RIP "Nature Boy" Buddy Landell
- Thread starter FreshAIG
- Start date
William Ansor, who was on the verge of becoming one of the biggest stars in pro wrestling in the mid-80s as Nature Boy Buddy Landel, passed away earlier today at his home.
Details are still sketchy, but the reports are that he was in a bad auto accident over the weekend, checked himself out of the hospital on Sunday, and said he was feeling bad when he went to sleep. When his wife went to check on him today, he was dead.
Landel was 53.
Landel, managed by J.J. Dillon, was set for a major push in Jim Crockett Promotions, including a potential NWA title run, or at least a major feud with Ric Flair. The two had set a record in Raleigh in a tryout match.
But he was out of control, didn't get up for a television taping, and was fired. He was National heavyweight champion at the time, and on that morning at the TBS Studios, it was announced that Landel had lost the title to Dusty Rhodes in Albuquerque and he never appeared again. While he had a steady career for the next decade, including participating in USWA's last sellouts at the Mid South Coliseum (Lawler & Dutch Mantel vs. Landel & Bill Dundee), he never came close to that level of stardom again.
Details are still sketchy, but the reports are that he was in a bad auto accident over the weekend, checked himself out of the hospital on Sunday, and said he was feeling bad when he went to sleep. When his wife went to check on him today, he was dead.
Landel was 53.
Landel, managed by J.J. Dillon, was set for a major push in Jim Crockett Promotions, including a potential NWA title run, or at least a major feud with Ric Flair. The two had set a record in Raleigh in a tryout match.
But he was out of control, didn't get up for a television taping, and was fired. He was National heavyweight champion at the time, and on that morning at the TBS Studios, it was announced that Landel had lost the title to Dusty Rhodes in Albuquerque and he never appeared again. While he had a steady career for the next decade, including participating in USWA's last sellouts at the Mid South Coliseum (Lawler & Dutch Mantel vs. Landel & Bill Dundee), he never came close to that level of stardom again.
RIP
Never a favorite of mine but still big part of my childhood as it seemed like he was always on TV with either NWA/WCW, USWA or GWF.
Never a favorite of mine but still big part of my childhood as it seemed like he was always on TV with either NWA/WCW, USWA or GWF.
@ Bootleg Nature BoyI always liked Buddy Landell. He is one of those guys who could have been much bigger than he actually was. The AWA should have scooped him up and ran with him as their version of "The Nature Boy" because Landell was doomed to be an also-ran in the NWA where Flair was king.
But Buddy was a bit of a mess personally...he let himself get fat as fukk and showed little dedication to the biz.