Legends of the ring to perform in wrestling show at X Gym in Myrtle Beach

Preparing to put on his first professional wrestling show in Myrtle Beach, former National Wrestling Alliance heavyweight champion Tommy “Wildfire” Rich has called on a few of his old buddies to help out.

“Universal Heartthrob” Austin Idol, “Homicide” and “The Raging Bull” Manny Fernandez are on the card for Saturday’s Halloween Fight Nite at the X Gym in Myrtle Beach.

“I’m on pins and needles a little bit because you want it to do good,” said Rich, the 1981 NWA champion who now lives in Myrtle Beach and operates the Tommy “Wildfire” Rich Wrestling School at the X Gym.

Idol, who famously feuded with wrestling legend Jerry “The King” Lawler in the 1980s, wrestled from the early ’70s to the late ’90s, Homicide is signed to Impact Wrestling and has held various titles – mostly in the tag team variety – in over 20 years in the business, and Fernandez, who feuded with the likes of Terry Funk and Arn Anderson and held various NWA titles in the past, is currently an independent wrestler.

Rich, Homicide and Fernandez – who recently joined on to help teach at Rich’s school – will wrestle and Idol will appear as a special guest referee on a card that has six matches beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday. It’s an event that will be suited for all ages, Rich said.

“There’s going to be free candy for kids. It’s going to be good family entertainment,” said Rich, who returned to Myrtle Beach on Sunday after wrestling Lawler during an event in Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday night. “There won’t be cussing and carrying on. It’s old school and the blue-collar image, that’s what built us. If you’ve got to curse to make somebody mad, you’re in the wrong business.”

While his students will have limited roles in the first show, Rich believes the event will benefit those he’s teaching as they hope to one day play bigger roles in the industry.

“They get to see us do it. It’s one thing to teach them, but to go out there and get to watch it like a student, it’s real positive for them to watch the things I try to teach them,” Rich said. “Some of the things we can’t teach them in the gym. You’ve got to be in the ring just to get the feel of the environment and what’s going on. It’s a different world.

“It’s going to be a good show.”

The student wrestlers will be involved, however, as they pay their dues along the way.

“They’ve got a major role. They’re going to have to move [the equipment] and set it up,” Rich quipped. “That’ll be quite an experience, too.”

The wrestling school, Rich said, is moving from a smaller room in the X Gym to a bigger space that will allow for advanced training. Overall, he said, the school is in good shape despite some ups and downs since opening in August.

“It’s been real good, man,” Rich said. “We hit a little slump and had to pick it back up.”

Rich and Co. are planning two more events in 2017, one near Thanksgiving that will feature a food drive, “Wrestling for Hunger,” and another in December that will feature a Toys for Tots campaign.

Saturday’s event, however, will have a Halloween theme.

“It’s going to be a lot of treats,” Rich said. “There might be a few tricks, too.”

This story was originally published October 22, 2017 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Legends of the ring to perform in wrestling show at X Gym in Myrtle Beach."