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Remembering my Idol, My mentor and my friend ..... Buddy Landel
I’m sure you can also say shocked, saddened, and angry when it came to Buddy’s career as well.
I remember the first time I saw the “Nature Boy” on the NWA in the mid-eighties just sparked something in me. We already had Ric Flair “The Nature Boy” the Champion of the world. That “Rolex wearin', diamond ring wearin', kiss stealin', wheelin' dealin', limousine ridin', jet flyin' son of a gun”
To me, Ric Flair was just that, he was a polished, high society, champ. Enter in a young “Nature Boy”, who was not that. His robe wasn’t as flashy, his southern draw was more prevalent, and he was a cocky, funny, and snotty brat. I related to Buddy instantly. He wasn’t classy; he was more of that average man in America trying to become that classy “Nature Boy”
Buddy was set up for a huge “Battle of the Nature Boys” feud, and then he was gone. His personal demons got the best of him. Something that everyone knows about Buddy, and followed him throughout his career, and his personal life.
As I followed the world of pro wrestling more and more over the next few years, it seemed, the same thing would happen. I would see Buddy appear on TV, and I would get so excited to see him back, and again he would be gone. I would wonder to myself what happened.
In this 5 year span of time, I went from 15 year old fan to a 20 year old entering wrestling school at the Legendary Philly promotion, TWA which turned into ECW.
6 months into my training promoter Joel Goodhart, announces that Buddy Landel is coming into the TWA, I marked out huge, and let it be known to Joel how big of a fan and an influence he was to me.
I was having some issues in my training and problems picking up certain moves, so Joel Goodhart, asked me to come to the training center one afternoon for a meeting with him, so I went, with my older sister who was helping me pay for school, and supported my venture into the pro wrestling world.
Joel walks in with Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff, which he put me in the ring with, we locked up, did a few chain moves, he hip tossed me, and said to me “kid, your too fat, lose weight and walked out.”
While this was happening the “Nature Boy” appeared and watched this all happen, he instantly jumped in the ring, said “Don’t listen to him” and started working with me for over a half hour. In that half hour a bond and friendship was born that lasted for over 2 decades.
Buddy became the TWA champ, and his career was reborn, then a short year later, the TWA folded and Buddy’s huge comeback was halted…… temporary. When the TWA went belly up, Buddy and I lost touch, but he was again back on the comeback trail now with Jim Cornette and Smokey Mountain Wrestling.
This lead to Buddy’s biggest match of his career, as for the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Champion Shawn Michaels at the Super Bowl of Wrestling in Knoxville, TN. In 1995.
At this point in time, I had been working for a few years around the Philly Tri-State area, and also started my own promotion and wrestling school in the Philly area, so my fellow TWA / ECW close friend, Jimmy Jannetty, a student of mine and I decided to take the trip to Knoxville to support Buddy in this match.
At the show, I spotted Buddy looking through the curtain throughout some of the matches, so I walked over to the curtain area, and got his attention in which he did a double take, and was shocked, to see both myself and Jannetty, but we were greeted with the instant “Hey Brother”
That big night in Buddy’s career led to him making it to the WWE, in which he was making his debut at the University of Delaware at Monday Night RAW, in which again I had to go and show support for Buddy. Sadly he injured his knee a few days later and his WWE career was already done.
In the meantime Legendary Memphis wrestler, Eddie Gilbert had passed away, and I was working on and off with Dennis Coralluzo in the NWA New Jersey, in which he started to bring Buddy in for the Eddie Gilbert memorial shows, and other shots here and there.
We again reconnected, and I promised I was going to bring him in for my promotion, as I wanted him to pick up where he left off with the TWA earlier in the decade.
It took a few years, but finally the time was right, and I brought Buddy in, for a big show, in my new monthly building to kick off our run there.
I had a packed day of wrestling set for Buddy, with an autograph signing, an in studio interview at my weekly wrestling radio show, and then off to the building for his L.A.W. debut.
The night before Buddy and I went to a local bar and started drinking, and he told me stories of old days, the partying, the behind the scenes, and also the bad times of his career, how he blew every chance he was handed in his career. We talked about his family, his wife Donna, his kids, his love of cars, and all the car accidents he had gotten into, including the one that week before the show, and he didn’t want to tell me.
We also discussed the plans of my promotion, and my plans for him, and I told him how I wanted him to be that “Nature Boy” again like in TWA & SMW, and be the face of my promotion, and the champ. In which he turned down. He said I am just not in the shape, and in that true “Nature Boy” frame of mind to pull it off. This shocked me, but also in the long run made me thankful.
That night, and weekend turned into a 4 day stretch of one of the wildest rides, and times I experienced in my life, in which it was not all good, I saw the sad, ugly side there was to Buddy and as a person who for almost 20 years not only looked up to this person, but had become friends with this person, it hurt to see.
Before he finally left my house, we sat and talked about the things that had transpired over the weekend, and he was very upset by his actions and couldn’t stop apologizing.
He left and I never brought him back in again. That weekend destroyed our wrestling / business friendship. We talked periodically, and he would call and check in with me, to see how I was, how my family was, we would talk, about what he was involved in, and how he had become a “cop” which made us both laugh, but now our relationship was not based on the world of wrestling, it was about being friends.
Years later, with a new version of the TWA started, the “Nature Boy” was brought in for the kick off, and I went to see him, and he was same ole Buddy. We talked, we laughed, we hugged and we parted again as friends.
We remained in touch for the next couple years, whether on Facebook, or by phone, last time I spoke with him, was a few years ago, as he deleted his FB because of too much drama, and was telling me how happy he was to be out of wrestling, as well as if I am not mistaken his daughter having a child, or getting married.
That last time I spoke with him, I experienced a different Buddy, a happy and proud father, and not the “Nature Boy”
I received a message from my longtime friend and old business partner Frank Naimoli about the passing of Buddy and I just sat in shock, thinking what did he do.
Full details still aren’t available, but it was another car accident in which he was seriously injured, and he signed himself out of the hospital, and passed away at home, and was found by his wife of 34 years Donna.
As I said, I am shocked, saddened and angry at his passing, as it shouldn’t have happened.
I am also saddened at the thought of what his family and close friends are going through at this time.
Buddy, if you’re able to ready this in the squared circle in the sky, I want to say thank you.
Thank you for taking that time, years ago, thank you for befriending a person who was a mark for you, and thank you for all those great moments inside the ring, outside the ring, and every moment we shared, whether it was good or bad.
You were truly one of three, and there will be no more than that. He did the “Nature Boy” name proud.
Fly to the Angels my friend, and RIP you will be missed but never forgotten.
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