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Home >> All Profiles >> AWA - American Wrestling Association 
The American Wrestling Association was a professional wrestling organization,
based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The AWA operated mainly in the midwestern
United States and central Canada. Wrestling bouts were promoted in Minneapolis,
St. Paul, Bloomington (Minnesota), Winnipeg, Chicago, Omaha, Milwaukee, Denver,
Las Vegas, and San Francisco. From 1957 to 1991 it was owned by Verne Gagne.
History
Until the late 1980s, the AWA was considered one of the top wrestling companies
in the world and Verne Gagne was its biggest star. The territory was originally
part of the National Wrestling Alliance NWA, becoming an independent territory
in the late 1950s. Then NWA world champion Pat O Connor was recognized as the
first AWA world champion, but when OConnor failed to defend the new AWA title
against number one contender Verne Gagne, Gagne was awarded the belt.
Over the years, Gagne feuding against Gene Kiniski, Dr. Bill Miller, Fritz Von
Erich, Dr. X (Dick Beyer under a mask), The Crusher, Ray Stevens and Nick
Bockwinkel, he won the AWA World Heavyweight Championship a record 10 times
before retiring from full-time competition in 1981. He would go on to wrestle a
few matches a year until his final match at WrestleRock 86 against Sheik Adnan
El Kassey.
Gagne was a former amateur-wrestling champion who had earned a spot on the U.S.
team at the 1948 Summer Olympics, and he ran the AWA with a traditionalist
sensibility, firmly believing that good wrestling, not flashy entertainment,
should be the basis of a pro-wrestling company. When his career wound down, he
turned the companys focus to Bockwinkel, also a skilled mat technician.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, AWA television production was headquartered at
Minneapolis independent station WTCN-TV, then owned by Metromedia. The ring
announcer was longtime Minneapolis sports broadcaster Marty ONeill, who also
conducted the post-match interviews. Hold-by-hold commentary was provided by
Rodger Kent. In the mid-1970s, during a prolonged illness, ONeill was
occasionally replaced as ring announcer by program producer Al DeRusha and
interviews were conducted by both Kent and Gene Okerlund. By 1979, Okerlund had
permanently replaced ONeill, who died a couple of years later, and production
was transferred to Minneapolis station KMSP-TV.
But as Vince McMahon and the northeastern-based World Wrestling Federation
attempted to end pro wrestlings regional era in the mid-1980s and establish the
WWF as the dominant national promotion, Gagne made several decisions that caused
the AWA to lose momentum in the emerging wrestling war. Among them was
overemphasizing his son Greg in AWA storylines (which led to speculation of
nepotism in regards to Verne himself within the company), but his biggest
misstep was his failure to make Hulk Hogan the focus of his company. Starting in
1982, Hogan rapidly caught on as a babyface with AWA fans, but even as his
popularity grew to unprecedented levels, Gagne refused to give him the AWA
championship. He recognized Hogans showmanship and charisma but believed a
wrestling company should be built around the best wrestler in the company, such
as himself and Bockwinkel (both being great mat technicians). Gagne did not
respect Hogan as a pure wrestler, and in an interview years later, rated his
wrestling ability as a one or a zero on a scale of one to 10. On two occasions,
the AWA went so far as to tease title wins for Hogan only to strip him of the
championship.
Frustrated by Gagnes business decisions, Hogan accepted an offer from Vince
McMahon, Jr. to wrestle for the WWF in December 1983. Within months, he had
become the focus of the company and its dominant world champion. He and the WWF
soon became mainstream media phenomena and virtually synonymous with
professional wrestling in much of the country, leaving the AWA a second-tier
promotion. As the situation worsened, much of the AWAs other top talent,
including announcer Mean Gene Okerlund, manager Bobby The Brain Heenan, and
wrestlers Ken Patera, Jim Brunzell, and Jesse Ventura, among others, also left
for the WWF.
In 1985, the AWA was able to sign wrestlers like Sgt. Slaughter, Bob Backlund,
and the Tonga Kid away from the WWF and was also influential in Pro Wrestling
USA, an attempt to co-promote with the NWA and establish a national presence to
compete against the WWF. However, the colaborative effort didnt last. Abroad it
had working agreements with Japan-based promotions International Pro Wrestling
(1969 to 1980), then All Japan Pro Wrestling (1980 to 1988, although the
relationship was strained in 1986 following the World Title debacle surrounding
Stan Hansen), and, near its end, New Japan Pro Wrestling. It also had a brief
relationship with European promotion Catch Wrestling Association, through which
its promoter, Otto Wanz, won the World title as well.
