Ken Patera Says He Got Ric Flair Into The Wrestling Business

November 2, 2010

Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas interviewed Ken Patera. Highlights:

– Placing ahead of “The Incredible Hulk” Lou Ferrigno at the 1977 World’s Strongest Man Competition, and beating him in a tug-o- war

– Helping break Ric Flair get into wrestling through Verne Gagne’s wrestling camps

– Was it a mistake for him to return to wrestling after his prison sentence?

– Being broke when he entered and when he left the wrestling business

– Would he accept a call to the WWE Hall of Fame?

– How Vince Sr. treated him vs Vince Jr.

EXCERPT: "I got Ric (Flair) into wrestling. Ric and I were sharing a house with a couple other guys in 1972 and he was hounding me to introduce him to Verne Gagne because I was starting at Gagne’s training camp in a few weeks. I finally took him down to the old wrestling office in downtown Minneapolis and introduced him to Verne. He said "I already have enough guys, I can’t handle one more". The other guys were Greg Gagne, Verne’s son, The Iron Sheik, Jumpin Jim Brunzell. Finally we convinced him to include Ric and that’s how it all started."

Both interviews and the latest Right After Wrestling podcast are available on iTunes

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Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.

Nick attended New York University and graduated in 2001 with a degree in Drama.

Nick first entered the internet wrestling community back in 2004 when he became the co-host of The Voice of Wrestling Radio Show. From there, Nick made the transition from radio personality to editor when he began working with WrestleZone in 2008.

Nick is a member of two Off-Broadway theatre companies, Another Urban Riff, and the Drama Desk Award winning Godlight Theatre Company. Nick has appeared in over a dozen Off-Broadway plays since he moved to New York City, and has shot several short and feature length films. In 2010, he completed principle photography on a film titled "How to Score Your Life," which also features TNA Knockout ODB.

Inspiration in his life has come from many people including his family, Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, Jack Nicholson, The Beatles, and of course, Lassie.