The Wrestler November 1978

Ric Flair is a Killer, Cowboy Bob Orton is brianwashed and Superstar Billy Graham is pleading with fans to tell him if he made a mistake or not. Things were pretty twisted and strange in the November 1978 issue of "The Wrestler".

Cowboy Bob Orton was a fan favorite early in his carrer. Fans all over the AWA thought he was as great as Vern Gagne. However, one man had other ideas for this young talent and wanted to control this man's thoughts, his life and his wrestling career, Bobby The Brain Heenan! A far cry from the arrigant bodygard we saw with Roddy Piper in the 80's, Orton would just stare at the ground and nod his head as he stumbled through his words. One could compare him to George The Animal Steel. Jumping Jim Brunzell made it his mission to stop Heenan from brianwashing Orton and help Bob get his life back on the right track.

The Big Cat Ernie Ladd was hot on the heels of the American Dream Dusty Rhoads. Ernie and Dusty were the most popular tag team in Championship Wrestling From Florida. They were destined to be the next greatest thing in tag team wrestling. Then one day, The Big Cat decided he did not want to play second fiddle to the Dream! In a televised match in CWF Wrestling, Ernie Ladd refused to tag Dusty out of a match and instead tunred his back on him! It was then this fued exploded and spilled out of the sunshine state and into Georgia and Texas. Their matches were bloody and a great example of how to tell a good story and keep the fans wanting more!

Top Ten Rankings in the National Wrestling Alliance: Champion Harley Race, 1. Dusty Rhoads, 2. Ric Flair, 3. Jack Brisco, 4. Ken Patera, 5. Rick Steamboat, 6. Bruiser, 7. Dick Murdoch, 8. Dick Slater, 9. The Spoiler, 10. Jimmy Snuka.

Top Ten Rankings in the American Wrestling Association: Champion Nick Bockwinkle, 1. Verne Gagne, 2. Crusher, 3. Ray Stevens, 4. Billy Robinson, 5. Larry Henning, 6. Cowboy Bob Orton, 7. Jim Brunzell, 8. Greg Gagne, 9. Rufus R. Jones, 10. Super Destroyer II