The AWA continued to fall behind the WWF and NWA as a major promotion throughout
1986 and 1987, but Gagne still managed to develop legitimate young talent like
Scott Hall, Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty, Leon White, Brian Knobbs, Jerry
Saggs, and Madusa Miceli. But they too would soon be gone.
During that time period, Gagne forged a relationship with Memphis based promoter
Jerry Jarrett and even allowed Mid-Southern legend Jerry Lawler to win the AWA
World Title from Curt Hennig in May of 1988. In December 1988, following a
contentious PPV SuperClash III, the collaborative effort was over and Lawler was
stripped of the title in January 1989.
In February 1989, Larry Zbyszko, Verne Gagnes son-in-law, won the vacated AWA
World Title in an 18-man Battle Royal, eliminating Tom Zenk to end the match. It
was also during this time that Joe Blanchard replaced Stanley Blackburn as AWA
president, Eric Bischoff began to take a more active role in the company, and
the Team Challenge Series concept was developed.
The AWA would become inactive in the fall of 1990. As a result, Larry Zbyszko
signed to wrestle with the NWA. As his last official act, Verne Gagne would
strip Zbyszko of the World Title in December 1990. Gagne did promote a card in
Rochester, MN in May 1991, featuring the return of Greg Gagne and Wahoo McDaniel
against the The Destruction Crew (Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom) in the main event,
but was unable to restart the promotion. Despite this, ESPN continued to run old
AWA matches in their weekly time slot and the AWA managed to release a
commercial tape (Hulk Hogan Highlights) during 1991.
Currently, all copyrights and footage for the AWA prior to the formation of AWA
Superstars of Wrestling (See below) are owned by the former WWF, now known as
World Wrestling Entertainment. WWE recently announced that it will be releasing
a DVD called The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA sometime later on this year.
AWA Super Cards & PPVs
* PPV: SuperClash III
* Super Card: AWAs SuperSunday, SuperClash, WrestleRock 86, Rage in a Cage,
Battle by the Bay, Brawl in St Paul, SuperClash 2, Rage in a Cage 2, War in the
Windy City, World Tag Team Tournament, SuperClash 4, Twin Wars 90
AWA Team Challenge Series
The AWA held a Team Challenge Series from October 1, 1989 through August 11,
1990. All of the available wrestlers were divided into three teams, Larrys
Legends, headed by Larry Zbyszko, Slaughters Snipers, headed by Sgt. Slaughter,
and Barons Blitzers, headed by Baron Von Raschke. (Sgt. Slaughter left the
company before the TCS ended, and and Colonel DeBeers became the new team
captain.) The winners of Team Challenge matches would earn points for their
team; at some unspecified point the highest-scoring team would share one million
dollars. The matches took place in a TV studio without an audience; the
announcers claimed it was part of an effort to stop wrestlers from interfering,
but it was actually due to poor ticket sales.
The Team Challenge Series was promoted by the AWA as revolutionary, but once
underway, it appeared to be little more than a long series of gimmick matches
and traditional matches with gimmicky names. Rather than showcasing technical
wrestling, as the AWA had done for decades, wrestlers wore football helmets and
pads in matches, or fought in a Behind the 8-Ball Battle Royal. Jake Milliman
defeated Colonel DeBeers in the Great American Turkey Hunt, where the one who
got a stuffed, uncooked turkey off of the top of a pole first would win.
The final match in the TSC was a royal rumble style battle royal featuring Brad
Rheingans, The Destruction Crew, Colonel DeBeers, the Texas Hangmen, the Trooper
Del Wilkes, and others. Jake Milliman again came away with the win by
eliminating DeBeers at the end, winning the Series and supposed $1,000,000 check
for Larrys Legends. The final point tally was as follows: Larrys Legends (56),
Barons Blitzers (51), Slaughters Snipers/DeBeers Diamondcutters (48).
The TCS concept was ill-conceived and poorly played out and many wrestling fans
feel that it hastened the AWAs demise. Yet elements of the series- having
separate teams within one company, a draft, etc. - have parallels to the brand
extension employed by World Wrestling Entertainment.
