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Harley Race talks incident at first Starrcade, confronting Hogan, Owen Hart?s death, the creation of the King gimmick and more

Posted: May 15th 2014 By: WGD Weekly

Former eight time World Champion and WWE Hall of Famer, Harley Race recently sat down with Steve and the Scum on WGD Weekly, discussing all points of his legendary career in a great 45 minute interview. Harley touched on his first interest in wrestling as a child and all stops throughout his time in the business, right up to the present. The entire interview can be heard here: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVrDmvLhpjY

Highlights from this interview include Race talking about:

The incident at Starrcade ?83, where it was in question as to whether he would show up for his match with Ric Flair: ??The thing on me not being there, it was all just a big rib to start with. I just wanted everyone there to think that I wasn?t going to be there, because at that point in time, there was a board of directors, and the board had thought it was time to make a rotation with the title, and I just wanted everyone there to believe that maybe I wasn?t going to be there?truthfully, I don?t know if I told Ric or not, you can ask him. I?m sure have at some point in time, I couldn?t let that little lie rest still after all these years??

Confronting Hulk Hogan backstage at an event as the WWF made the move ?across territory lines? in the mid 1980′s: ??In confronting the Hulkster, he was the type of guy, that he was being paid to do what he did, and that is how he looked at it. He didn?t look at it as though he was running roughshod over everyone else out there. I confronted him about all that garbage. There was no push come to shove or anything. We never got into anything that far into it. Talent wise, he was as good as there was out there in that era?I was a wrestling style champion, and the Hulkster was a talking style. That was the two sides of it??

Going to work for Vince McMahon and the WWF and how the ?King? gimmick came about: ??When it first came up, I thought the easiest way out of this was just for me to come up with an idea that was so far out in one direction or the other that Vince and his group wouldn?t go along with it. So, I said, I want to be the King, I want to come in and win a big tournament, and I want the crown, and then that?s how it turned, with that, how could you not go on with it??

His thoughts on the unfortunate events leading to Owen Hart?s passing, and a conversation he had with him while he was working backstage at that event: ??Who the god knew it would be my last conversation with Owen. With him it was always about talking about his father and what they did up there in the Winnipeg area and me coming in and out of there. The Hart Family is as good of a family as there ever was on the face of the earth and they?ve got a lot of kids that were involved in the wrestling part of it. It is just a horrible, horrible thing when stuff like that happens?He didn?t mention (being uncomfortable), that was the amazing part of it. It could?ve been me, it could?ve been anyone else. No one knows when the man up above wants to call your name??

The difficulty in leaving or the business, the ring as a wrestler that led to his becoming a manager in WCW: ??I had been as high or higher than almost anyone I think, even still today. It sounds like I?m blowing smoke, you know where, but I had done everything feasibly possible to do in wrestling and to be able to take another guy like Vader or Luger or whoever and be able to help move them up to that top position, it just continued the Harley race version of wrestling. It kept it alive, it kept me alive??

In addition to talking in further detail about these items, Harley also told Steve and the Scum about, becoming a fan of pro wrestling at a young age, meeting and traveling with Happy Humphrey, the car accident that almost derailed his legendary career before it even started, teaming with Larry ?The Axe? Hennig, battling in AWA against Dick the Bruiser, the Crusher, and Verne Gagne, his move to singles competition and winning his first NWA title, his many battles with Dory Funk, Jr and Terry Funk, his multiple NWA title reigns and the opponents throughout that run including Dusty Rhodes and Andre the Giant, a rib that he used to like to pull on his co -workers while driving in between towns, his great matches with Ric Flair, working in the WWF alongside Bobby ?the Brain? Heenan, returning to WCW and being a manager for Vader, Lex Luger,and others, why he currently stays involved in training young talent, the WWE Hall of Fame and his induction, and a much more.

WGD Weekly with Steve and the Scum interviews a different legend from ?Wrestling?s Glory Days? every week as a part of their show. You can find all of their previous shows and get updates and information on upcoming programming on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WGDWeekly or on Twitter @WGDWeekly. All shows are available on their YouTube channel and on iTunes.

