Billy Corgan explains the origins of Ric Flair's appearance at the NWA 73 event and what it means to have Ric Flair back in the fold of the National Wrestling Alliance.
It was announced recently that Ric Flair would be a part of the NWA 73 event on Sunday, August 29, 2021. Many in the wrestling world consider Ric Flair to be the last additional traveling NWA World Heavyweight Champion. During Ric Flair's time with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the “Big Gold” belt was instituted and Jim Crockett Promotions would be bought out by Ted Turner to become World Championship Wrestling.
Now, 28 years since Ric Flair last won the NWA World Championship from Barry Windham at WCW Beach Blast 1993 and a little over 30 years since Jim Crockett promotions was purchased by Ted Turner, Ric Flair will return to the National Wrestling Alliance in one of the legendary NWA venues, The Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St Louis, Missouri.
Speaking on The Battleground Podcast, Billy Corgan explains the beginnings of this appearance stems from a lunch that Nick Aldis had with wrestling podcaster, entrepreneur, and Ric Flair's son-in-law, Conrad Thompson.
"NWA World's Heavyweight Champion, Nick Aldis had had lunch not too long ago with Conrad Thompson. Of course, everybody knows Conrad from his success in podcasting but Conrad's also a member of the Flair family via marriage. I believe it was right around the time that Mr. Flair had left his relationship with the WWE, so I think maybe there was some poking around during that lunch about, ‘Do you think this is something Ric might be interested in?’ So, I think that opened up the channel to talking behind the scenes about whether or not we could put it together, and obviously, it did happen, and I'm very excited.”
Corgan continued, “You know, there's lots of things you do in wrestling where you kind of cross your fingers and you hope for the best and it's an awesome responsibility to run the NWA with history. It's no mistake that I care about the history of the business, not just the NWA’s history. There are only certain moments in life where you can put those pieces together, where you connect all those dots and Mr. Flair coming back to the NWA, specifically in the Chase, specifically on the 73rd Anniversary Show, I mean, that is an awesome thing to be able to sign off on.”
Recently, Ric Flair told Sports Illustrated that now that he is free of his WWE contract, he plans on pursuing projects and appearances that make him happy. Learn more here.
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