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I didn't know much about the AWA before buying this, but Vince got most of the WWE from the AWA. He just took their developed talent. I thought the story of the AWA was good, but the matches on the dvd weren't great. It's only $6.99 on Amazon.

I was pretty disappointed when I watched that DVD, because I was a big AWA fan as a kid, and in my memory those matches were way better than they actually were.
The documentary part was really good, though.

I knew Vince stole a lot of AWA talent, but I never realize how many guys he truly got from them until I watched this DVD. He totally KILLED the company.

Also, if you enjoyed watching this one, you gotta watch the DVD about World Class. Just a heartbreaking story considering how much the Von Erichs went through and how many of them ended up dying by one way or another.

Both of these are available to be streamed free via Netflix. Great stuff.

When I think of the AWA several words come to mind but "Spectacular" damned sure ain't one of em'.

Can't believe they never put the strap on this guy:



& yet they wanted to put it on this guy:

sliquor wrote:When I think of the AWA several words come to mind but "Spectacular" damned sure ain't one of em'.

Can't believe they never put the strap on this guy:



& yet they wanted to put it on this guy:

2 things you have to keep in mind however. First, Greg was the owner's son. And 2, before Hulk came into the AWA he sucked. Verne Gagne was still a purist and wanted Hulk to get better technically before he put a strap on him. Give Vince credit for spotting talent and getting Hulk before the AWA knew what they had.

Greg Gagne was a joke.
I watched the AWA just about every week and I could not fully understand how Gagne was able to win a match, let alone against opponents that had 50 to 100 lbs or more on the guy.
His sleeper hold was weak.
I know, I know who the dad is and that he ran the AWA, but the kid was a joke and only had a career because of his father.
The more Greg Gagne appeared in important matches, the more I was disgusted by the AWA.

LillianRoxyFA wrote:

sliquor wrote:When I think of the AWA several words come to mind but "Spectacular" damned sure ain't one of em'.

Can't believe they never put the strap on this guy:



& yet they wanted to put it on this guy:

2 things you have to keep in mind however. First, Greg was the owner's son. And 2, before Hulk came into the AWA he sucked. Verne Gagne was still a purist and wanted Hulk to get better technically before he put a strap on him. Give Vince credit for spotting talent and getting Hulk before the AWA knew what they had.

All I know is as a kid it made no sense to me & my friends why Thunder Lips:



Could never beat the near 50 year old Nick Bockwinkle:



I'd get Pro Wrestling Illustrated every month (never saw AWA until ESPN picked it up) & check the listings to see if Hogan had finally won the strap. Of course Verne never put it on him, but he did to the almost un-heard of Otto Wanz:



...........Who?

Verne fucked up big time, time & time again.

I started watching it yesterday but I got confused.

They said AWA was basically the Mid west/ Illinois territory of NWA that broke away...but if AWA was so successful why were they based out of Minneapolis? I looked at their title history and no title change in Chicago until 1980.

Was it because NWA had a huge promotion in Chicago?

LillianRoxyFA wrote:

sliquor wrote:When I think of the AWA several words come to mind but "Spectacular" damned sure ain't one of em'.

Can't believe they never put the strap on this guy:



& yet they wanted to put it on this guy:

2 things you have to keep in mind however. First, Greg was the owner's son. And 2, before Hulk came into the AWA he sucked. Verne Gagne was still a purist and wanted Hulk to get better technically before he put a strap on him. Give Vince credit for spotting talent and getting Hulk before the AWA knew what they had.

Hogan didn't suck before he got to AWA he was doing great in Japan before then he became the highest paid star in Japan in the early 80s. Vern wanted a piece of Hogan merchandise money and money from Japan. Hogan said no, so Vern wouldn't put the belt on him. Vince got Hogan WWE becomes a billion dollar industry by the late 80s.

NJPW Hulk Hogan vs. Abdullah The Butcher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Lhjr8iHz4g

Hulk Hogan Vs Bob Backlund 1980

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwmlqcG7 ... re=related

LillianRoxyFA wrote: 2 things you have to keep in mind however. First, Greg was the owner's son. And 2, before Hulk came into the AWA he sucked.

So you're saying Hulk was not a good actor?

FullDJacket wrote:I started watching it yesterday but I got confused.

They said AWA was basically the Mid west/ Illinois territory of NWA that broke away...but if AWA was so successful why were they based out of Minneapolis? I looked at their title history and no title change in Chicago until 1980.

Was it because NWA had a huge promotion in Chicago?

I think it was because the Chicago promotion never fully committed to Gagne. It was a 50/50 promotion with the AWA and Dick the Bruiser's WWA promotion out of Indiana. Weird part was, they used all of Bruiser's guys but never even mentioned the WWA by name, much less have any WWA title matches there. They may never have had an AWA title change here until '80, but they had a TON of false finishes here. You'd go home thinking Billy Robinson or Dick the Bruiser or Bobo Brazil had won the AWA title, but then you'd watch All Star Wrestling the next morning and there would be the announcement that because of (fill in the lame excuse), Bockwinkel was still the champion. That part didn't bother me, because I was a huge fan of Tricky Nick, but it was still BS that they never had a title win in Chicago for that long. Lots of tag title changes, though.

