Ric Flair Originally Set To Make WWE Debut At SummerSlam 88; Andre No Brother Love Fan

May 08, 2024

Ric Flair Originally Set To Make WWE Debut At SummerSlam 88

On the latest episode of Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard, Prichard discussed his Brother Love character and in particular, Vince McMahon’s SummerSlam 1988 plans that never came to fruition:

Falling in our lap was what would really be the major special guest deal and that would have been the debut of the Nature Boy Ric Flair at SummerSlam 1988 and being a guest on the Brother Love Show. Well, as things kinda had a habit of doing in negotiating with Ric through the years and the different time he was going to leave Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA and WCW, we were going right down to the very last minute and the weekend before until Vince realized that Ric’s not coming and we’re not gonna have Ric Flair. This left us in a bit of a pickle because we were advertising this huge surprise guest for the Brother Love Show in New York, Madison Square Garden and I have no idea who it’s gonna be. I doubt Vince had any idea who the hell it’s gonna be….instead of being the Nature Boy Ric Flair, it was settled on Hacksaw Jim Duggan.

Andre No Brother Love Fan

On the same episode of Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard, Prichard discussed Andre the Giant’s initial resistance to the Brother Love character:

I’ve known Andre since I was twelve years old – he watched me grow up as a kid in Houston, every time he’d come in. I’d known him a long time. Andre could not make the differentiation between Bruce and Brother Love. He liked Bruce.

Andre: ‘I no like Brother Love.’

He wouldn’t talk to me when I was in the gimmick, kind of like basically shewed me away when I was in the gimmick, so much so that I felt like the guys felt when Andre didn’t like you, kinda scary because if The Boss doesn’t like you, you’re screwed. SummerSlam was coming up. It was the Mega Powers vs The Mega Bucks. It was Ted DiBiase and Andre. Vince had scheduled Andre to be on the Brother Love Show. I made the comment to Vince. I said, ‘Vince, I don’t think Andre likes Brother Love too much.’

Vince: ‘What are you talking about?’

‘I don’t think he likes me.’

Vince: ‘Bruce you’ve known him forever.’

No, I get that. He likes Bruce. He doesn’t like Brother Love. When I put the sh*t on he’s different and Vince actually, we had a meeting with Andre with me in my suit with no makeup. My hair was still down and everything and he [Vince McMahon] was like, ‘Boss, this is Bruce. You know Bruce.’

Andre: ‘I like Bruce.’

Vince: ‘Bruce is Brother Love. He is playing a character, Boss. It’s a character.’

Andre: ‘I don’t like Brother Love. I like Bruce.’

It was almost like dealing with a child at that point; but, Vince got through to him and once he got out there, he came back and shook my hand and said, ‘That was great, I loved that.’

Readers interested in listening to the podcast in its entirety may do so below.