2. “Wildfire” Tommy Rich
Professional wrestling has had a few “wunderkinds.” The only person to call himself that was Alex Wright, but even more so than Wright, “Wildfire” Tommy Rich in every way defined the concept of a wrestler who became absurdly successful at a very young age. In 1981, when Rich was only 24-years old, he pinned NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race to win the title. Proving that ridiculous, lascivious rumors have existed in wrestling for decades, to this day there are still people who claim Rich only won the title because he performed nondescript “sexual favors” for NWA booker and promoter Jim Barnett.
The rumor itself is absurd, and the reality was that the win and loss were part of a convoluted power struggle between the main bookers of the NWA, which Barnett won by proving his territories were the most popular (because they saw so many title changes, obviously). Rich was pretty young to be world champion, especially at the time, but he was an incredibly popular star in the area he won the title, and he continued to be a huge star for a few years after the fact, proving his win was no fluke or favor. The only “evidence” that has ever been presented for the rumor is the fact Barnett was gay, but it’s pretty homophobic to assume that means any of the rest of this was true.
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