Posted on by bdamage1
Robert Segedy
I can clearly remember the first time that I saw Buddy “Nature Boy” Landel on WTBS; he was cutting a promo and he made mention of his opponent stocking the shelves at the local Winn Dixie supermarket. I was amused by this cocky young talent and wondered who had the cajónes to call themselves “The Nature Boy” when everyone knew that the true Nature Boy was Ric Flair. Landel, it turns out, was his own worst enemy, as time after time greatness eluded him. There is a revealing interview on You Tube where Landel tells the truth about his addiction to alcohol and drugs. “I got money and friends, and the fun never ends as long as I’m buying.”
“You don’t understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am….” Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront.
If there ever was a character that could have spoken those immortal lines, then it was Buddy Landel. I recall Landel when he was opposing Ric Flair for the NWA Heavyweight title. It was billed as the Battle of the Nature Boys and Landel and Flair sold out house after house working 60 minute Broadways, trading chops like crazy and each looking to clamp on the figure four leglock. On July 31, 1985, Flair versus Landel drew a sold-out house at the J.S. Dorton Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina; Landel often claimed that this match broke Elvis Presley’s attendance record. Landel later won the NWA World Championship from Terry Taylor at Starrcade ’85 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Landel would often bounce around from organization to organization, working wherever he could, but often trouble would follow, and Buddy wasn’t meant to be in any one place for very long.
They say that imitation is often the highest form of flattery; in Buddy’s case the story is that Flair wanted some time off and he liked Landel’s style, so the word was passed to booker Dusty Rhodes that a series of matches should be scheduled. Ric Flair – Buddy Landel YouTube This clip is a human highlight reel of both men at their best, with savage chops and all the expected trademark moves that you have come to expect.
Landel accumulated multiple titles in a wide assortment of territories. In this clip Shawn Michaels vs. Buddy Landel – YouTube Landel takes on the WWE champion at Intercontinental Championship match (SMW Superbowl of Wrestling 8/4/95) in Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Michaels displays the respect that he had for Landel by defending the belt outside of the WWE. Landel and Michaels set a record house at the Knoxville Coliseum on Aug. 4, 1995. “Landel was honored as Most Influential WWF/WCW Wrestler from Kentucky by the state’s Governor and made a Kentucky Colonel in 1990.” (https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Buddy_Landel). On August 27, 2011, Landel was inducted into the Legends Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.
On June 22, 2015, Landel was entered into the hospital but checked himself out only to die sometime during the night. The wrestling business truly lost a legendary performer when it lost Landel.
Todd
This seemed like first draft of a not-yet-finished article. There are of grammatical errors, which make it difficult to read . There are placeholders for YouTube match links, but no links. It alludes to Landel being his own worst enemy, but provides no anecdotes or supporting details. It mentions Landel moving from territory to territory, but why? It erroneously states that Landel won the NWA World Championship from Terry Taylor, which is incorrect. It mentions Landel died after being checked into a hospital, but for what?