Supplemental Information

Spotlight in History

1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title

Week of Sun 06-21 to Sat: 06-27

06-21 1982 Junkyard Dog def. Bob Roop for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
06-21 1987 Al Perez def. The Dingo Warrior for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
06-21 2003 Kitty def. Manservant for the TPW Womens Title
06-21 2008 Tim Rockwell def. El Super Colibri for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
06-21 2008 Li'l Joe def. Xavior for the GPCW Cruiserweight Title
06-21 2014 Buster Cherry def. Havoc for the SWCW All-American Title
06-21 2024 Big Sed def. Sam Adonis for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
06-21 2025 Dan Webber became the LCW Lionheart Champion
06-22 2005 Phillip def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Title
06-22 2018 Joe Cuedo def. Brock Baker for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
06-22 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
06-22 2024 Daniel Aaron Michalles def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
06-22 2025 Billie the Kiid def. Dan Webber for the ASP Heavyweight Title
06-23 1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
06-23 1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
06-23 1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
06-23 1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
06-23 1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
06-23 2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
06-23 2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
06-23 2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
06-23 2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title
06-24 1972 Stan Stasiak def. Red Bastien for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
06-24 1974 Bull Ramos def. Rip Tyler for the TSW North American Title
06-24 1977 John Studd became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
06-24 1985 The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
06-24 2000 Great Bolo [2nd] def. Ichiban [2nd] for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
06-24 2000 Ichiban [2nd] became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
06-24 2005 Spoiler 2000 became the NWA-U Television Champion
06-24 2006 Prophet SteVens became the AACW Television Champion
06-24 2007 Matt Garza became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
06-24 2016 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
06-24 2016 Seth Angel def. Steven Cruze for the ComPro Showtime Title
06-24 2016 Adrian Dell def. Nathan Estrada for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
06-24 2017 Drake Gallows became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
06-24 2017 Excellence Personified (Duke Swellington & Dustin Heritage) def. Shawn Hendrix & Aaron Anders (substituting for Anthony Andrews) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
06-24 2017 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Tag Team Titles
06-24 2018 Shawn Sanders def. Chaz Sharpe for the ASP Inter-County Title
06-24 2018 Canadian Red Devil def. Adam Patrick for the ASP Mid-American Title
06-24 2020 Warren Powers def. Giganto for the BPW 365 Title
06-24 2023 Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) became the BCW Tag Team Champions
06-24 2023 C. M. Burnham def. Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
06-24 2023 Lunchador def. C. M. Burnham for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
06-25 2011 Sam Stackhouse def. Shane Morbid for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
06-25 2011 The Sons of Ireland (Devan Scott & Shane Scott) def. The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the BYEW Tag Team Titles
06-25 2011 Chris Chaos became the BYEW Caution Champion
06-25 2011 The Future Hall of Famers (John O'Malley & Brad Michaels) def. Bernie D & Aaron Neil (subbing for Max McGuirk) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
06-25 2016 Brian Breaker def. Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Heavyweight Title
06-25 2017 The Cub Scouts (Grizzly Gates & Brock Landers) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
06-26 1961 The Bolos (Great Bolo 1st & Mighty Bolo) became the TSW Southwestern Tag Team Champions
06-26 1987 Frankie Lancaster & Eric Embry def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
06-26 1999 Tarantula def. Original Renegade for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
06-26 2005 Li'l Joe def. Phillip for the ACW Hardcore Title
06-26 2009 Brandon Groom def. The Handsome Spoiler for the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
06-26 2009 Kevin James Sanchez def. Bobby Starr for the BYEW Entertainment Title
06-26 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese) def. Los Loco Moscas (Elijah Sparks & El Greengo Loco) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
06-26 2025 Microman def. Mini Abismo Negro for the EDW Heavyweight Title
06-27 1969 Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson became the WCCW American Tag Team Champions
06-27 1971 Johnny Valentine def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
06-27 1976 Jose Lothario def. The Mongolian Stomper for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
06-27 2009 Randy Price def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Title
06-27 2009 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion

06-23

Athena Jun 23rd Today!
Juan Sebastian Jun 24th
Gabe Wilder Jun 24th
Don Kent Jun 24th
Kody Lane Jun 25th
X-Storms Jun 25th
Jax Samuel Jun 26th
D. K. Bradley Jun 26th
Paul Rodriguez Jun 26th
Sylvia Richmond Jun 26th
Kuda Jun 27th
Dan Barnhart Jun 27th
Jason Kirby Jun 27th
Reckless Jun 27th
Ignition Jun 27th
Malico Jun 28th
Kenny Mack Jun 28th
Damian Kincaid Jun 28th
J. J. Blake Jun 28th
John Tidwell Jun 28th
Doc Hearon Jun 28th
Claire Jun 28th
Boris Malenko Jun 28th
Bill Dromo Jun 28th
Voltio Santiago Jun 29th
Barbara Galento Jun 29th
Kenneth Caine Jun 30th
Ed Lewis Jun 30th
Terry Funk Jun 30th
Tim WarCloud Jul 1st
Li'l Joe Jul 1st
Sung Yung Kang Jul 1st
Jake Hollister Jul 1st
Crowson D. Calhoun Jul 2nd
Dalton Smith Jul 2nd
Rex Andrews Jul 2nd
Wrangler Rhett Jul 2nd
Rachael Starz Jul 3rd
Joe Sloan Jul 3rd
Ray the Bae Jul 3rd
Arman Hussein Jul 3rd
Blake Wilson Jul 4th
Greatest American Bolo Jul 4th
Bob Sweetan Jul 4th
Barry Windham Jul 4th
Bree Ann Jul 4th
Little Tokyo Jul 5th
Terry Kage Jul 5th
Roland Kirchmeyer Jul 5th
Richard Pierce Jul 5th
Dalton Bragg Jul 6th

1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title

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