Buddy Landel

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Buddy Landel
Birth nameWilliam Fritz Ensor
Born(1961-08-14)August 14, 1961
car accident
Spouse(s)
Tuesday Smith
​
​
(m. 1975; div. 1976)​
Donna Landel
​
(m. 1981)​
Children3
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Buddy Landel
Billed height6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Billed weight235 lb (107 kg)
Billed fromJacksonville, Florida
Trained byBoris Malenko[1]
Bob Roop
Bob Orton Jr.
Debut1979[2]
Retired2010

William Fritz Ensor (August 14, 1961 – June 22, 2015) was an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel. He was best known for his work in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.[3]

Early life

Landel first became interested in professional wrestling when a friend of his sister, Lou Anne Smith, introduced him to Bob Orton, Randy Savage and Boris Malenko. Landel was an amateur wrestler in high school, but dropped out during his junior year.[1][2] While he was training with Boris Malenko, Landel lived in an apartment with Olympian Bob Roop.[1]

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1979–1981)

Landel started his career in 1979. In 1980 he worked for Angelo Poffo's International Championship Wrestling in the Mid-East.

National Wrestling Alliance (1981–1986)

In 1981, he became a part of

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling.[6]

Less than two weeks later Landel surfaced in Jim Crockett's Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, defeating Mike Miller in Asheville, NC.[7] He was largely victorious against a number of opponents, including Charlie Fulton, Mike Miller, and Jeff Sword.[8]

Landel returned to Mid-South Wrestling on March 3, 1982, defeating Bob Orton in a match held in Baton Rouge, LA.[9] He stayed in Bill Watt's territory for the next few months, facing Rick Ferrara, Paul Orndorff, and One Man Gang.[8] After several months in the promotion, Landell jumped to the Continental Wrestling Association on August 30, 1982. Teaming with Mike Graham, they battled Spike Huber and Steve Regal to a double count-out.[10] After several months in the CWA, Landel returned to MSW and would split time between several National Wrestling Alliance promotions, including Mid-South, the CWA, and Houston Wrestling.

On March 8, 1983, he traveled to Capitol Sports Promotions and defeated

Jose Lothario, and Brickhouse Brown
.

In 1985 he returned to Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling (

Starrcade '85 in Greensboro, North Carolina.[2]

Landel was set to win the

NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Flair in 1985. However, Landel had a falling out with the management of Jim Crockett Promotions and left the company after dropping the National Heavyweight Championship to Dusty Rhodes on December 19, 1985.[20][2][21]

He resurfaced in the Continental Wrestling Association January 4, 1986, and defeated

Dutch Mantell, and Jerry Lawler
, he headlined the last sold-out show in the Mid-South Coliseum.

On July 27, 1986, Buddy Landel returned to Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling and defeated

NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion Ron Garvin
, wrestling each to a draw when they faced off.

Universal Wrestling Federation (1986)

Buddy Landel joined Bill Watts'

Chavo Guerrero.[27]

Continental Championship Wrestling (1987)

He next jumped to National Wrestling Alliance affiliate Continental Championship Wrestling in February 1987, winning the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship. During the first half of the year, he would face The Tennessee Stud (Ron Fuller) and Wendell Cooley.[27]

American Wrestling Association (1987)

Landel joined Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association on September 18, 1987, defeating ML Williams at a TV taping in Las Vegas, NV.[28] His stay was short-lived and consigned only to that TV taping, where he also defeated Lance Allen and Chris Bassett.

All Japan Pro Wrestling (1988)

Buddy Landel made his first trip to an overseas promotion in January 1988 when he joined All Japan Pro Wrestling. His first appearance came at the "All Japan Pro Wrestling 100 Million Yen Capture 16 Man Battle Royal" on New Year's Day in Tokyo, Japan.[29] During the tour Landel faced Akira Taue, Tiger Mask, Akio Sato, Hiroshi Wajima, John Tenta (Earthquake), and Jumbo Tsuruta.

Continental Wrestling Association (1988–1990)

He returned once more to the CWA on August 1, 1988, and unsuccessfully challenged

AWA World Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lawler in Memphis, TN.[30] While appearing in the CWA he also wrestled for Capitol Sports Promotions, and on August 20 defeated TNT (Savio Vega) for the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Champion.[31] He held the belt until September 17 when TNT regained it.[32] Landel returned to the CWA and remained with the company as it transitioned into the United States Wrestling Association.[27]

Global Wrestling Federation (1991)

Following a stint in the

"Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
for his Tri-State Title in early 1992, but the promotion folded before the match could happen.

Smoky Mountain Wrestling (1991–1992)

Buddy Landel joined Jim Cornette's new promotion Smoky Mountain Wrestling for its inaugural TV taping on November 27, 1991, in Morristown, TN. Landel stated that he had refused to do favors for major promotions and had joined SMW to hurt people. His first wrestling match would not come until April 18, 1992, however; he defeated Reno Riggins on SMW television in his debut match. Landel feuded with Tim Horner that spring but was generally unsuccessful.[34]

United States Wrestling Association (1992–1994)

He rejoined the USWA on August 17, 1992, teaming with

The Rock 'n' Roll Express and Tommy Rich.[35] On November 22, 1993, he defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the vacated USWA Heavyweight Championship.[36] He would lose it to Brian Christopher on December 11, 1993.[37] In 1994 he unsuccessfully attempted to regain the title from Tommy Rich and later Sid Vicious
.

