the brothers and then shifts to the bonds they share with their significant others.

Game Of Love (Ishqbaaz) will start on 25 March replacing The Inseparables.

WWE Channel extends reach to DStv Access

With the school holidays around the corner, SuperSport will be opening up the WWE Channel to DStv Access from 28 March to 8 April as fans gear up for WrestleMania. Consumers will be able to browse various content such as This Is Awesome and WWE 24.

Prior to this, MultiChoice will be removing M-Net's Me And 1Magic channels alongside Ginx eSports TV on the DStv platform by the end of March.

Vodacom ends free mode on Facebook 

During the week, several Facebook users were alarmed after reports had surfaced that the free version to their service would end on 31 March 2024. With some confusing it for Meta when in reality Vodacom is ending its basic Free Flex campaign.

From 1st April, anyone who wishes to continue using their service would need to allocate airtime in order to get 15mb of Facebook data. Such endeavors had already been seen with other networks such as MTN.

News Shorts: Muhammad Ali Enters The WWE Books As Hall Of Famer For 2024, Dora The Movie 2 Is Reportedly In Development By Paramount Alongside A New Animated Feature Film Based On The Super Mario Movie

Muhammad Ali is now an inductee

As reported by Variety, Muhammad Ali will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

One of the most iconic figures in sports history, the three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and Olympic gold medalist was known around the world for his charisma, his confidence, and his ability to back it up inside the ropes.

Known simply as “The Greatest”, Ali’s influence transcended sports as his work as an activist, artist, and personality established him as one of the most renowned figures in the entire world.

Second Dora movie in the works 

According to Insider Daniel Richtman on Patreon, Paramount is developing ‘Dora The Movie 2,’ titled ‘Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado.’ Isabela Merced and the rest of the cast will not be returning, as the film will feature a whole new cast.

The production is set to begin this fall, with a scheduled release date in 2025. However, the director has not yet been announced.

Recently, Nickelodeon released a new trailer for the CG-animated series ‘Dora,’ comprising 26 11-minute episodes, all of which will be available on Paramount+ on April 12, 2024. The plot follows, “With all-new CG animation and imaginative character-driven storylines, the upcoming DORA series follows everyone’s favorite bilingual explorer, Dora (Diana Zermeño), and her best monkey friend, Boots (Asher Colton Spence), as they embark on epic adventures in a fantastical rainforest. 

New Mario film is hitting theaters

The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a huge hit for Nintendo, raking in over $1 billion at the box office, so producing a follow-up movie was an easy decision to make. In a new video, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto and Illumination Entertainment’s Chris Meledandri shared that the next movie is in development, with a release date set for April 3rd, 2026.

Meledandri says Illumination Studios Paris, which worked on the first film, is storyboarding the movie under the direction, once again, of Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. He added that animation is starting soon. And after the movie’s April 3rd release in the US “and many other markets globally,” it will come to “select territories” throughout the rest of the month.

Miyamoto says that the movie will “have a bright and fun story” that expands on the world established in the first movie.

When WWE Will Start Streaming Exclusively On Netflix And Exit SuperSport, DStv And GOtv Across Africa?

Last month, it was reported US streaming giant Netflix that it had acquired the broadcasting rights for WWE shows and specials in the US, Canada, Latin America and other international markets. With growing fears looming around DStv, MultiChoice had issued a statement.

"WWE events, including RAW, Smackdown, NXT, Wrestlemania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble will continue being available on SuperSport".  "As Africa's premium sports broadcaster, we're pleased to continue entertaining our viewers with the best in international wrestling".

In November 2022, MultiChoice and the WWE announced a major broadcast partnership and said in a statement that it will see Showmax becoming the new home of WWE Network in Africa. Only the streaming portion never to pass as seen with the linear offering on DStv.

Beginning in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America, with more territories to be confirmed soon and others added overtime. Raw will be exiting linear television since it's inception 31 years ago.

Although Netflix won't get access to WWE's extensive line-up of shows when it streams in selected territories by 2025 due to an existing agreement with MultiChoice. They may be able to snatch the rights from the pay-tv company once it expires in 2027.

This means Netflix can only become the official home of the WWE Network in Africa two years after it launched elsewhere meaning by late 2027 or early 2028. Raw, SmackDown and various other content from WWE would have exited linear television after 26/7 years in Africa.

Vince McMahon Resigns From Endeavor-Owned Sports Group After Horrific Rape & Sex Trafficking Claims

Slammed by allegations of rape, defecation, sex trafficking and more, Vince McMahon is out at WWE and UFC parent company TKO Group Holdings.

“I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant’s lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth,” McMahon said this evening of the scorching lawsuit against him filed earlier this week. “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.” 

“However, out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents, and all of the employees and Superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately,” the WWE co-founder added.

McMahon’s abrupt exit was spawned by ex-WWE staffer Janel Grant’s detailed and shocking sexual assault suit of January 25. His resignation came after a long day of discussions and deliberations among top players at TKO and WWE as the blast radius of Grant’s legal action became apparent and the corporate situation increasingly untenable for McMahon.

Explicit in its depiction of Grant as a constantly abused sexual punching bag for McMahon and various WWE executives and at least one unnamed “WWE Superstar” during her time at the company from 2019 to 2022, the suit seeks various damages and a voiding of the NDA the former staffer was forced to sign. A McMahon spokesperson on Thursday called Grant’s lawsuit “replete with lies” and declared their client would fight it in court.

Today TKO referred Deadline to McMahon’s statement when contracted for more on the situation. As for who may take over McMahon’s now vacated executive chairman gig at the company or even if that position will continue, it is all TBD, sources says.

WWE boss Nick Khan tonight told staffers in an internal email that McMahon had resigned, and “will no longer have a role with TKO Group Holdings or WWE.”

While sudden, McMahon’s fall from his TKO perch amidst the sexual abuse allegations follows his ouster in 2022 from the WWE he co-founded due to “alleged executive misconduct.” That misconduct, which named WWE talent relations chief John Laurinaitis, came as scores of multi-million dollar payoffs to former female employees and others were made public.

One of those revelations included a $3 million payoff to a woman McMahon had an affair with. In her complaint, Grant says McMahon agreed to pay her $3 million in 2022 to keep their sexual relationship quiet if she signed an NDA. Now seeking to get that NDA neutered, Grant signed it at the time, but says she has only received $1 million from McMahon so far.

Named as a defendant in Grant’s suit, Laurinaitis left WWE in 2022.

Though canned from the company by the WWE board in early 2022, the controversy courting McMahon returned not long afterwards, put a new board in place and completed the sale of WWE to Endeavor. Out of that windfall, TKO was formed last year. In her suit, Grant refers to the internal WWE probe into claims against McMahon as a “sham.”

