Tully Blanchard: The Four Horsemen Would’ve Worked In WWE Or Anywhere

Tully Blanchard discusses the possibility of the Four Horsemen appearing on WWE TV in the 1980s.  Additionally, he addresses rumors about Ric Flair jumping ship to WWE in 1988 and shares a humorous story about Vince McMahon confronting Jim Crockett Promotions mainstays after they’d joined WWE.

Tully Blanchard is best known for his time as a member of the Four Horsemen in the National Wrestling Alliance. In 1988, Blanchard and Arn Anderson defected to WWE. Their on-screen manager, James J. Dillon, also joined WWE behind the scenes. On the most recent episode of the TullyVision podcast, Blanchard was asked about the possibility of the faction potentially being put together on screen in WWE.

Tully Blanchard believes the group would have worked no matter what company they were put together in. He says that the group’s strength rested upon their ability to shine as stars beyond just the faction. He also believes that the group would have been successful if Bobby Heenan were their manager in WWE. Arn and Tully, and later Ric Flair, were all paired with Bobby in WWE.

“I think the Horsemen would have worked well wherever they were, and we would have been great with J.J. We would have been great with Bobby. They were the two greatest managers of all time,” he said. “For the people that we were, it would have worked period, because the performance level, and we knew what to do and how to do it at all the levels, with all the opponents in singles or in tag matches.”

Blanchard also said that Barry Windham could have stepped in as the fourth member of the group. He also had a history of being a part of the Horsemen in the National Wrestling Alliance. Barry was in WWE at the time as the Widowmaker.

“The thing about it, the power of what the Four Horsemen were, is we were all stars in our own right. Flair was the World Champion. He didn’t need to be in the horseman. Barry was probably the best performer. He was 6’5, 280 pounds, and handsome, and oh my gosh, could do anything in the ring. Arn and I were arguably as good a tag team as has ever been in wrestling. Then you just put the collaboration of us together. I mean, it worked, whether you called the Horsemen or not.”

Asked about rumors that Ric Flair was going to join WWE in the ’80s, Blanchard said he’d never been aware of that. Flare has stated in the past that he was potentially going to join WWE at the inaugural SummerSlam in 1988.

“No, but I will tell you, one TV show when Dusty was with the WWF, Arn and I were with the WWF. Barry Windham came back to the WWF, and we were the only ones sitting around the monitor. Vince was there, he looked at the group of us and said, ‘Am I safe?’ That was a real laughing moment.”

The Four Horsemen of Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Ric Flair, Barry Windham, and J.J. Dillon were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012.

Access to this podcast was granted via a subscription to AdFreeShows. Subscribe at this link to access early podcast releases from names such as Jim Ross, Eric Bischoff, Bruce Prichard, and more.

If you use any of the quotes above, please credit the original source with an H/T and link back to Fightful for the transcription.