The original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers was one of the top wrestling competitors in the world during the 1950s and 60s. Rogers innovated the Nature Boy gimmick -- a flamboyant, bleach-blonde, braggadocious heel. In the height of his career, Rogers captured the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Following a falling out between Vince McMahon Sr. and the National Wrestling Alliance in 1963, Rogers was named the first ever WWWF Champion. Just one month later, on May 17th, Rogers was defeated in less than a minute by Bruno Sammartino for the title. Rogers returned to the NWA territories shortly thereafter and began feuding with Ric Flair. At the time, Flair was a young, up-and-comer in the Mid-Atlantic territory. In order to garner more appeal -- and to raise the ire of Rogers -- Flair began calling himself the Nature Boy. The two feuded over the nickname and gimmick for sometime, before Flair finally upset Rogers on July 9, 1978. However, Flair was not the only competitor to steal Buddy Rogers nickname, look, and figure four finishing maneuver. Buddy Landel also took the gimmick as his own in the early 1980s. Despite not reaching the heights of either Rogers or Flair, Landel still achieved moderate success as the Nature Boy. Landel naturally feuded with Flair over the gimmick, and was supposedly even set to be Flair for the NWA World title at one point. Unfortunately for Landel, his flight was delayed and his plane arrived late, thus, the title switch never took place.
Douglas Scarpa is a freelance writer, independent filmmaker, art school graduate, and pro wrestling aficionado -- all of which mean he is in financial ruin. He has no backup plan to speak of, yet maintains his abnormally high spirits. If he had only listened to the scorn of his childhood teachers, he wouldn't be in this situation.