Having previously boasted about McMahon’s role in the Endeavor-owned company, TKO, where Ari Emanuel is CEO, said yesterday after Janel Grant’s assault and abuse lawsuits was filed that “Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE.” They went on to distance themselves from McMahon by adding: “While this matter pre-dates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally.”

This latest suit against McMahon was filed just over 48 hours after it was announced that TKO had made a 10-year, $5 billion deal with Netflix for the streamer to get in the ring starting next year with WWE‘s Monday Night Raw, as well as other programs from the company. The disturbing lawsuit and now McMahon’s resignation also come as WWE’s 37th Royal Rumble is set for tomorrow. Streaming and on pricey pay-for-view, the Rumble features wrestlers from the Raw and Smackdown units meeting up in St. Petersburg, Florida and fighting it out in the ring. The lucrative event will clearly not feature Vince McMahon now.

Police Report Of Ms. Grant's Accusations Against Vince McMahon (PDF)

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, alleges that Mr. McMahon, who was subject to an internal investigation in 2022 over allegations of misconduct, sexually exploited and trafficked the former employee, Janel Grant, from 2019 to 2022.

Click the link for the full police report: Download Now

WWE Boss Vince McMahon Accused Of Sexual Assault And Trafficking

WWE boss Vince McMahon was accused Thursday of sexual assault, trafficking, and physical and emotional abuse in a graphic lawsuit by a woman who previously worked for the pro wrestling giant.

McMahon is executive chairman of the board of TKO Group Holdings, which was formed last year by a merger of his wrestling company and the mix-martial arts company UFC.

The suit by Janel Grant — which alleges McMahon directed her to have sex with a WWE “superstar” and other men — seeks to void a nondisclosure agreement that Grant said she reached with McMahon in 2022. She said he agreed to pay her $3 million as part of that deal.

The suit says McMahon paid her $1 million “but failed to make any further payments.” Grant was one of several women who received payouts from McMahon over the years.

In addition to the 78-year-old McMahon, the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Connecticut names WWE and John Laurinaitis, the former head of talent relations and general manager, as defendants.

The complaint comes six months after federal law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on McMahon and served him with a grand jury subpoena as part of an investigation into McMahon’s payment of millions of dollars to multiple women after allegations of sexual misconduct.

McMahon last March paid WWE $17.4 million to cover costs related to a probe of the payouts by a law firm retained by the company.

TKO Group on Tuesday announced that Netflix would pay $5 billion over 10 years to stream the WWE’s flagship program “Raw,” and carry all other WWE shows and specials outside the United States.

Grant’s lawyer, Ann Callis, in a statement, said, “Today’s complaint seeks to hold accountable two WWE executives who sexually assaulted and trafficked Plaintiff Janel Grant, as well as the organization that facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse and then swept it under the rug.”

“She is an incredibly private and courageous person who has suffered deeply at the hands of Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis,” Callis said. “Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized. The organization is well aware of Mr. McMahon’s history of depraved behavior, and it’s time that they take responsibility for the misconduct of its leadership.”

In a statement to CNBC, TKO Group said, “Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE.”

“While this matter pre-dates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally,” the company said.

A spokesman for WWE did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

End Of The Road For SuperSport And WWE??? As Netflix Banks On RAW, SmackDown, NXT And Premium Live PPVs

In 2022, MultiChoice and WWE were looking to bundle Raw, SmackDown, NXT alongside various PPVs like WrestleMania and SummerSlam on Showmax. But the deal appeared to have fallen flat as this never materialized with the streamer now partially owned by Comcast.

After e.tv halted further distribution of Raw, SmackDown and various other WWE content from their platforms in 2017. SuperSport became the official home to the WWE Network for the past 7 years and all of that is likely to change in the coming future.

As reported moments ago, Netflix had exclusive rights to Raw and various other content from WWE which will start streaming in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America beginning January 2025. There are plans underway to add more international markets to the lineup.

This puts SuperSport's current linear offering in a precarious position especially the WWE Channel. As Netflix scooped up WWE’s award-winning documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects alongside the premier shows Raw, SmackDown and NXT.

The mere thought of less sporting events on SuperSport wouldn't seem far fetched a stretch. Initially, they weren't going to broadcast AFCON as they were more focused on European football even the rebranded Showmax service will only feature Premier League.

Last year, MultiChoice shuttered Showmax PRO which served as digital counterpart for SuperSport with La Liga, PSL and various other sporting content. Now the streamer will only offer a price plan for Premier League while further sports can be streamed on DStv Stream.

 

As mentioned, Netflix will become the exclusive home to WWE in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America by January 2025. It's currently unknown whether WWE will be purged on Netflix for consumers across Africa at the same time.

Its also possible that SuperSport could slide in a better deal but from what we've already seen in the past months there's some doubts. Another would be for Raw, SmackDown and NXT to be retained on the platform alongside PPVs with everything else on streaming.

SuperSport is structured for first run programming and not delayed or week old sporting events. With the possible discontinuation of channel 128 alongside various content from WWE, I wouldn't be shocked if MultiChoice were to add SuperSport Action in place.

SuperSport Action serves as an alternative offering to WWE as it broadcasts a range of extreme sports as well as major boxing matches and EFC mixed martial arts programming. They are also home to UFC which alongside WWE are owned by TKO Group Holdings.

Netflix To Become The Exclusive Home Of WWE Network Beginning In 2025

WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc., and Netflix today announced a long-term partnership that will bring WWE’s flagship weekly program – Raw – to the world’s leading entertainment service. This marks a major programming shift as Raw leaves linear television for the first time since its inception 31 years ago. 

Beginning in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America, among other territories, with additional countries and regions to be added over time. Likewise, as part of the agreement, Netflix will also become the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. as available, inclusive of Raw and WWE’s other weekly shows – SmackDown and NXT – as well as the company’s Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble. WWE’s award-winning documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects will also be available on Netflix internationally beginning in 2025. 

“This deal is transformative,” said Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO. “It marries the can’t-miss WWE product with Netflix’s extraordinary global reach and locks in significant and predictable economics for many years. Our partnership fundamentally alters and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix.”

“We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria. “By combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with WWE, we’ll be able to deliver more joy and value for their audiences and our members. Raw is the best of sports entertainment, blending great characters and storytelling with live action 52 weeks a year and we’re thrilled to be in this long-term partnership with WWE.”

“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling,” said Nick Khan, WWE President. “We believe Netflix, as one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, is the ideal long-term home for Raw’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base." 

