By match time, Race was a no show, so Nick Bockwinkel, who had already wrestled earlier in the night taking on local favorite Jose “Supersock” Lothario went into double duty, and the two tore the house down.  As the fans were filing out of the building, Race pulled up in a cab.  He didn’t realize the card was an afternoon card. 

Four years later in 1981, Race again raised the ire of Boesch, for a similar thing.  It was April 17, 1981, and according to Boesch, the Sam Houston Coliseum was sold out for a Race-Tony Atlas title match.  Race called Boesch, from Kansas City, letting him know that he had missed his plane and that he would not be there.  Ten days later, Race lost the NWA title to Tommy Rich, regaining five days after that.  But in September as most of you know, Ric Flair ascended to the NWA throne by defeating Dusty Rhodes.  Boesch took a liking to Flair.   

Boesch stated that Flair had a certain charisma about him that Race never had.  He also marveled at Flair’s ability to cut a promo.  Flair would make numerous trips to Houston, always defending the NWA title.  Some memorable title defenses include: 

Ric Flair vs. Terry Taylor:  Although not as memorable as their New Orleans match that saw Taylor asking Flair to go home because he was tired (this after Flair went to bed at 7 a.m. the MORNING of the match after partying), the two men rocked the Coliseum for a solid half hour before Flair took Taylor to ….school. 

Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich:  The match heard round the world in 1984 came to Houston in 1985.  The two men, who had been drawing great crowds in cities as diverse as Honolulu, and St. Louis, didn’t disappoint in Houston.  They went at each other with a breathtaking pace, as both men were still in their wrestling prime.  Although the title didn’t change that night, most fans went home happy just seeing the great match they had witnessed. 

Ric Flair vs. Wahoo McDaniel:  McDaniel had always drawn well for Paul Boesch in the past, and the summer of 1985 would be no different, as the two rekindled their feud from the Mid-Atlantic area the year previous.  Both men delivered their trademark blistering chops, and Flair bled heavily.  Flair gets the duke in a controversial pin that saw the Houston crowd thirsting for more.   

Sadly, when Mid-South became the UWF, Ric Flair would not come to the state of Texas, much less Houston much after in 1986.  The next time Flair would return to Houston was in 1987 when Jim Crockett bought the UWF and absorbed it into his version of the NWA.  Flair would return to the Sam Houston Coliseum when Boesch began to again promote cards under the Crockett banner, including a May and July cards that were significant for different reasons.  The May card would see Barry Windham win the vacant U.S. title in a tournament defeating Nikita Koloff, while the July card would be the last Great American Bash in Houston.   

Fast Forward:   

Ric Flair would return to Houston under the WCW banner when they would run cards at the Astro Arena, most notably for Fall Brawl ’93, and for a summer 1994 house show.  He was scheduled to appear at an August 1997 house show, but was replaced by Steve McMichael in a tag team match against the NOW.  Flair hasn’t appeared in Houston for any promotion in quite some time.  However, that will hopefully soon change.  Presumably, after the proposed split of WWFE happens post-WrestleMania 18, Flair’s “Smackdown” division is supposed to stop by the Compaq Center in April.  And if so, one writer will be there to remember one of the greatest world champions of all time.   

NEXT MONTH:

Coal Miner’s Glove….Steel Cage….Loser Leaves Town…..Tuxedos…..All on one card?  Try all in ONE MATCH!!