3. Buddy Landell Might Have Been The Next Big Thing
In late 1995, the WWF debuted two new wrestlers. The first was Nature Boy Buddy Landell, and the second was The Ringmaster who would later be called Stone Cold Steve Austin. Believe it or not, at the time of their debuts, the guy that WWF thought would be the next star was not Austin, but rather Landell. Landell came in from Smokey Mountain Wrestling and debuted at the December 1995 In Your House event as a replacement of the injured Dean Douglas. He immediately was put in a match with the WWF Champion Bret Hart that aired on WWF Mania in January 1996. He was dubbed the "Nature Boy," had Ric Flair's old 1990s WWF music, and used the figure-four leglock as a finisher just like Flair. He appeared at one more taping, before suffering a career-altering injury. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBcH5WpMQhA After the show, Landell tore his knee after slipping on ice while leaving the arena. While he was in the hospital, Vince McMahon called him, sent him a holiday bonus check, and promised him a long future with the WWF. However, Landell was never seen again in the WWF. Who knows what would have happened had Landell not slipped on that ice?