With 1,600 episodes to date, Raw is the most iconic show in sports entertainment. Since its debut in 1993, Raw has delivered action, compelling drama and unmatched athleticism – 52 weeks a year. Blending the best of scripted content with unpredictable live entertainment, the three-hour show has helped launch the careers of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Triple  H, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair. 

The show is currently the No. 1 show on USA Network, where it brings in 17.5 million unique viewers over the course of the year. One of television’s best performing shows in the 18-49 advertising demographic, Raw trends on X 52 weeks a year while each new episode is airing. On social media, WWE has more than one billion followers across its platforms. 

Foley Is Good: And the Real World Is Faker Than Wrestling (PDF)

The book covers the last years of Mick Foley's in-ring wrestling career up until the birth of his second son, Michael Francis Foley, Jr., which he mentions in the book's epilogue.

It has a more celebratory tone than his first book, as he is writing about the time of his career where he has already achieved success. The book alternated between in-ring wrestling activities and Foley's life away from the ring. In the book, he also describes his obsessions, such as theme parks and Christmas.

He also writes about his experience writing his first book without the aid of a ghostwriter. He defends himself against being misquoted by news program 20/20, and explains the events surrounding his "I Quit" match with The Rock at the Royal Rumble in January 1999, which can also be seen in the documentary Beyond the Mat. 

The book also heavily defends the World Wrestling Federation against accusations of being violent. Foley made an effort to pointedly refute claims made by detractors, citing statistical data and other evidence he compiled himself. He criticizes the actions of the Parents Television Council.

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News Shorts: SuperSport's WWE Channel Rolls Out A Brand New On Air Logo, Krishi Rumoured To Make Freemium Debut On Zee One And eVOD To Stream Mother Led Drama From October 17

WWE Channel is going through some changes

It started out as pop-up channel known as SuperSlam back in 2019 and since then had proven to be a popular addition to DStv customers. Featuring live events like Raw, SmackDown and NXT with other content like WrestleMania, Notsam Wrestling and Jambo WWE.

The following year, SuperSport revamped their sporting offering each of them including WWE had the "S" logo imprinted to their name. But for some reason, WWE Channel had to wait 3 years as this was part of an alignment strategy as a means to get the channels closer together.

Various content from WWE Channel has spread across various SuperSport channels and with the brand having distribution rights to their programming it sort of made sense for the channel to incorporate the company's logo as opposed to making it feel entirely owned by WWE.

Krishi to make freemium debut on Openview

Set in Bhagalpur, Bihar, it follows the story of a girl named Krishna wants to get a good education to become a block development officer and improve her family's life. However, she faces many hardships along the way.

It starred Mitali Nag as Krishna Raj, Kinshuk Mahajan as Pintu Singh, Shahbaz Khan as Tuntun Singh, Yash Sinha as Babloo Singh and Shivshakti Sachdev as Priyanka ‘‘Pinky’’ Raj.

The drama is slated to rollout on weekdays at 10PM.

eVOD is getting into mama drama

eVOD continues to boost their local offering in the region as the streamer unveiled another production set to rollout on the platform from October 17, Mother Of All.

Ex-cop Nolwazi "Nono" Mathebula (Zenande Mfenyana), walks out of prison resolving to be an exemplary daughter to her religious mother. She is also determined to be an amazing mother to her celebrity daughter and become a model citizen through gainful employment. 

Other attractions to rollout on eMedia's platforms include the second season of Roekeloos Dade. After being yanked away from e.tv, Roekeloos Dade is set to replace Winter Son from October 18.

The Untimely Passing Of Former Impact Wrestling And WWE Star Chris Candido

At one time, Chris Candido had the world in his hands. He was one of the best technical wrestlers in the world, married one of WWE's most popular divas in Sunny, and quickly shot up the ranks in both WWE and ECW. However, life doesn't always go as planned. His time in WWE ended sooner than he might have hoped. Addiction issues arose and his marriage ended up on the rocks.

It was after he beat his addiction issues and got his life back together that things tragically ended. Candido was back on a major national wrestling stage. His marriage was back intact. He even looked like he could be a top star again. However, just like that, he died at 33 after what should have been a routine surgery.

Chris Candido's Road To WWE Began With ECW And Jim Cornette

Chris Candido got his start in wrestling as a teenager in New Jersey. In 1986, he and a friend began working in the industry by setting up rings. He went on to train at Larry Sharpe's Monster Factory and then made his debut in the ring that same year. Candido was 14 when he worked his first match. By 1993, Candido made his way to the pre-Extreme ECW, where he worked in a stable known as The Suicide Blondes. This led to Jim Cornette taking notice of the wrestler.

Candido had fallen in love with Tammy Lynn Sytch in high school and the two joined Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling together, where she worked as his manager. He won several titles while working for Cornette and then even won his only world title when he captured the NWA World Championship after Shane Douglas vacated the title when ECW broke away. He held the title for three months and then one year later, he and Tammy signed with WWE.

WWE changed his name to Skip and made Tammy into Sunny, and they took on a fitness guru tandem who often mocked other wrestlers for being out of shape. It was here that Sunny became one of the biggest stars in WWE and Candido found his biggest national success as part of the Bodydonnas with Tom Prichard (Zip). However, it was also here that his life began falling apart. Reports that Sunny cheated on him with multiple wrestlers strained their marriage. This was also when both wrestlers began experimenting more with drugs.

Chris Candido Had Stints In ECW And WCW After Leaving WWE

In an interview, Chris Candido's brother Jonny said that when they got to WWE, they started abusing drugs more. He was just in the eighth grade when this happened, but he said he remembered a lot of messed up stuff going on with his brother and Sunny. Many of his stories were horrific, and it was obvious things needed to change fast or Chris might end up dead. By 1996, Chris quit WWE and went to ECW, and eventually Sunny joined him there.

This was a fresh start for Candido. Sunny was only in ECW limited times, but Candido himself became part of Shane Douglas' Triple Threat faction with Bam Bam Bigelow. He had a long tag team title reign with Lance Storm before he finally left after three years. After this, Candido worked in WCW for a short time in 2000, but mostly disappeared from the world of professional wrestling outside of indie promotions.

The Tragic Death Of Chris Candido Came After An Injury In TNA Wrestling

According to Jonny, Chris Candido was doing more and more drugs to block out the idea that Sunny was cheating on him. "He desperately didn't want to believe it because she would come home to him every night, and he literally had this unconditional love for her," Jonny said. "He was so nice and so naïve; he would...believe anything she told him."

That isn't how his life would end though. Chris reportedly got his life back under control again. He even got another chance at wrestling on a big stage again when he signed with TNA Wrestling in 2005. He worked with some top stars, including AJ Styles, Dustin Rhodes, and Diamond Dallas Page. Candido was on his way up the ladder, but it all came crashing down when he broke his leg in a tag team match at Lockdown 2005. TNA kept him involved in storylines, even having him come out in a wheelchair to help The Naturals win the tag titles. However, that episode aired days after he died.