AWA Superstars of Wrestling
See also: AWA territories
In 1996 former AWA workers Dale Gagne and Jonnie Stewart relicensed the AWA name
in the state of Minnesota and the AWA opened up as an independent promotion
called AWA Superstars of Wrestling. On April 4, 2005, the owners changed its
history books and named Hulk Hogan a two time AWA World Heavyweight Champion.
Also in 2005, Gagne began to franchise the AWA name, selling memberships to
existing independent promotions around the United States, Canada, and Japan.
Several members of the new AWA are former members of the National Wrestling
Alliance. The AWA is now in its tenth year of operation.
AWA Wrestlers
* Adrian Adonis
* Badd Company (Paul Diamond & Pat Tanaka)
* Ox Baker
* Red Bastein
* Crusher Jerry Blackwell
* Nick Bockwinkel
* Bruiser Brody
* Jim Brunzell
* The Crusher
* Col. DeBeers
* The Destruction Crew (Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom)
* Derrick Dukes
* Bobby Duncum
* Bill Dundee
* Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts)
* Manny Fernandez
* Greg Gagne
* Verne Gagne
* Jimmy Garvin
* Ron Garvin
* Scott Hall
* Stan Hansen
* Curt Hennig
* Larry Hennig
* Hulk Hogan
* Tommy Jammer
* Don Leo Jonathan
* Sheik Adnan El Kassey
* Mr. Magnificent Kevin Kelly
* Teijho Khan
* Kokina Maximus
* Jerry Lawler
* The Long Riders (Bill & Scott Irwin)
* Jerry Lynn
* Rick Martel
* Wahoo McDaniel
* The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags)
* Steve Olsonoski
* Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty)
* Nord the Barbarian
* Original Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey & Randy Rose)
* Ken Patera
* D.J. Peterson
* Harley Race
* Mr. Electricity Steve Regal
* Brad Rheingans
* Tommy Rich
* Ricky Rice
* Road Warriors (Animal & Hawk)
* Billy Robinson
* Buddy Rose
* Akio Sato
* Sgt. Slaughter
* Superfly Snuka
* Doug Somers
* Jonnie Stewart
* The Trooper (aka The Patriot)
* Soldat Ustinov
* Mad Dog Vachon
* Butcher Vachon
* Jesse Ventura
* Baron Von Raschke
* Leon White
* Larry Zbyszko
* Tom Zenk
* Boris Zhukov
* Buck Zumhofe
AWA Wrestlers (Chicago)
(These wrestlers often performed at the International Amphitheater in
Chicago)
* Dick the Bruiser
* Reggie Lisowski (The Crusher)
* Rock Rogowski (Ole Anderson)
* Moose Cholak
* Sailor Art Thomas
* Bobo Brazil
* Bob Luce (Chicago promoter)
* Sam Menaker
* Scrap Iron George Gedasky
* Prince Pullins
* Paul Christy
* Spike Huber
* Angelo Poffo
* Johnny Kace
* Ernie Ladd
AWA Female Wrestlers
* Penny Banner
* Candy Divine
* Sherri Martel
* Madusa Miceli
* Wendi Richter
* Vivian Vachon
Other Notable AWA Contributors
* Eric Bischoff (interviewer/commentator)
* Gary DeRusha (referee)
* Donna Gagne (announcer)
* Paul E. Dangerously (manager)
* Bobby Heenan (manager)
* Dick Jonkowski (announcer/commentator)
* Scott LeDoux (referee)
* Lee Marshall (commentator)
* Marty Miller (referee)
* Larry Nelson (interviewer/announcer/commentator)
* Gene Okerlund (interviewer)
* Diamond Dallas Page (manager)
* Ken Resnick (interviewer/commentator)
* Rod Trongard (commentator)
AWA Titles
* AWA World Heavyweight Championship
* AWA World Tag Team Championship
* AWA Womens Championship
* AWA World Light Heavyweight Championship
* AWA International Heavyweight Championship
* AWA International Television Championship
* AWA United States Heavyweight Championship
* AWA Americas Heavyweight Championship
* AWA Omaha Heavyweight Championship
* AWA Midwest Heavyweight Championship
* AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship
* AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship
* AWA Southern Tag Team Championship
* AWA Brass Knuckles Championship
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