4horsemen

1986: Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard & Ole Anderson--Mgr.J.J. Dillon

The group started with Ole Anderson leaving his partner, Thunderbolt Patterson, while they were the tag team champs. Then he got Arn Anderson, his son-in-law, and they formed the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Then they got Ric Flair. Flair was getting beatin up by Magnum T.A. when the Minnesota Wrecking Crew saved him. Next was Tully Blanchard and the manager JJ Dillion. The Wrecking Crew with to ringside during Sam vs. Tully, and they then all three beat up Sam Houston. They all went and did an interview and that is when JJ Dillion came up with the name IV Horsemen. This is the story of how the Horsemen got started.

1987: Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, & Lex Luger--Mgr.J.J.Dillion

When Lex Lugar had been recuited by the Horsemen in early 1987, it was clear that Ole Anderson was on his way out. At first Lugar was called an "associate" member and for a short time there were 5 wrestling members of the group. But Ole was beginning to spend more time with his young son, who was involved in High School athletics, and the other members started complaining about his lack of commitment to the group. During a showdown on WTBS TV, Tully Blanchard and Arn attacked the older Anderson "brother" and left him laying on the set.

At an arena show, Ole was punked by Arn and Dillion but he got right up and headed back to the dressing room where he confronted Ric Flair. In moments the thugs descended on him and left him lying in the bathroom Lugars membership was put in jeopardy almost immediately when it became obvious that he had his own agenda - he wanted to be the NWA World Champion. He and Dillion clashed verbally on several occasions although he usually followed the manger's directions. In fact it was a chair, thrown into the ring by Dillion, that helped Lugar defeat Nikita Koloff for the U.S Title in a match in Greensboro. Ironically, it was also a Dillion-supplied chair that proved to be Lugar's undoing when Dusty Rhodes used it to secure a victory(and the title) over the "Total Package" at Starrcade'87.

After his loss to Rhodes, Lugar began questioning Dillion's plans and frequently disobeyed his manger. Finally, during a Bunkhouse Stampede match in Miami when both Lugar and Dillion were left in the ring, Dillion asked Lugar to step out of the ring and allow him to win the Stampede. Lugar tossed Dillion over the top instead and signed his exit papers from the Horsemen. Needless to say he was immediately attacked by the other Horsemen and left lying in the ring - much as Ole had been treated earlier.

It was only fitting, that Lugar would ask Ole to be his partner in order to get his revenge. This set up a grudge-cage match pitting Ole and Lex against Ric Flair and Tully Blanchard. Ole went at it with a vengence and the Lugar/Anderson team dominated the match. Try as they might the Horsemen were having a lot of problems with the powerful young star. Ole's ring generalship was superb. The steel cage was taking its toll on Ric Flair.

Lugar was everywhere at once overwhelming his more experienced opponents. Dillion entered the ring and had succeeded in turing the tide in this no disqualification match when Dusty Rhodes decided to get involved and evened up the odds. A pitched battle ensued (even Arn Anderson came in) which eventually saw the team of Lugar and Anderson take the victory. Having gained his revenge, Lex then set out to get his friends back. During a match for Barry Windham's Western States Heritage against Tully Blanchard it looked like Windham reputation, JJ Dillion rang the bell and then entered the ring.