Return to Smoky Mountain Wrestling (1994–1995)

On December 25, 1994, Landel appeared at Christmas Chaos '94, defeating SMW Heavyweight Champion

Headbanger Thrasher.[39] He remained a heroic character until the promotion folded in late 1995.[2] Landel and Shawn Michaels set a record house at the Knoxville Coliseum.[2][40]

World Wrestling Federation (1995–1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)

After Cornette closed SMW, both Cornette and Landel went to the World Wrestling Federation.[40] Working without a contract, Landel began wrestling for the WWF on December 17, 1995, at In Your House. It would be his only WWF pay-per-view match. It was not a favorable debut though as he was defeated quickly by Ahmed Johnson in only 45 seconds. He continued to use a very similar image to Ric Flair, even using Flair's early 90s WWF entrance music. He made his Raw debut the next night, defeating Bob Holly.[40] He also defeated Matt Hardy on the December 23, 1995, episode of Superstars.[41] It was right after this match that Landel suffered a serious injury outside of the arena, slipping on ice and tearing his right quadriceps. He was out of action for six months as a result.[1][40] Landel wrestled Bret Hart in a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match shown on Mania on January 13, 1996, although the match was taped prior to Landel's injury.

Landel returned to the WWF for a one-night appearance on February 20, 1997, wrestling against TL Hopper.[42] On May 19, 1998, he worked a dark match against Edge.[43] He had one last short run with the WWF in 1999, wrestling two matches on Shotgun Saturday Night, first on February 20, 1999, against The Godfather and then on February 27, 1999, against Triple H.[40][44]

Late career (1996–2010)

After leaving WWF and recovering from his quadriceps injury Landel began wrestling on the independent scene, appearing first for Tennessee Mountain Wrestling and competing for them on multiple occasions. Landel also returned to the World Wrestling Council.[45] In 1997 and 1998 he would wrestle for numerous other promotions as well, including IWA Mid-South, Ohio Valley Wrestling, NWA New Jersey, and the National Wrestling League. He retired in 2003 where he teamed with Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Valiant defeating Bill Dundee, Mabel, and Jimmy Hart for Memphis Wrestling on September 28, 2003. In 2005 he worked at NWA Rocky Top promotion in Knoxville doing color commentary with Tony Basilio. Following a six-year absence from the ring, Landel returned at the XCW Mid-West: Legends Of The Louisville Gardens on March 3, 2009, to wrestle Flash Flanagan for the XCW Heavyweight Championship. On October 24, 2009, Landel appeared at the TWA Reunion Show in Vorhees, NJ. Still holding onto the TWA Heavyweight Championship, he then lost the title to Glen Osbourne.[46]

Landel was honored as Most Influential WWF/WCW Wrestler from Kentucky by the state's governor and made a Kentucky Colonel in 1990.

He wrestled his final match at the NWA Wrestle Birmingham: The Big Bang event on November 19, 2010, where he teamed with Cameron Valentine and Greg Valentine to face Brutus Beefcake, Brickhouse Brown, and Jake Roberts.[47]

On August 27, 2011, Landel was inducted into the Legends Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Landel acknowledged that in 1985 he began abusing drugs, using them for 10 to 15 years.

IRS, but wrestling promoter Jim Crockett helped him pay the tax bill.[2]

Death

On June 21, 2015, Landel was involved in a

car crash. He was hospitalized and reportedly checked himself out against his doctor's wishes, eventually returning to his home in Chilhowie, Virginia.[48] He told his wife Donna that he was "feeling bad", and she found him dead the next morning. He leaves behind 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren, one of whom is Nick Osborne, who was drafted in 2019 by the Oakland A's.[49][1][50]

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Oliver, Greg (June 22, 2015). "Buddy Landel dead at age 53". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mooneyham, Mike (May 15, 2011). "The Redemption of Buddy Landel". The Post and Courier. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  3. ^ Dave Meltzer. "June 29, 2015 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Buddy Landel obituary, Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice coverage, and more". Wrestling Observer. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  4. ^ "Matches « Buddy Landel « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
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  19. ^ "The Lightning and the Thunder of the Nature Boys".
  20. ^ "CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". Archived from the original on 2007-12-04.
  21. ^ "Buddy Landell Chat". Solie.org. 1998-03-04. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
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  39. ^ "Buddy Landel's Random Photos Gallery".
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  51. ^
    ISBN 0-9698161-5-4
  52. ^ Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South Heavyweight Title, wrestling-titles.com, retrieved 2009-04-26
  53. ^ a b The History of Smoky Mountain Wrestling, retrieved 2009-02-01
  54. ^ "'Mark Curtis Memorial Weekend of Champions' and 'Legends Reunion' Report". SSWwrestling.com. Southern States Wrestling. 2001. Archived from the original on May 17, 2001.

External links

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