Ric Flair Declares: “My Hobby Is Beating Up Opponents” – Inside Wrestling, June 1976
When wrestling fans picked up the June 1976 issue of Inside Wrestling, they found a bold spotlight on a young star whose voice and attitude were already larger than life: Ric Flair. In the Hotseat interview, Flair dismissed legends, mocked rivals, and boasted that no wrestler alive could teach him a lesson.
The headline said it all: “My Hobby Is Beating Up Opponents.”
Decades later, looking back at this issue feels like opening a time capsule. Long before Flair became “The Dirtiest Player in the Game” and the 16-time World Champion, he was already painting himself as wrestling’s brashest, most ambitious talent.
By 1976, Ric Flair had only been wrestling for a few years. Yet, as the article notes, he was already being compared to “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers. Rogers was one of wrestling’s first television superstars, and Flair’s cocky interviews and bleach-blond hair drew instant parallels. Flair didn’t shy away from the comparison, but in this interview he insisted he was “much better than Rogers ever was.”
At this time, Flair was wrestling across the Mid-Atlantic region, one of the NWA’s most important territories. He hadn’t yet won the World Championship, but his ambitions were clear. He boasted about dominating established stars like Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel, mocked icons such as Bruno Sammartino, and promised that soon he would hold world gold.
For fans in 1976, reading Flair’s words was a revelation. Here was a man who not only believed he was the best but demanded everyone else accept it. It was heel arrogance at its sharpest — and it laid the groundwork for what would become one of wrestling’s most storied careers.
The Hotseat feature is pure Inside Wrestling — a mix of dramatic photography, exaggerated captions, and unfiltered quotes from Flair himself.
The Photos
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Flair stomping on the throat of Wahoo McDaniel, with a caption calling it “the most despicable” act imaginable.
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Flair grinding Wahoo in a headlock, demonstrating the intensity of their rivalry.
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A striking close-up portrait of Flair, cocky grin and all, reminding readers of his brash confidence.
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Smaller action shots of Flair punishing Paul Jones and Rufus R. Jones, reinforcing his claim that no one could stop him.
The Words
Flair’s quotes are as sharp as the photos. He tells the interviewer:
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“There isn’t one wrestler in the entire world who can teach me a lesson. I am rougher, tougher, and greater than any champion!”
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On Bruno Sammartino: “I was recently up in New York City taking a look at Sammartino. I wasn’t impressed. I could beat him easily!”
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On Paul Jones: “He’s the low man on the totem pole.”
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On his recovery from the 1975 plane crash: “Now I’m much leaner, trimmer, and more active than ever before. I can make history.”
The style of the article blends kayfabe bravado with fan engagement. Flair isn’t just talking to the interviewer — he’s talking directly to readers, daring them to disagree. This was the strength of Inside Wrestling: giving fans a seat at the table, as though they were in the room with the wrestlers.
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Flair embraces comparisons to Buddy Rogers but claims he is already superior.
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He dismisses Paul Jones as jealous and irrelevant.
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He mocks Wahoo McDaniel, calling him a “dummy.”
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He promises to soon get around to facing Dusty Rhodes.
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He says Bruno Sammartino “wasn’t impressive” and claims he could beat him easily.
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He declares no champion can “lift their titles” against him in the ring.
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He delivers bold one-liners like “My hobby is beating up opponents.”
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He insists he will soon be the only champion that matters.
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He says the 1975 plane crash only made him stronger.
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The photos show Flair stomping, taunting, and grinning — the visual swagger behind the words.
This issue stands out as one of the earliest Inside Wrestling features to spotlight Ric Flair in depth. For collectors today, it’s valuable for several reasons:
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Early Flair Coverage – Captures Flair’s cocky persona before his first World Championship.
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Legendary Rivalries – Includes comments on Paul Jones, Wahoo McDaniel, Dusty Rhodes, and Bruno Sammartino.
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Historic Insults – Flair openly claimed he could beat Sammartino, WWF’s top star at the time.
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Photographic Value – Features iconic shots of Flair both in action and in portrait.
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Artifact of Wrestling Journalism – Represents the kayfabe-driven, fan-focused storytelling that made Inside Wrestling so popular.
Even well-read issues carry strong cultural value. Pristine copies without mailing labels and with clean spines are especially prized among collectors.
This article matters because it shows Ric Flair before the 16 championships, before the Four Horsemen, before the global fame. In 1976, Flair was already daring fans and wrestlers to challenge his claim of greatness.
The Hotseat interview didn’t just introduce Flair — it broadcast his arrogance to thousands of fans and helped cement him as a star worth watching. For collectors today, it is a chance to see Flair at the dawn of his legend.
If you want to experience the rise of Ric Flair in real time, the June 1976 Inside Wrestling issue is a must-have. It’s more than just a magazine — it’s Flair laying the foundation for the “Nature Boy” legacy.
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From Bruno to Flair, from the territories to WCW, these magazines bring the past back to life.
The Inside Wrestling, June 1976 issue with Ric Flair’s Hotseat feature is a jewel for collectors. It captured a rising star already speaking like a legend, tearing down rivals, and promising to be the only champion that mattered.
Looking back, Flair delivered on those words. But in 1976, it was still bravado — bravado that made fans love to hate him, and that made magazines like Inside Wrestling essential reading.
For fans and collectors today, this issue isn’t just vintage paper. It’s Ric Flair before the myth fully formed, already declaring that beating up opponents was more than a job — it was his hobby.