40 years ago today, WWWF World Champion Superstar Billy Graham and NWA World Champion Harley Race put their titles on the line at the Orange Bowl in Miami
Dory Funk talks with Gordon Solie, and slaps Billy Jack, after he insinuates that Dusty Rhodes is the best athlete to come out of West Texas State University
Dusty Rhodes travels north and takes a bite out of The Big Apple, challenging The Superstar for the WWWF title
Watch Dusty Rhodes capture the NWA World Heavyweight title for the first time (1979)
The Funker spells it right out for Gordon Solie, and tells “that egg-sucking dog”, Dusty Rhodes, exactly what he thinks of him
The massive youngster makes his in-ring debut on his way to a legendary career
In Florida, The Cowboy takes the side of Harley Race in his war with The American Dream
While in the middle of his match with young Terry Allen, The Nature Boy loses it when The American Dream steals one of his elegant robes
In Florida, Dusty Rhodes tries to help Adrian Street & Miss Linda against Kevin Sullivan & Buzz Sawyer, but gets Sullivan’s Golden Spike for his troubles
Sullivan and his manager are gloating that Billy Graham is gone for good, but now they find out that The Superstar has been laying in wait for them
Championship Wrestling from Florida present NWA Battle of the Belts II, featuring a main event that saw Barry Windham battle Ric Flair for the World Title
1983 – The Midnight Rider (Dusty Rhodes under a mask) defeats Ric Flair to win the World Heavyweight Championship, until NWA President Bob Geigel steps in…
The Nature Boy calls out Butch Reed – mistakenly calling him ‘Bruce’- only to be stripped by the Hacksaw in front of all the fans in the Florida territory
Ivan Koloff & Mr Saito win the Florida Tag Team titles from Rocky Johnson & Pedro Morales, and then talk about their victory with Gordon Solie
1988 – From the Continental Wrestling Federation, Hot Stuff makes his debut, talking about defeating Jerry Lawler and demanding a shot at the AWA World title