At 33, Chris Candido had titanium plates and screws inserted into his legs after the injury. While recovering, he ended up developing a blood clot in his leg. Though many people believe the blood clot killed him, his brother Jonny said the autopsy said that the cause of death was acute pneumonia, caused by a sleep aid he received against doctor's orders. His lungs reportedly filled with fluid, and he died while recovering from his surgery. TNA honored him with a tag team tournament in his name and in 2009, the Hardcore Hall of Fame inducted him into its membership.

Credits: The Sportster

Here Are Some Did You Know Facts About

The professional wrestling fraternity was saddened to learn about the demise of the former WWE World Champion Bray Wyatt at the age of 36. He has long been dealing with an undisclosed illness but nobody expected his condition to have deteriorated, this much.

Earlier this month, Fightful Select reported that the illness Wyatt was dealing with was indeed life-threatening. The source also noted how Wyatt contracted COVID-19 earlier this year which exacerbated heart issues for him.

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Bray Wyatt as WWE Champion in 2017 (image courtesy YouTube)

Bray Wyatt as WWE Champion in 2017 (image courtesy YouTube)

Positive progress towards his pro-wrestling return was noted in recent months but he ultimately suffered a heart attack to pass away. As we mourn the death of one of the most entertaining WWE Superstars of the modern era, here are some lesser-known facts about him:

- Real name Windham Rotunda, Bray Wyatt comes from an enriched family with a tremendous history in pro wrestling. He is the son of former WWE wrestler Mike Rotunda who oversaw the company's non-televised house shows for years until the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two of Mike's brothers, Barry Klinton Windham and Kendall Windham were also wrestlers as they followed in the footsteps of their father, Blackjack Mulligan. Even Bray's own brother, Taylor Rotunda was an ex WWE Star best known as Bo Dallas.

- Bray Wyatt returned to WWE last year at Extreme Rules 2022 with an Uncle Howdy character tagged alongside him. This persona was supposed to be played by his brother Bo but WWE never got the opportunity to reveal the identity.

- In real life, both Bray Wyatt and his brother have been attached to either active or former WWE personalities. While Bo is dating active WWE Superstar Liv Morgan, Wyatt has been married to former WWE in-ring announcer JoJo.

Morgan and Bo reportedly run a farm together and they entered a relationship for their love of farming in the first place. As for JoJo, she took a break from the WWE to focus on her personal life with Bray.

- Following his October 2022 return, Bray Wyatt only competed once on WWE TV which was at the Royal Rumble earlier this year, where he defeated LA Knight in a first-time-ever Pitch Black Match presented by Mountain Dew.

WWE arranging a sponsored match for a particular superstar is an example of how Wyatt was over with the WWE Universe. If the WWEShop.com sale is to go by then he was the second-highest merchandise mover.

Being the franchise player of the WWE, Roman Reigns usually covers the top spot while Wyatt overtook him on quite a few occasions with the invention of The Fiend and those puppets from Firefly Funhouse.

The original Wyatt Family gimmick was so popular among the fans that The White/Black Sheep mask sold like hot cake almost a decade ago. Even during his latest return, he moved tons of merch with Uncle Howdy before illness sidelined him.

- Bray Wyatt was one of those very few top WWE Superstars who never had the chance to successfully defend the WWE Championship in a singles capacity. He won the prestigious belt back at Elimination Chamber 2017 PLE.

Just when people thought that WWE was about to give Wyatt his deserved push, Wyatt lost the momentums by dropping the belt to Randy Orton at Wrestlemania 33. Things went worse for him with the follow-up House of Horrors rematch that ended up being a debacle.

Overall, Bray Wyatt is a three-time world champion in the WWE. After 2017, he won the Universal Championship in 2019 as The Fiend only to be victimized by Goldberg. Then in 2020, he regained the title for just seven days before Roman Reigns took it.

From Abduction To Being Idolized: We Look At The Life Of The Nature Boy, Ric Flair

Whether or not you’re a pro-wrestling superfan, you’ve most likely heard of the name Ric Flair. And that’s because he’s a legend and is always featured in lists discussing the best wrestlers of all time. Flair has been in the WWE Hall of Fame for over a decade and has had the nickname of “Nature Boy” for quite a while now.

So, what’s the deal with this guy? Rap fans have probably heard his famous line: “limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, wheeling, dealing,” and on it goes. But there’s so much more to learn about Ric Flair, like his 20-year boozing routine that he has somehow lived through, or his insane spending habits, or his multiple near-death experiences. Buckle up and prepare for take-off: This is the wild and crazy ride that is Ric Flair!

He Might Have Been Abducted as a Baby

It might intrigue you to know that the wrestling legend came from both humble and mysterious beginnings. While it has never been confirmed, given that his parents adopted him from the notorious Tennessee Children’s Home Society, he was likely abducted as a baby.

Why? Because after the children’s home was investigated, it was discovered that children were stolen from impoverished mothers to facilitate black market adoptions. The children’s home had a habit of destroying records, so we might never know the truth about Flair’s origins. But don’t be saying “aww” just yet – the man isn’t hellbent on finding out the truth. He doesn’t even know what his birth name was, either.

How Old Is Ric Flair?

The most anyone knows is that Ric Flair was born in Memphis in 1949. The now 72-year-old was named either Fred Phillips, Fred Stewart, or Fred Demaree. After his adoption/abduction when he was one month old, he was raised by his adoptive parents, who named him Richard Flieher. For the record, his adoptive parents were in the dark about all the shady events that took place at the orphanage.

His father, Richard Reid Fliehr, was training to become a doctor, whereas his mother worked for the biggest newspaper in Minnesota, The Star Tribune. The Fliehrs moved to Edina, Minnesota, and lived there throughout the boy’s childhood. Given his remarkable origins, his success is an inspirational “rags to riches” story.

He Got Into Wrestling by Accident

Growing up, Flair never hid his passion for wrestling. In high school, Flair was a gifted athlete in track and football and won the state championship in amateur wrestling. But his father wanted his son to get into the family business. At first, Flair humored him and studied medicine at the University of Minnesota.

Only when he happened to find a gateway into the wrestling business by accident did he drop his studies. As a student, he started working as a bouncer and met Olympic weightlifter Ken Patera. Patera saw something special in the young bouncer and introduced him to former wrestler Verne Gagne, who was also impressed by him. In 1971, Gagne invited Flair to attend his notoriously brutal wrestling camp. The rest, my friends, is history.