Lardbucket wrote:

FullDJacket wrote:I started watching it yesterday but I got confused.

They said AWA was basically the Mid west/ Illinois territory of NWA that broke away...but if AWA was so successful why were they based out of Minneapolis? I looked at their title history and no title change in Chicago until 1980.

Was it because NWA had a huge promotion in Chicago?

I think it was because the Chicago promotion never fully committed to Gagne. It was a 50/50 promotion with the AWA and Dick the Bruiser's WWA promotion out of Indiana. Weird part was, they used all of Bruiser's guys but never even mentioned the WWA by name, much less have any WWA title matches there. They may never have had an AWA title change here until '80, but they had a TON of false finishes here. You'd go home thinking Billy Robinson or Dick the Bruiser or Bobo Brazil had won the AWA title, but then you'd watch All Star Wrestling the next morning and there would be the announcement that because of (fill in the lame excuse), Bockwinkel was still the champion. That part didn't bother me, because I was a huge fan of Tricky Nick, but it was still BS that they never had a title win in Chicago for that long. Lots of tag title changes, though.

Thanks, great info.

I wonder why NWA weren't more aggressive. If they lost a territory like NYC or Chicago why wouldn't they back and fully support some smaller promotion in that era and use all their leverage to hurt the competition?

The WWWF/WWF/WWE was and always has been a northeast stronghold since the 1950's, the NWA didn't stand a fighting chance to make progress of any variety in that market place no matter who they were backing.

ParaDime77 wrote:The WWWF/WWF/WWE was and always has been a northeast stronghold since the 1950's, the NWA didn't stand a fighting chance to make progress of any variety in that market place no matter who they were backing.

They could've tried at least? NWA had Flair, Thesz, Dusty Rhodes and all these stars. That should sell out arenas even in enemy territories?

Heres why otto wans became world champion

In the summer of 1982, Verne Gagne brokered a deal resulting in a new man being crowned AWA heavyweight champion. European superstar Otto Wanz paid Verne a sum of money in order to become AWA champion. Wanz was a large man standing well over 6 feet and weighing well over 300 pounds.

Otto won the title from Nick Bockwinkel on August 29th, 1982 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wanz's title reign was a short one as he lost the title back to Bockwinkel in Chicago six weeks later. The title changes confused AWA fans as Wanz was unknown in the United States. The AWA would have been better served to have Bockwinkel lose the belt to an up and coming North American star like Tito Santana, Dino Bravo or Hulk Hogan which would elevate the new champion to superstar level but all Verne Gagne could think about was having the money Otto Wanz paid him inside his pocket.


Even has a kid greg gagne made no sense to me

FullDJacket wrote:

ParaDime77 wrote:The WWWF/WWF/WWE was and always has been a northeast stronghold since the 1950's, the NWA didn't stand a fighting chance to make progress of any variety in that market place no matter who they were backing.

They could've tried at least? NWA had Flair, Thesz, Dusty Rhodes and all these stars. That should sell out arenas even in enemy territories?

No Vince was brilliant at marketing those rival promotions were not.

theglammerthebetter wrote:Heres why otto wans became world champion

In the summer of 1982, Verne Gagne brokered a deal resulting in a new man being crowned AWA heavyweight champion. European superstar Otto Wanz paid Verne a sum of money in order to become AWA champion. Wanz was a large man standing well over 6 feet and weighing well over 300 pounds.

Otto won the title from Nick Bockwinkel on August 29th, 1982 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wanz's title reign was a short one as he lost the title back to Bockwinkel in Chicago six weeks later. The title changes confused AWA fans as Wanz was unknown in the United States. The AWA would have been better served to have Bockwinkel lose the belt to an up and coming North American star like Tito Santana, Dino Bravo or Hulk Hogan which would elevate the new champion to superstar level but all Verne Gagne could think about was having the money Otto Wanz paid him inside his pocket.


Even has a kid greg gagne made no sense to me

And the reason Otto wanted the AWA Championship was to use it to help build his rep back in Germany. He felt it gave him cred. Otto was a complete asshole but he always paid what he promised.

Nick Bockwinkel's promos were godlike! Especially when paired with Heenan.

Supposedly Bockwinkel was Vince's first choice to do the "Million Dollar Man" gimmick. But since they didn't think Bockwinkel would wrestle more than a year or two longer they went with someone younger to get more mileage from the character.

And I could never look at Greg Gagne without thinking of Greg Brady.

Garbageman wrote:Nick Bockwinkel's promos were godlike! Especially when paired with Heenan.

