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Wahoo McDaniel

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[Wahoo McDaniel GALLERY]

Title History

  • Florida Heavyweight title defeating Louie Tillet (May 1, 1967);
  • NWA American Tag Team titles w/ Thunderbolt Patterson defeating Fritz Von Erich and Fred Curry (June 27, 1969);
  • NWA American Tag Team titles w/ Thunderbolt Patterson defeating Dusty Rhodes and Baron von Raschke (August 1969);
  • Texas Heavyweight title defeating Johnny Valentine (October 1969);
  • Texas Heavyweight title defeating Johnny Valentine (January 26, 1970);
  • NWA American Heavyweight title defeating Toru Tanaka (March 5, 1971);
  • NWA American Tag Team titles w/ Johnny Valentine defeating Chris Markoff and Bronco Lubich (September 1971);
  • NWA American Tag Team titles w/ Johnny Valentine defeating Chris Markoff and Bronco Lubich (1971);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title defeating Johnny Valentine (April 11, 1974);
  • NWA World Tag Team titles w/ Paul Jones defeating Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson (1975);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title defeating Ric Flair (July 1975);
  • NWA World Tag Team titles w/ Rufus R. Jones defeating Gene Anderson and Ole Anderson (November 17, 1975);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title defeating Ric Flair (May 3, 1976);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title defeating Ric Flair (September 11, 1976);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title defeating Ric Flair (December 27, 1976);
  • NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight title defeating Greg Valentine (August 9, 1977);
  • NWA (Florida) Southern Heavyweight title defeating The Spoiler (August 24, 1978);
  • NWA American Heavyweight title defeating The Spoiler (May 13, 1979);
  • NWA Georgia Heavyweight title defeating Masked Superstar (May 14, 1979);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Tommy Rich defeating Ole Anderson and Ivan Koloff (June 8, 1979);
  • NWA Georgia Heavyweight title defeating Masked Superstar (August 1979);
  • Southwest Championship Wrestling Heavyweight title defeating Tully Blanchard (August 23, 1980);
  • Southwest Championship Wrestling Heavyweight title defeating Terry Funk (1981);
  • Southwest Championship Wrestling Tag Team titles w/ Terry Funk defeating Tully Blanchard and Gino Hernandez (August 15, 1981);
  • NWA Florida Television title defeating Eddie Masfield (1981);
  • NWA United States Heavyweight title defeating Sgt. Slaughter (October 4, 1981);
  • NWA United States Heavyweight title defeating Sgt. Slaughter (August 22, 1982);
  • NWA World Tag Team titles w/ Mark Youngblood defeating Don Kernodle and Bob Orton Jr. (January 8, 1984);
  • NWA World Tag Team titles w/ Mark Youngblood defeating Jack Brisco and Jerry Brisco (May 5, 1984);
  • NWA United States Heavyweight title defeating Ricky Steamboat (June 24, 1984);
  • NWA United States Heavyweight title defeating Manny Fernandez (October 7, 1984);
  • NWA (Florida) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Rick Rude (October 2, 1985);
  • NWA National Heavyweight title defeating Tully Blanchard (August 28, 1986);

Career Highlights

In The Beginning:

  • Former United States President George Bush Sr. was Woohoo McDaniel’s baseball coach when he was a kid.
  • Wahoo McDaniel was one of wrestling’s biggest names from the 60s to 80s and was also something of a cult legend.
  • Check out Wahoo McDaniel’s page on www.footballcardgallery.com: http://www.footballcardgallery.com/player/Wahoo+McDaniel/.

Early Years:

Mid-Atlantic Area:

Southwest Texas:

  • Wahoo McDaniel also wrestled for Joe Blanchard’s Southwest Championship Wrestling in San Antonio, Texas.
  • May 26, 1983: Wahoo McDaniel competed in a tournament for the “Undisputed World Championship”.
  • ~~~Wahoo McDaniel lost to the eventual winner of the tournament, Adrian Adonis, in the semi-finals.
  • April 24, 1983 – AWA Super Sunday: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Eddie Boulder (Ed Leslie).