A Ridiculously Intense Training Camp

Flair was a natural from the get-go, but Gagne gave him no special treatment. His training camp for wrestling hopefuls was ridiculously intense. A wrestler in his heyday, Gagne had an old-school wrestling mentality. His wrestling camp wasn’t flashy like today’s performers. In fact, his methods shaped some of the best pro wrestlers to enter a ring.

Another wrestling camp trainee was Ken Patera – the first wrestler Flair met while bouncing. Patera recalls them working out in the ring, which was inside one of Gagne’s old horse barns. “It was below-zero temperatures, with one light bulb in the whole barn, just dangling on a wire. The slats on the barn were about an inch apart, so there were times when we’d show up to four-foot snowdrifts in the place. The ring was all broken down, and the ropes were f***** up.”

Flair Wanted Out After Two Days

Flair gave a first-hand account of his training on To Be the Man: “We’d start off running along this frozen creek, slipping and sliding… You’d have to wear three sweatsuits. The only way to stay warm was to keep moving and not slow down the whole day, for six or eight hours.”

They had to run around the farm on a “customized path that went about two miles.” Flair and his fellow trainees (including The Iron Sheik) were forced to do 500 squats, 200 push-ups, and 200 sit-ups. Flair wanted to quit after two days. Luckily for wrestling fans everywhere, Gagne wouldn’t let him quit so easily.

A Hippie in the Ring

Before Flair came to be known as the “The Dirtiest Player in the Game,” he adopted a pretty embarrassing gimmick for his wrestling shtick. That’s right: The celebrated Ric Flair was a hippie in the ring for a brief period during the early days of his career.

Why a hippie? Well, he was inspired to take on the persona because of Billy Graham, who was said to be representing the hippie movement, but it didn’t always seem that way. During this period in Flair’s wrestling career, he wore a headband and tie-dyed shorts – quite the opposite of the signature flashy appearance he adopted later.

His Longtime Beef With Dusty Rhodes

One of Flair’s iconic rivals was Dusty Rhodes, and their intense feud kept wrestling fans captivated for decades. The storyline was more or less: “what’s that shameful Flair going to do to our beloved Dusty Rhodes next?” Behind the scenes, however, the setup was reversed. According to Flair, Rhodes was pretty relentless in his teasing.

When Flair was still a novice during his first tour in Japan, his primary role was as the bag carrier for the wrestling veterans. It was then that he first met Dusty Rhodes and Dick Murdoch. During that tour, Flair recalled the two wrestlers breaking down his door at the hotel before they “sprayed the room with a fire extinguisher and threw my clothes out a tenth-story window.”

He Survived a Plane Crash

If you can survive Verne Gagne’s boot camp, you can beat anything. Flair is living proof. In October 1975, amateur pilot Mike Farkas offered to fly Flair and a bunch of his fellow wrestlers to their next show for a low price. Flair, Johnny Valentine, David Crockett, Bob Bruggers, and “Mr. Wrestling” Tim Woods all boarded Farkas’ Cessna 310.

This is no joke. The small plane wasn’t built to carry six people, let alone a group of husky wrestlers. So, Farkas emptied a load of fuel to reduce the weight, which meant they ran out of gas before reaching their destination.

He Recovered After Only Three Months

The plane crashed into the Wilmington airport runway. Farkas died, Valentine was paralyzed, and Flair was seriously injured. The plane crash resulted in Flair’s spine being broken in three places, with his neck broken, too. The resilient soul didn’t take long to get back on track and re-enter the wrestling game – only three months!

His speedy recovery was a true testament to his character. Furthermore, he was lucky to be alive! And he knew it. The crash taught him a harsh but important life lesson and prompted a huge change in both his look and wrestling style.

His Doctors Told Him to Quit

Before Flair ever got into the business (and before the life-altering plane crash), he had his renowned charisma, but he was a lot bigger in size. He also didn’t have bleached blond hair. After the crash, doctors advised him to find a new career. But that wasn’t in Flair’s vision.

Rather than quit, he ditched his monster strength approach because it was just too physically demanding. He lost a lot of weight on his way to recovery. He came out the other end with his new motto: “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.” His new submission-based, cerebral style is what he became known for.

Conquering the Nature Boy Persona

Like all the wrestling greats before him, Flair borrowed from those who came before him. Although Flair was an original, he wasn’t the OG. After the plane crash, he started a process of creating a less demanding gimmick, but then someone told him he reminded them of the original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers.

After this fateful encounter, Flair decided to become his own version of Nature Boy. He borrowed Rogers’ flamboyant character, emulating his strut, blond hair, and Figure-Four Leg Lock. In 1978, Flair and Rogers hit the ring to decide who was the definitive Nature Boy. Flair left victorious, and so veteran Rogers gave up his moniker.

He Embodied Jerry Lee Lewis in the Ring

Flair borrowed from other wrestlers besides Buddy Rogers. His infamous robes and flamboyance were also inspired by Gorgeous George, and he adapted his promo style from Superstar Billy Graham and Dusty Rhodes. Flair was also influenced by pop culture figures who had nothing to do with wrestling at all.

Rock 'N' Roll and country star Jerry Lee Lewis perform on a dark stage and flashy lights.

Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images

One major influence was rock and roll rebel Jerry Lee Lewis. Like Lewis, Flair would strut across the ring sometimes mid-match to highlight his arrogance. Aside from his general swagger, people say that Lewis inspired Flair’s signature “WOO” catchphrase.

Who Said You Can’t Be Struck by Lighting Twice?

According to the WWE, Ric Flair has been hit by lightning twice. The eternal survivor has again lived to tell his tale. Like his first near-death experience, a plane was involved. The first time he was hit, a storm delayed his flight, and the passengers on the plane were permitted to leave the aircraft with umbrellas.

Lightning hit Flair’s umbrella, but he survived. A fellow passenger wasn’t so lucky. Flair described: “My umbrella shot 50 feet in the air. I thought, ‘What the hell?’ Lightning hit the top of my umbrella, bounced off, and hit a guy in the eye five feet behind me and killed him. Right there. I just stood there looking at the guy and froze. It scared me to death.”

The second time? It was en route to a Fourth of July celebration when the plane he was on was hit by lightning.

A Quiet, Lonely Night After Getting the Belt

More backstage shenanigans with Dusty Rhodes occurred after Flair won his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1981. Of course, Rhodes didn’t like losing the coveted title in a city where he already had a large following. Losing in front of a small Kansas City audience who had no feelings toward either opponent wasn’t Rhodes’ cup of tea.

You can say that Rhodes was a sore loser and resented handing the belt over to Flair, who would soon gain a bigger following. Rhodes took it a step further by barely making an effort in the match. Since Rhodes had more backstage clout, they didn’t celebrate with Flair after his victory. Instead, he returned to his hotel and had a quiet night.