Supposedly Bockwinkel was Vince's first choice to do the "Million Dollar Man" gimmick. But since they didn't think Bockwinkel would wrestle more than a year or two longer they went with someone younger to get more mileage from the character.

And I could never look at Greg Gagne without thinking of Greg Brady.

Bockwinkel did have great mic skills awesome heel

AWA on Donahue: "Wrestling Special" Features Hulk Hogan debut in AWA

Funny seeing Jesse Ventura get pissed when Hogan upstages and takes the spotlight away from his match

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f57_PngTG1k

Metalistner wrote:I didn't know much about the AWA before buying this, but Vince got most of the WWE from the AWA. He just took their developed talent. I thought the story of the AWA was good, but the matches on the dvd weren't great. It's only $6.99 on Amazon.

The name is stupid, there wasn't really anything "spectacular" about it.....of all the territories in wrestling I'd watched in the 80s, AWA was certainly dead last on any list.

Watching lawn darts was more gooder than AWA wrestling.

silent_eyes wrote:I knew Vince stole a lot of AWA talent, but I never realize how many guys he truly got from them until I watched this DVD. He totally KILLED the company.

Also, if you enjoyed watching this one, you gotta watch the DVD about World Class. Just a heartbreaking story considering how much the Von Erichs went through and how many of them ended up dying by one way or another.

WCCW = Everyone died
AWA = Everyone went on to be big stars everywhere else

Both stories are sad for different reasons but at least with the AWA their legacy lived on through Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels to name a few.

With WCCW you could argue that a few of the later guys like Booker T, Mick Foley, Steve Austin and Undertaker started there but they weren't really part of WCCW's prime. They were there technically USWA/GCW guys.

lemmysmole wrote:

Metalistner wrote:I didn't know much about the AWA before buying this, but Vince got most of the WWE from the AWA. He just took their developed talent. I thought the story of the AWA was good, but the matches on the dvd weren't great. It's only $6.99 on Amazon.

The name is stupid, there wasn't really anything "spectacular" about it.....of all the territories in wrestling I'd watched in the 80s, AWA was certainly dead last on any list.

Watching lawn darts was more gooder than AWA wrestling.

After the mid-80's, but before that it looked like a good league. Vince got so many of his wrestlers from that league.

I find it hard to believe the AWA failed with great promotional pieces like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnB7OLHNwM

canadianhavoc wrote:I find it hard to believe the AWA failed with great promotional pieces like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnB7OLHNwM

That clip just proves what a copy-cat joke the AWA was.
01:04 - 01:14
00:46 -00:57 - I liked Jerry Blackwell but a 400+ pound man crashing thru a 2 X 10 X 12 is not exactly a impressive feat.

Those crying about Vince "stealing" Verne's talent - someone gives you a offer of a better job that will more than likely lead to bigger & better things what are you going to do. Besides that talent would've rotted on the vine there. Hogan (who Vince Sr. had before Verne) was proof of that.

canadianhavoc wrote:I find it hard to believe the AWA failed with great promotional pieces like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnB7OLHNwM

They trying to copy WWF NY entertainment style and failed badly.

sliquor wrote:

canadianhavoc wrote:I find it hard to believe the AWA failed with great promotional pieces like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnB7OLHNwM

That clip just proves what a copy-cat joke the AWA was.
01:04 - 01:14
00:46 -00:57 - I liked Jerry Blackwell but a 400+ pound man crashing thru a 2 X 10 X 12 is not exactly a impressive feat.

Those crying about Vince "stealing" Verne's talent - someone gives you a offer of a better job that will more than likely lead to bigger & better things what are you going to do. Besides that talent would've rotted on the vine there. Hogan (who Vince Sr. had before Verne) was proof of that.

But the leagues would have been more competitive, so he wouldn't have died out in the AWA.

Metalistner wrote:

sliquor wrote:

canadianhavoc wrote:I find it hard to believe the AWA failed with great promotional pieces like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnB7OLHNwM

That clip just proves what a copy-cat joke the AWA was.
01:04 - 01:14
00:46 -00:57 - I liked Jerry Blackwell but a 400+ pound man crashing thru a 2 X 10 X 12 is not exactly a impressive feat.

Those crying about Vince "stealing" Verne's talent - someone gives you a offer of a better job that will more than likely lead to bigger & better things what are you going to do. Besides that talent would've rotted on the vine there. Hogan (who Vince Sr. had before Verne) was proof of that.

But the leagues would have been more competitive, so he wouldn't have died out in the AWA.

Yes but the point was fans wanted Hogan, Ventura and Vern wasnt pushing them the way Vince Jr did

Those stating that Ric Flair was stolen from the poor AWA - give me a break!
Flair may have been from Minnesota, trained there & wrestled a little bit but he is NWA, Carolinas & the Crocketts all the way.
Wooo!!