Mid-Atlantic – The Heel Turn:

  • 1983: Wahoo McDaniel had been one of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair’s closest allies.
  • November 24, 1983 – Starrcade: Dick Slater and Bob Orton Jr. defeated Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood.
  • Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood won the NWA World Tag Team titles together twice in 1984.
  • Summer 1984: Wahoo McDaniels complained that NWA World Champion Ric Flair was ducking him.
  • Wahoo decided to walk away when Ric Flair was attacked by Tully Blanchard during a Television confrontation.
  • June 24, 1984: Wahoo beat Ricky Steamboat for the U.S. title when Blanchard (aiming for Wahoo) hit Ricky with a chair!
  • ~~~Instead of helping Ricky Steamboat, Wahoo McDaniels became a heel by siding with Tully Blanchard.
  • The United States title was vacated due to the interference, but Wahoo McDaniel regained it in a tournament.
  • November 22, 1985 – Starrcade: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Superstar Billy Graha to retain the United States title.
  • Wahoo McDaniels received several title shots against NWA Champion Ric Flair but never won the belt from him.
  • March 1985: Magnum TA defeated Wahoo McDaniel in a Steel Cage match to win the NWA United States Title.
  • Wahoo McDaniel left the Mid-Atlantic area soon after dropping the NWA United States championship.

Florida:

  • Wahoo McDaniel moved on to Florida Championship Wrestling, working as a babyface.
  • Wahoo McDaniel won the Southern Heavyweight title and feuded against Ravishing Rick Rude.
  • Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Jack Haynes won the Florida version of the United States Tag Team titles.
  • Late 1985: Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Jack Haynes both made some appearances for Jim Crockett Promotions.
  • November 28, 1985 – Starrcade: National Tag Team Champions Ole and Arn Anderson beat Wahoo McDaniel and Billy Jack Haynes.

Jim Crockett Promotions:

  • 1986: Wahoo McDaniel had left Florida to return to the Mid-Atlantic full-time as a fan-favorite again.
  • April 19, 1986 – Crockett Cup: Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood defeated Mike Miller and Bobby Jaggers (1st Round).
  • ~~~The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) defeated Wahoo McDaniel and Mark Youngblood in the 2nd Round.
  • April 20, 1986 – AWA WrestleRock: Colonal DeBeers defeated Wahoo McDaniel by Disqualification..
  • Great American Bash Tour: Wahoo McDaniel fought Jimmy Garvin in a series of “Indian Strap” matches.
  • July 5, 1986 – Great American Bash: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Jimmy Garvin in an Indian Strap match.
  • July 26, 1986 – Great American Bash: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Jimmy Garvin in an Indian Strap match.
  • August 28, 1986: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Tully Blanchard for the National Heavyweight title
  • September 28, 1986: Nikita Koloff (US Champion) defeated Wahoo McDaniel (National Champion) to unify their titles.
  • 1986: Wahoo McDaniel feuded against members of Paul Jones’ Army
  • November 27, 1986 – Starrcade: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Rick Rude in a Indian Strap match.
  • April 10-11, 1987 – Crocket Cup: The MOD Squad defeated Wahoo McDaniel and Baron Von Raschkein the 1st Round.

American Wrestling Association:

  • 1987: Wahoo McDaniel joined Verne Gagne’s American Wrestling Association.
  • Wahoo McDaniel and DJ Peterson chased after AWA Tag Team Champions Soldat Ustinov and Boris Zhukov.
  • Wahoo McDaniel was also one of the top contenders to the AWA World Title held by Curt Hennig.
  • April 16, 1988 – AWA Rage In The Cage II: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Curt Hennig in a Non-title Steel Cage match.
  • Wahoo McDaniel fought Manny Fernandez in a series of violent grudge matches.
  • December 13, 1988 – SuperClash III: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Manny Fernandez in an Indian Strap match
  • Wahoo McDaniel was one of the participants in a battle royal (won by Larry Zbyszko) to crown a new AWA Champion
  • Early 1989: Wahoo McDaniel was attacked by The Destruction Crew (Wayne Bloom and Mike Enos).
  • It was later announced that Wahoo McDaniel was forced to retire due to the resulting injuries from the assault.

Retirement:

  • Wahoo McDaniel wrestled on various independent wrestling cards in the years that followed.
  • May 23, 1993 – WCW Slamboree: Wahoo McDaniel/Blackjack Mulligan/Jim Brunzell vs. Don Muraco/Jimmy Snuka/Dick Murdoch.
  • May 21, 1995 – WCW Slamboree: Wahoo McDaniel defeated Dick Murdoch – and was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame.
  • April 19, 2002: Wahoo McDaniel passed away in Houston at the age of 63. He had been in poor health for many years.
Updated: February 11, 2024 @ 3:47 pm

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Trained By

Dory Funk Sr.

Debut

1961

Birthday

June 19, 1938 - April 18, 2002

Hometown

Midland, Texas

Gender

Male

Height

5'11"

Weight

280 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

The Chop

Favorite Move(s)

Notable Feuds

Johnny Valentine
The Spoiler
Masked Superstar
Greg Valentine
Ric Flair
Tully Blanchard
Sgt. Slaughter
Four Horsemen
Manny Fernandez
Terry Funk
Dory Funk Jr.

Status

Deceased