George Schire talks about why Tommy Rich was only NWA World Champion for 5 days!

[@petrey9712]

Tommy's matches with Buzz Sawyer will forever put him in a legends statis with me .

[@PaulShaw-ex7ri]

Status

[@robmiller931]

I believe that Lou Thesz has the record for the longest NWA Title reign,having it somewhere around ten years,give or take..meanwhile Giant Baba was a three time NWA champ and held it like a combined three weeks total,having beaten Jack Brisco and losing it back to Brisco a week later

[@raymondtipton7243]

He wrestled about 13 yrs longer.. Not 2 or 3.. You don't nothing about wrestling

[@georgemaranville3305]

@@raymondtipton7243terrible grammar.

[@Rjensen2]

A little over 7 years, he was a hair below Bruno and Verne Gagne for longest reigning world champion.

[@btbucks]

Harley said that he dropped the belt in hopes to increase live show attendance.

[@paulknight5300]

Yall must not be from Georgia

[@derrickjohnson4045]

Tommy Rich deserved better

[@Rjensen2]

Lol, he really didn't.

[@josephmiller9424]

I tommy rich was like wgat they had planned for david Voneirich

[@timhall5382]

This old timer is very confused on races reigns.

[@chrischar9428]

Schire always was

[@jasonbuzzalini5174]

Tommy couldn’t handle the responsibility is what I’ve always heard

[@georgemaranville3305]

True but he didn’t fit the board’s idea of an NWA champ.

[@chaosvariantmusic]

Harley did it as a favor to Jim Barnett. Not sure, NWA board even knew it was going to happen. Since Tommy was the #1 babyface on TBS, Barnett probably figured it would give Tommy credibility if he had it for a few days. Pretty sure it was t help future house shows in GA.

[@chrischar9428]

He was never going to be a long term champ

[@Rjensen2]

It was never even a consideration for Rich to be the champion at all. This was a business decision between Barnett and Harley, nothing more.

[@samiamcolesioe2469]

Harley beat Dory 1 Terry 2 Dusty 3 Baba 4 & 5 Rich 6 Flair 7 & 8

[@donwilcox728]

yea, yea,yea

[@hammer5857]

I thought Baba beat Jack Brisco twice,and Race said he beat Backlund,who was WWF champ at the time,in Singapore and lost it back in New Zealand,becoming the only guy to hold both titles at the same time

[@georgeschire3590]

The matches and title wins you mention took place, however they are/were not recognized by the old NWA. That's the short story of it.

[@samiamcolesioe2469]

Baba beat Jack once & Harley twice. It was Inoki that beat Backlund but it wasn't recognized as an official switch

[@georgeschire3590]

The way I shared the NWA history on this podcast is the way it was officially recognized by the NWA. Any websites that say or claim differently are incorrect. That said, people choose to believe what they want to believe. I'm not here to debate, only give the facts as they were.

[@hammer5857]

@@samiamcolesioe2469 Race said he beat Backlund in a interview that's on KZbin.Id forgot about Inoki

[@lrm215]

I think Race beat Flair for the title in either New Zealand or Singapore and Flair regained it quickly

[@chrischar9428]

Umm rich wrestled at least 20 more years

[@bumpsthumps]

Yes, he did. However, he was not the same caliber of a wrestler after the Battle of Atlanta.

[@javtimestwo]

@@bumpsthumps I don't know. When Tommy went to mid-south he was in terrific matches w/Eddie Gilbert and Lawler. A lot of folks do not recall that era but it was significant

[@Rjensen2]

Lol, closer to 40, doesn't he occasionally wrestle today?

[@Rjensen2]

​@@javtimestwo that was Memphis, not Mid South.