Ric Flair takes Webster to the Big Time

By Chris Sullivan

            The Webster Town Hall is rich in wrestling history.  For many years during it’s hey day, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) used the Town Hall to run their events during their New England tours.  The hardcore fan based flooded to the Webster Town Hall to watch the competitors do battle.  The chants of “ECW – ECW- ECW” still echo through out the building.  However, on Sunday, March 29 a new and legendary wrestling battle cry will replace the echoes of the now defunct ECW.

            On Sunday, March 29 the sounds of thousands of fans yelling “WOOOO” will fill not only the Webster Town Hall but the entire Metro-West Massachusetts area.  The legendary Ric Flair will make his Massachusetts area return when Big Time Wrestling returns to Webster on March 29.  The “kiss stealing, wheel and dealing, jet flying, limousine riding, son of a gun” Nature Boy Ric Flair will be styling and profiling in Webster.

            Big Time Wrestling returns to the Webster Town Hall on Sunday, March 29.  The Town Hall is located in the heart of Webster at 350 Main Street.  Doors will open at 3:15pm for a special meet and greet with many of the wrestlers.  The first match will be at 6pm.  Tickets are on sale at the Webster Police Station and all FYE locations or by going to www.WebsterWrestling.com.

            Many wrestling greats that will be appearing will include 16 time World Champion “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, former ECW Champion Justin Credible, WWE Hall of Famer Greg “the Hammer” Valentine, former WCW star and current New Japan Pro Wrestling star Rick Fuller, Spike Dudley, Eddie Edwards, Slyck Wagner Brown, and current BTW Champion John Walters.

            Ric Flair started his long journey into wrestling greatness in 1972 at Verne

Gagne’s wrestling boot camp.  Since then he wrestled all over the world for the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and World Wrestling Entertainment.  Flair’s in ring feuds reads as a who-who in pro wrestling.  Stars like Wahoo McDaniel, Ricky Steamboat, Jimmy Snuka, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, Magnum TA, Barry Windham, Lex Luger, Sting, Randy Savage, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, Vader, The New World Order, The Undertaker, Randy Orton, and many more careers have benefited because of their run with Ric Flair.  Flair has won every major title in wrestling; 16 time World Heavyweight Champion (includes NWA, WCW, and WWE World Titles), the United States Championship (in both NWA and WCW), and the World Tag Team Championship (WWE and NWA).  Ric Flair is an icon in the world of pro wrestling.

            Ric Flair will be extremely busy when he returns to the Boston area.  Flair will be pulling double duty on Sunday night.  The “Nature Boy” will be the special guest referee during the BTW Heavyweight Title Match. Current Champion John Walters (if he remains champion up to March 29) will defend the Big Time Wrestling Heavyweight Title against Justin Credible.  Justin and Walters have faced off many times for the BTW Championship but Walters always walks away from the match with the title.  Hook or by crook John Walters has always remained champion.  Walters’ manager, Johnny Fabulous, has always been there to make sure his man remained champion.  If John Walters is still champion going into March 29, he must rely on his wrestling ability because with Ric Flair as special referee Fabulous interfering will not be away out.  Flair will be Justin Credible’s last hope because if he does not leave as champion, he will not be able to wrestle John Walters for the title again.

            The second half of Ric Flair’s stay in Webster will be when his he ringside with his son, Reid Flair, and Greg Valentine as the two face off against the French Connection.  During the mid-1970’s Flair and Valentine was a very successful tag team in the NWA.  The team of Flair and Valentine defeated the Andersons in December of 1976 for the NWA Tag Team Championship.  They would hold the titles till the following May when they lost it back to the Andersons.  In October of 1978, Flair and Valentine would once again hold the tag team titles.  Now, over 30 years later Greg Valentine will team with Ric Flair’s son, Reid, for the first time.  Reid Flair may still be a rookie in the world of pro wrestling but he is a very successful amateur wrestler.  Throughout 2008, Reid has been in training with Harley Race in the hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps. 

            The team of Flair and Valentine will have there hands full when they team for the first time and face the team of Antonio Roy and Roberto Rush (collectively known as The French Connection).  Antonio Roy was born just outside Paris, France, but moved to Boston in his late teens.  Roy grew up with many of the finest things in life; butlers, drivers, personnel trainers, and the finest amateur wrestling trainers.  Roy moved to Boston to learn the in ring skills from wrestling legend Walter “Killer” Kowalski.  As Roy trained a young man started to come around.  Roy took this young man under his wing and trained him along with Killer Kowalski.  The young man was Hunter Hearst Helmsley; better know as “The Game” Triple H.  Roy and Rush are the current Big Time Wrestling Tag Team Champions and have faced all comes.  The French Connection are outraged at the fact that Reid Flair is getting the promotion he is getting, when he has yet proven anything in Big Time Wrestling.  Roy and Rush want to get a shot at the new Flair and teach him respect for wrestling the only way they know, in the ring.

            A 30 man Webster Rumble will take place on March 29 with the winner of the over the top rope battle royal getting a shot at whoever is the BTW Champion at the April event.  Currently set to take part in the battle royal include; Spike Dudley, Rick Fuller, Slyck Wagner Brown, Tre, Mr. TA, Shockwave and many others. 

            There will be more matches added to this historic event in the weeks to come.  To find out more information visit the official Big Time Wrestling web site at www.WebsterWrestling.com.  Also clips of BTW television program are currently running on youtube.com.  Visit www.youtube/btwbigtimewrestling to see what has been going on in Big Time Wrestling.

            But that’s not all.  Starting at 3:15pm there will be a special meet and greet with many of the wrestlers appearing on that evening’s event, including Ric Flair.  This is a very rare opportunity to meet the Ric Flair, Greg Valentine, Justin Credible, and so many more.  The autograph session will go from 3:15pm till 5:50pm, followed by the opening match.

            Big Time Wrestling at the Webster Town Hall (350 Main Street, Webster, MA) on Sunday, March 29.  Doors open at 3:15pm and open bell is at 6pm.  Tickets are currently on sale at the Webster Police Department and at all FYE locations or online at www.WebsterWrestling.com.  Tickets prices start as low as $15 for general admission.  Card is subject to change without notice.   See you at the matches.