Gaining a Reputation as a Party Animal

Flair’s low-key celebrations didn’t last for long as he soon developed a reputation for being a party animal. It was hard to find a wrestler who could keep up with Flair’s affinity for partying and taste for extravagance. Whenever Flair was in a new town, he checked into fancy hotels and partied all night.

On a trip to Sacramento, Lex Luger and Flair each went to their own rooms and proceeded to go wild during the night. When they finally stumbled back to the hotel, it was time for their next flight. Luger later stated that the whole wild-child persona was “part of the image enhancement.”

Every Day for 20 Years

In his 30 for 30 ESPN documentary, Flair described his daily routine at the peak of his career. He explained how he would drink 10 beers, 20 vodkas, and five cocktails every day! Without fail! For 20 years! He said he told this to his therapist, who was utterly shocked because the average human wouldn’t survive such a long-term routine.

His fast-paced life obviously caught up with him. He was later induced into a medical coma due to organ failure. He appeared on The Dan LeBatard Show in 2016 and described what it was like to ingest “Between 3,700 and 4,000 calories worth of booze… in my body every day.”

Both Heart and Flair

Bret Hart and Ric Flair had their own wrestling beef during the ‘90s. The pair of respected and talented wrestlers always put on an engaging match for the fans. In the ring, they had some disagreements, but they always shared an amicable relationship backstage. Hart had respect for Flair and what he did for the business.

But Hart couldn’t keep up with Flair’s partying. One time, Hart called it a night as the sun started to rise. When he got up just a few hours later to work out, Flair was already in the gym. He may have been a party boy, but Nature Boy was a hard worker and took his job seriously.

He Had His Routine Down to a Tee

Terry Taylor revealed a fun story to prove just how hard Flair partied and how, after a night of partying, he could still go into the ring. When Taylor first wrestled Flair, the party boy came back from another long night out. He looked a mess, stunk of alcohol, and was still very intoxicated.

Security had to help him get into the venue, which didn’t look good for the wrestlers’ upcoming match. But, after an hour-long nap, a reinvigorated Flair walked into the ring. His conditioning was so down to a tee that Taylor was begging to end the match. Meanwhile, Flair was yelling, “let’s go, let’s go!”

Nature Boy Was Bad With Money

Flair is one of the most legendary wrestlers to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. But the man is notoriously terrible with his money. Following one lawsuit, he owed $35,000 to Highspots, Inc., and he just gave them his Championship belt to clear the debt. Then, when Highspots tried to sell the belt, Combraco Inc. didn’t let them.

As it turned out, Flair had already offered Combraco his belt to square off a previous debt. As a result, he was held in contempt of court since he failed to repay his Highspots loan and had to face up to 90 days in prison. He was also required to autograph 300 pictures for the company.

Baring It All

Ric Flair was so comfortable in his skin that he wasn’t shy when it came to showing it off. For some reason, most of his incredible stories took place on planes. In one instance, the wrestler was caught flashing unsuspecting passengers and staff.

On a flight to Portland, Oregon, he allegedly went into the plane’s bathroom and came out in a pair of alligator shoes, dress socks, and his wrestling robe. During 2002’s infamous Plane Ride from Hell, Flair drank too much and exposed himself to the flight attendants.

The “Naitching” King

Flair’s flair for spending cash inspired Triple H and a few others to create a new word, the “wheelin’ and dealin’ son of a gun.” Triple H coined the term “Naitching” to describe someone who spends stupid amounts of cash for no reason.

And it wasn’t all spent on limousines, hotel rooms, and booze. Flair also fancied the finest clothes and ring attire. In 1985, during the Great American Bash tour, he was at the height of his career and living his most lavish lifestyle. He and his peers traveled in a private jet. During one stay at the Tropicana, he got so drunk that he spent $40,000 on two fur coats. He never wore either of them.

He Had Expensive Taste

Flair spent excessive amounts of money on his flashy robes. At least he wore those regularly. He tended to have a specific taste when it came to his ring attire. Many of his wrestling robes from the ’70s and ’80s were made by Olivia Walker.

Walker’s robes weren’t cheap; she charged thousands of dollars to make his wrestling robes – up to $10,000 (worth over $20,000 these days). In his book Second Nature: The Legacy of Ric Flair and the Rise of Charlotte, Flair revealed that his sequin, rhinestone, and feather robes weighed up to 50 pounds.

Vince McMahon Lent Him $800,000

Flair acknowledged that he spent money that he didn’t necessarily have. We know now that a big part of it was his need to scratch his “Naitching” itch. Most of his spending was to make him look wealthier than he actually was in order to keep up his gimmick.

But his spending caught up with him, and he had to borrow $800,000 from Vince McMahon. “I wouldn’t let my kids borrow this amount of money from me,” McMahon said. But he took the calculated risk because he was sure he would get the money back, which he did. Flair eventually paid him with one single WrestleMania check.

One of His Wives Thought He Was a Pimp

A first impression is important in relationships. In Flair’s case, he didn’t exactly give off the best impression when he met his second wife, Beth. She thought he was a pimp! And it’s hard to blame her since he was donning his signature robe by seven women.

Ric Flair on a green robe accompanied by two women dressed in short tight leather and glitter outfits.

Still, Beth realized he was just a flamboyant wrestler. The two married and have two kids. Did you know that one of Ric Flair’s nicknames is The Alimony Pony? It might have to do with the fact that he’s been married five times and divorced four.

A Serial Groom

He married his first wife, Leslie Goodman, in 1974, and the pair had two kids, Megan and David, before their 1983 divorce. He then married Elizabeth (Beth) Harrell the same year he divorced Goodman. He and Harrel had two children, one of them is Charlotte Flair.

After 23 years, he and Beth divorced in 2006. Flair remarried again, the same year as his divorce. The man just can’t be alone! Tiffany VanDemark became his third wife, and their marriage lasted a few years before their 2008 divorce. A year later, he married Jacqueline “Jackie” Beems before divorcing her in 2012. By 2018, he was married again to Wendy Barlow. So far, so good.

10,000 Women? Could It Be?

Flair didn’t just marry a lot; he dated a whole lot. In the 30 for 30 ESPN documentary, he said he thinks he’s slept with around 10,000 women over the decades. Sure, it’s very likely an over-exaggeration, but still! It’s probably in the Gene Simmons zone.

Although he was candid in the documentary, he later expressed regret about talking so openly about the matter (and his hectic love life). His family watched it, after all. “What I said was the truth, but I feel bad now that I said some of it… Ten thousand women. I wish I hadn’t said that because of my grandkids.”

Has He Been With Halle Berry?

