10 Most Shameless Wrestling Ripoffs Ever
2. Buddy Landel
Ripped Off: Ric Flair/Buddy Rogers
Ric Flair himself is indebted to Buddy Rogers, who originated the flamboyant 'Nature Boy' character in professional wrestling, though Ric at least earned the right to take the OG's nickname, look, style, and signature taunts as his own, defeating Rogers in a passing-of-the-torch match in July 1978.
Buddy Landel's imitation was less gracious.
This 'Nature Boy' was so clearly influenced by Flair's take on the gimmick that he couldn't breathe without people calling "ripoff," particularly as he played the character in the same promotion at the same time as Ric, who was on top of the game as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. While Flair was styling and profiling at the top of NWA cards, here was Landel, just beneath, strutting around with his blonde hair, big ropes, and flashy attitude, until a falling out with management saw him leave Jim Crockett Promotions.
Flair was understandably dismissive of Landel early on, though eventually opened up to working with him. The duo contested an NWA-sponsored "Battle of the Nature Boys" in 1990. That was about as good as it got for Landel, whose high-level career was destroyed by substance abuse.
A shame, too, as he was a talented worker and a tremendous heel.