Rick Del Santo's Classic Wrestling Talk Podcast w/B. Brian Blair

 On this episode of this episode of the Classic Wrestling Talk Podcast, Rick Del Santo sits down with “Killer Bee” B. Brian Blair for a wide ranging conversation covering Blair’s life in and out of professional wrestling. From his multi sport background in Tampa, to training under Hiro Matsuda, to Championship Wrestling from Florida, World Class, the WWF, the Killer Bees, Cauliflower Alley Club, and his recent health battles, this interview covers a lot more than just the black and yellow trunks.Blair opens up about growing up as an athlete, lettering in four sports at Tampa Bay Tech, earning a football scholarship to the University of Tampa, and being inspired by names like Paul Orndorff, Jack Brisco, and Gordon Solie before ever stepping into the ring himself. He also talks about how Tampa became such a major wrestling hub, with so many legends passing through Florida during one of the territory’s hottest eras.One of the strongest parts of the interview is Blair’s discussion of training under Hiro Matsuda. Blair describes a punishing environment where Matsuda was less interested in gently teaching beginners and more interested in finding out who could survive. The stories of push-ups, Hindu squats, puking, being stretched, and learning from legitimate shooters give listeners a real sense of what old-school wrestling training could be.The Killer Bees discussion gives fans a look behind one of the most memorable WWF tag teams of the 1980s. Blair explains how the team with Jim Brunzell was suggested by Hulk Hogan, how the name came from the Miami Dolphins’ “Killer B’s” defense, and how the team became one of the hottest babyface acts in the company despite never getting the tag titles.The interview also gets very personal. Blair talks openly about the loss of his son, Rick shares his own experience with losing a child, and Blair later goes into detail about the frightening health issues that left him unable to walk or function normally for a period of time. His recovery story adds a lot of heart to the episode and shows how much fight he still has outside the ring.Blair also shines a light on the Cauliflower Alley Club, explaining how the organization helps wrestling people who have fallen on hard times and how meaningful it is to give back to the people who helped build the business. His passion for CAC, the reunions, the awards, and the wrestling family comes through clearly.For fans of old school Florida wrestling, World Class, WWF tag team wrestling, the Killer Bees, and honest stories from someone who lived through multiple eras of the business, this is a must listen interview.  Check out more great stuff from Rick Del Santo on his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRickDelSanto Follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theprofrickdelsanto  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★