But it was too late. He already let the cat out of the bag. Not just that – he also spilled the beans about sleeping with a certain A-list celebrity on a podcast. Yup. He said he slept with Halle Berry. During a 2016 episode of The Ric Flair Show podcast, he exposed his love life further while speaking of the celebrities he had had relations with.

Halle Berry was one of them. The story? “She was in Atlanta, and she had just gotten divorced from David Justice.” Berry, however, denied ever visiting “Space Mountain.” Her representative stated: “There is no truth to this. Halle has literally never even heard of him, let alone met him!”

16, 21, or 25 Titles?

Ric Flair has enjoyed a long and impressive career. Just consider his cross-promotion in the WWE, NWA, WCW, and WCW. John Cena, for example, won two WWE Heavyweight equivalents 16 times, tying Flair’s record.

While Flair is acknowledged for having won 16 World Titles, he has actually won a lot more. The record books haven’t managed to attribute them all. According to Flair, he’s won more like 21 in total. Meanwhile, record-enthusiasts concluded that Flair won a maximum of 25. Either way, it’s all very impressive!

Naitch Did It First

In 1975, Inside Wrestling hailed Flair as Rookie of the Year. In 2008, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame while he was still an active wrestler. WWE then inducted him as a Four Horsemen member in 2012, when he retired four years later.

At the time, Flair was the only WWE wrestler to ever be inducted into their Hall of Fame twice. Since then, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Sean Waltman have been inducted twice. But our Naitch did it first.

He Was in Magic Mike XXL

While many of Flair’s wrestling brothers made it their mission to make it on TV, like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Roddy Piper, etc., Nature Boy knew to stick to his lane. Still, he wasn’t all that against taking on a few acting gigs here or there.

He was offered a role in Magic Mike XXL and also voiced himself on an episode of Uncle Grandpa. He once took part in the popular TV game show Family Feud and obviously left as the champion. That’s right, Ric Flair won the round of Family Feud.

Trouble With the WCW

When you’ve had a long career like Ric Flair, it’s expected that you’ll have problems along the way. Flair was once the hottest thing in the WCW, but when he got a little older, the promoter asked him to step down.

Jim Herd, WCW’s Executive Vice President at the time, spoke to then 39-year-old Flair and asked him to take a step back from the main show and take on a new Roman Gladiator gimmick. Naturally, he detested the idea and, as a result, was constantly butting heads with Herd, who eventually fired him.

Then With WWE

Flair’s relationship with WWE has been mostly good-natured, but only recently has he come to taint the long-lasting amicable relationship. In 2019, he tried to trademark “The Man.” The problem was that Becky Lynch was already calling herself “The Man” as part of her gimmick.

Flair said that as long as WWE pays him for using “The Man,” he doesn’t mind letting Lynch use it. This caused some friction between him and the WWE. Last year, in May 2020, Flair gave “The Man” rights to WWE.

When Is Ric Flair Day?

Certain states have a special place in their hearts for the Nature Boy, mainly because of the old-school wrestling territory system. For example, Minneapolis, Minnesota, was the first to declare Ric Flair Day on October 19th, 1998.

10 years later, Columbia, South Carolina, announced March 24th as the day and went one step further by giving him a key to the city. Then, Norfolk, Virginia, marked November 15th as Ric Flair Day. In 2009, Charleston, West Virginia, declared April 18th to be the day of Flair, and they also gave him a key to their city.

He Faced Some Nasty Allegations

On a more negative note, Flair has faced sexual assault allegations, one about his actions on the “Plane Ride From Hell” in 2002, which ended in a 2004 lawsuit. Flair allegedly coerced flight staff into touching him inappropriately; he allegedly “forcibly detained and restrained” a flight attendant.

Flair denied the claims, and WWE ultimately settled out of court. In 2005, Flair was charged with damaging personal property as well as simple assault and battery. A police report states that Flair grabbed a driver in his late 20s by the neck and kicked the man’s SUV.

An Altercation With His Daughter’s Boyfriend

WWE made light of the incident by working it into Flair’s feud with Edge. The case was later dismissed because no witnesses showed up to court. Back in 2008, Flair was involved in an altercation with his daughter Charlotte’s boyfriend.

Charlotte Flair was the one arrested and fined and given probation for kicking a police officer. Ric Flair was visibly injured, but he refused to press charges against his daughter or her boyfriend. The intensity doesn’t stop there. He also had altercations with his fans in 2014.

Death Threats From Fans

In 2014, Flair announced that he wouldn’t be able to attend the Carolina Panthers vs. the San Francisco 49ers playoff game, thanks to all the death threats from Panthers fans. Flair, who has lived in Charlotte for years, was asked to give a motivational speech to the 49ers, and he did.

But Panthers fans didn’t take too kindly to his expression of support for his hometown team’s opponent. In 2016, Flair might have been a no show at the playoffs due to a warrant being issued for his arrest. He was allegedly detained by the police at Boston’s Logan Airport, but PWInsider reported that he actually had slipped on his luggage and hit his head, needing medical attention.

Despite all his past debt problems, he seems to be doing well for himself. His net worth is estimated at $3 million.

Showing Up in North Korea

In 1995, North Korea hosted the International Sports and Culture Festival for Peace, which opened their country to the West and its professional wrestlers. The new Japan Pro Wrestling founder and wrestling legend Antonio Inoki asked WCW if Hulk Hogan would face him in the main event.

Muhammad Ali, who faced Inoki back in the ‘70s, was also added to the list. Once all the wrestlers arrived, they were split into pairs, and their passports were removed. For the two days leading up to the show, the wrestlers made appearances for state media, honoring the late North Korean Supreme Leader, Kim Il-sung.

He Couldn’t Wait to Leave the Country

Whatever they did, it worked. On the first night, 170,000 audience members showed up, which increased to 180,000 by the second night. The event broke previous wrestling attendance records, including WrestleMania III.

According to a North Korean limo driver, “Nobody really wants to come. It’s forced attendance. If they don’t show up, they get a bullet in the head.” The spectators had no idea what professional wrestling even was and didn’t interact during the show. According to Flair, he had never been so happy to leave a place: “As soon as our plane landed in Japan, I bent down and literally kissed the ground. I was so glad to be back on friendly soil.”

UFC Parent Company Endeavor Set To Buy WWE

Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment is in advanced talks to be sold to Ari Emanuel's Endeavor Group, the parent company of UFC, according to people familiar with the matter.

A deal could be announced as soon as today. UFC and WWE are expected to form a new publicly traded company as part of the agreement, according to the people, who declined to be named due to the confidential nature of the discussions.

Endeavor is slated to own 51% of the new combat sports and entertainment company, while WWE shareholders would get 49%, according to the people. The Endeavor deal gives WWE an enterprise value of $9.3 billion, they said.

