![]() ![]() Through the rest of the 70s, Race would gain a reputation as a pugnacious street fighter, feuding with fellow territorial legends such as Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes. ![]() ![]() to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in 1973. Five years later, he jumped to the National Wrestling Alliance, making a name for himself in the territorial system before stunning fans nationwide by upsetting the popular Dory Funk, Jr. In spite of this, Race overcame the odds and got his big break with the American Wrestling Association in 1965, becoming the promotion’s tag team champion with Larry Hennig, father of future WWE wrestler Curt Hennig. His early career was filled with many obstacles, including his expulsion from the Zbyskos’ school after a fight with a student and a car accident that nearly led to his leg being amputated and required months of physical therapy to recover.Īlso Read: Russi Taylor, Voice of 'Minnie Mouse' for 3 Decades, Dies at 75 More information will be released soon, but just know that he loved pro-wrestling and the fans that loved him,” read a statement from Race’s reps.īorn in Missouri in 1943, Race overcame polio as a child and began training as a wrestler under the tutelage of famed champion brothers Stanislaus and Wladek Zbysko. “Today at 12:50, we lost the man that fought up until the very last of his existence. Harley was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on Maand to the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame on May 15, 2004.Harley Race, Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee and 8-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, died of lung cancer on Thursday at the age of 76, according to WWE and a statement from his Twitter page. In the summer of 1999, Harley Race founded World League Wrestling. In 1994, Harley retired from the ring, and came back home to Kansas City. ![]() Hughes and he managed both Lex Luger and Big Van Vader to the WCW World Heavyweight championship. He managed the Kolassal Kongs, The Super Invader, Yoshi Kwan, Vinnie Vegas (Kevin Nash), Mr. He had retired from the ring and had now begun managing. Harley left the WWF and went back to the NWA, which was now known as WCW. During his time in the WWF, Harley was managed by "The Brain" Bobby Heenan. Harley also once won one of the WWF's first King of the Ring tournaments. Harley feuded with "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Hulk Hogan, but one of his most memorable matches as against the late Junk Yard Dog at Wrestlemania III in front of over 90,000 people. Towards the end of his in-ring wrestling career, Harley went to work for the WWF (now WWE) and became know as "The King" Harley Race. Race is particularly revered in Japan, having made over 60 trips there during his career. Race reportedly has wrestled in every country in the world, with the exceptions of Russia and Communist China. to his first heavyweight title, it was Ric Flair who defeated long time champion Harley to win his first heavyweight title. Like how Harley had wrestled long time champion Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, Harley has worked great programs with other wrestling legends as Dusty Rhodes, Bruiser Brody, Dick the Bruiser and Ric Flair. In addition to bloody rivalries with both Dory Funk Jr. Harley feels that this was the best match of his whole career as Funk had held the title for more that four years, so winning it made the moment all the more special. Harley won his first NWA World Title in Kansas City in 1973 when he defeated Dory Funk Jr. He is an 8-time NWA Heavyweight Champion and has held numerous other titles over his career that has spanned four decades. Harley Race is one of the foremost legends of professional wrestling. ![]()
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