Emanuel is expected to act as chief executive of both Endeavor and the new company. McMahon, likewise, is expected to be executive chairman, while Endeavor President Mark Shapiro will also work in the same role at the new company. Dana White will remain as president of UFC, while WWE CEO Nick Khan will serve as president of the wrestling business.

The development comes during the same weekend WWE hosts its flagship live event, WrestleMania, in California. The company has spent the past several months looking for a buyer. McMahon returned to the company as chairman in January to oversee the process. Shares of WWE are up more than 33% so far this year, giving it a market value of more than $6.79 billion.

The deal will effectively end WWE's decades-old status as a family-run business. McMahon's father founded WWE in its original incarnation during the middle of the 20th century, and McMahon is the controlling shareholder in the company. McMahon bought the company from his father in 1982. Since then, the company has grown into a global phenomenon, spawing stars suck as Hulk Hogan, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dave Bautista and John Cena.

McMahon, 77, retired from the company in July following a string of revelations that he paid several women millions of dollars over the years to keep them quiet about alleged affairs and misconduct. His daughter, Stephanie McMahon, became co-CEO alongside Khan. Paul Levesque, who's both Stephanie McMahon's husband and the wrestler known as Triple H, took over creative duties from Vince McMahon.

When Vince McMahon came back in January, Stephanie McMahon stepped down and Khan fully assumed the CEO role. The elder McMahon recently locked in a two-year employment contract, according to a securities filing.

Khan in recent weeks has been making the media rounds to discuss the potential sale. He told CNBC's Morgan Brennan on Thursday that it's been a robust sale process, drawing many interested buyers.

WWE brings with it a robust media and live events business, along with its decades worth of intellectual property. The company generated $1.29 billion in revenue last year, driven mainly by its $1 billion media unit.

UFC has paid off for Endeavor. Last year, the MMA league helped Endeavor's sports business make $1.3 billion in revenue. Endeavor's market cap stood at about $10.53 billion as of Friday's close. The Endeavor-WWE deal values UFC at more than $12 billion.

WWE, at least at a glance, would also fit well with the cultures at Endeavor and UFC. McMahon has a brash public persona, making him an apparently good match for Emanuel and White, who are also known for their outsized personalities.

White, like McMahon, is no stranger to scandal, either. Earlier this year, video emerged showing the UFC boss slapping his wife during a public argument at a New Year's Eve party in Mexico. White apologized.

Recap To Last Year: WWE Network Fails To Launch On Showmax, DStv Channel 128 Remains Active In The African Market

Last year, SuperSport and the WWE extended their partnership with the world's biggest wrestling promotion which would see the WWE Network fold under Showmax as seen in Indonesia, Phillipines, Australia and India which have all terminated the brand.

SuperSport would continue to offer Raw, SmackDown, NXT and premium live PPVs across their platforms. As for the WWE Channel, that's expected to continue running on channel 128 but would it be shocking if it didn't considering it was never mentioned earlier.

Vince McMahon, the founder of WWE has been exploring a potential sale of the brand for several months and had recieved a number of potential buyers at the time including Comcast (NBCUniversal), Disney, Amazon and the Saudis apparently.

If you view this from a logical perspective, I can see why this deal was put on hold. If you take to account, the mentioned potential buyers at the time such as Disney. They probably wouldn't want to bundle WWE on Showmax especially if Disney+ already exists.

Although a buyer has yet to be announced, I can see imagine how WWE would operate under the Disney tile. They'd probably scrap SuperSport's WWE and merge it with ESPN meaning in order to view further content particularly archived you'd need ESPN+.

As mentioned, Showmax's deal with WWE does come off as suspicious if you take the following to account:

WWE® (NYSE: WWE) and MultiChoice today announced a major broadcast partnership that will see Showmax – the leading streaming service available in the region – become the new home of WWE Network in Africa.

The partnership incorporates all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania®, as well as WWE Network’s vast library of original and archived programming available to stream on-demand.

Additionally, SuperSport, the sport broadcasting subsidiary of video entertainment platform MultiChoice, will continue to broadcast live weekly episodes of Raw®, SmackDown® and NXT® as well as all of WWE’s Premium Live Events in a multi-year extension.

Although, MultiChoice mentions that the WWE Channel would remain onboard I find it hard to believe. Yes this channel brings the consumers and revenue but why not mention such a brand in early press statements when expanding this deal to Showmax.

Even more reasons to suspect the possible demise of channel 128 would be Showmax. Notice how they mention "WWE Network’s vast...archived programming" but SuperSport only references "live weekly episodes of Raw®, SmackDown®...WWE’s Premium Live Events.

Most people grew fond of this channel so maybe WWE Channel would be supplemented by another brand that could fill up the void and probably be WWE savvy but there's always chances that this could be nothing at this point.

Recap To Last Year: WWE Channel Wasn't Mentioned In SuperSport's Contract Renewal With WWE

Last year, WWE and MultiChoice announced a major broadcast partnership that will see Showmax – the leading streaming service available in the region – become the new home of WWE Network in Africa.

The partnership incorporates all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, as well as WWE Network’s vast library of original and archived programming available to stream on-demand.

Additionally, SuperSport, the sport broadcasting subsidiary of video entertainment platform MultiChoice, will continue to broadcast live weekly episodes of Raw, SmackDown and NXT as well as all of WWE’s Premium Live Events in a multi-year extension.

Of course, WWE Channel wasn't mentioned in this multi-year extension. In a media enquiry, as to whether the channel could be slam dunked from DStv consumers across Africa. MultiChoice responded to say the channel would remain aboard the platform.

But questions amount to why this wasn't mentioned by neither SuperSport or WWE in press statements. Could it be that WWE Channel will be getting chopped possibly when this multi-year extension reaches its expiration date.

I mean the only thing premium or relevant within WWE is Raw, SmackDown, NXT and live PPVs. Everything else is basically a hit miss and mostly rebroadcast and a channel which is managed by SuperSport they're favourable in terms of rebroadcasts.

The idea of SuperSport phasing out the channel doesn't seem far fetched. My guess as to why they're probably keeping it on air could be popularity which journeys back to e.tv and another SuperSport could be looking at ways to supplement WWE.

Now I don't how they plan to supplement something like WWE but from what I've seen you got a selected number of SuperSport channels offering live or rebroadcasts to selected content or as mentioned in their agreement Jambo, Raw, SmackDown, NXT and live PPVs.

Additionally, there's SuperSport Action which is home to extreme sports like UFC and EFC mixed martial arts programming. Basically a fight sports channel kind of fitting the bar set to up by WWE perhaps eliminating the rugby and soccer would make it the ideal candidate.