Worst awa wrestlers they kept the big Keith Adonis Franke (September 15, 1953 – July 4, 1988) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis. 11 Bombastic Bob Was In The 1998 WWE Version Dec 10, 2024 · WrestleRock Rumble remains a curious and somewhat tragic footnote in wrestling history. They were forced to watch time and again as Verne Gagne pushed his beanpole of a kid Greg into main events. Unlike many wrestlers on this list, Jillian could actually wrestle and had a couple of impressive wrestling skills under her sleeve. Greg was a great technical wrestler, but dead boring otherwise. AWA World Championship Nick Bockwinkel (c) vs. May 8, 2025 · The WWWF logo circa the 1970s, when the company was still known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation. 5 Best Wrestling Masks of the 1970s (& 5 Worst) By Danny Dec 23, 2012 · 5. even with eric bischoff. The AWA was the premium product in 70s American wrestling (not globally, I'd take Joint Promotions or AJPW over it), but it fell off hard. Story by Michael Weyer While Championship Wrestling was generally taped in Poughkeepsie, New York, Saturday Night's Main Event was taped in front of packed arenas around the country. com Follow Jim and Jan 23, 2023 · Some of the best wrestlers of all time have won the NWA World Championship, but there were also some very questionable reigns in the title's history. This list looks at in-ring incompetence, damage done to business, and inability to fulfill key roles as the main pillars of what makes “the worst". Come to the home of WWE Superstars past and present – see their career highlights, videos, news, photos and much more! May 2, 2025 · Moving into the '70s, 1980s, and 1990s, wrestling evolved into a performance. Professional wrestling lists, breaking news, interviews and features covering WWE, AEW, NXT, NJPW, TNA, and all of your favourite independent wrestling promotions. In the American Wrestling Association’s dying days, the company, faced with rapidly declining revenue and an exodus of stars, settled on a long-range booking plan called the Team Challenge Series, in which the entire roster was split up into three teams that competed against each other for points, with the eventual winners receiving a Aug 2, 2017 · The 1980s are when wrestling went mainstream, so here we will list off every calendar year's worst wrestler since 1980. Related. Over the course of nearly 20 years, The Midnight Express evolved quite a bit, changing lineups, managers, and even number of members. Follow Followed Like Link copied to clipboard. Curt Hennig was one of the best Formed in 1948, the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) governing body was the largest organization in professional wrestling until the 1980s Rock 'n' Wrestling Era. . Comms point out they didn’t see the finish, thanks to AWA’s crack production, and no decision was announced. When American Wrestling (WWF) started getting popular on British TV, ITV dropped the British wrestling from Saturday afternoon TV and showed WWF during late nights instead. they tried to go nationally like the wwf. Slaughter, and Baron von Raschke, the company’s three main draws. Perhaps inspired by the popularity of the AWA Team Challenge pilot, WWE recently put another super-obscure AWA program on the Network’s Hidden Gems section. Starting out as a football player turned wrestler in the AWA, Leon White’s career really took off when he went to New Japan Pro Wrestling to take on a gimmick originally envisioned for, of all people, the Ultimate Warrior (Jim Hellwig). See full list on thesportster. ” Feb 27, 2016 · Top 25 Worst Champions in Wrestling History. patreon. Once he slapped the claw on you, it was over! I can remember watching the commercials for AWA, and it went something like this: "AWA Wrestling on Channel 26! It's all you need to know!!" And the Baron would come at the camera with his famous claw. Simply use the filters below! You even have the option to view a breakdown of the rosters split by Face and Heel divisions. He'd carry a boombox around and basically try to be the whole Wrestling/Rock music thing. Follow Followed Like From Episode 451 of the Jim Cornette ExperienceArtwork by Travis Heckel!Send in your question for the Drive-Thru to: CornyDriveThru@gmail. And you know what that means… John would vanish from the wrestling world, but would find himself on the big screen of all places. 1. Jul 21, 2008 · The worst thing was teaming up with the Jim Crockett/NWA group and creating "Pro Wrestling USA", which was a show that revolved around the AWA & NWA wrestlers. With 3 days ago · Promotions like the AWA and WWE splintering from the National Wrestling Alliance put major dents in the territory system before Vince McMahon’s national expansion steamrolled the old ways of doing business. And odds are, you may have even seen him! In the movie Pee Wee’s Big Adventure , Pee Wee and his friend Simone are hanging out in a giant dinosaur discussing dreams and life. Under the control of the NWA Board of Directors (consisting of various prominent, regional promoters), the governing body oversaw wrestling's national territory system, a system Sep 9, 2023 · I have Sags entire career ahead of me. The MAD MAX films may very well go down as the most inspirational series of films ever to be utilized by professional wrestling. 10 Worst NWA Greg Gagne reveals why AWA Superclash didn't work and how making Jerry Lawler Champion was the worst business decision. Dec 31, 2014 · By 1990, the AWA was dead, though it left a number of classic shows, with classic matches featuring AWA World Champions Jerry "The King" Lawler, Nick Bockwinkle, the Rockers, the Road Warriors, and more. Also Verne just seems like a dick. I'm currently watching the Texas set. the awa was great back in the 1970's. com/@wrestlingbios2/Sweet Merch: https:// Dec 17, 2022 · Before an AWA show, owner Verne Gagne mimicked the Chicago Bears 'The Super Bowl Shuffle' by having his wrestlers make a rap video. Wrestling, now synonymous with the WWF, began to throw more grandiose matches. The uniforms the wrestlers wore became flashier and the scripted aspects began to increase, as did the fan following. WWE would push sports entertainment to the mainstream and the pop culture phenomenon WrestleMania was born. By PJ Marie. alot more wrestling back then and less storylines. Even the AWA, out of 1 AWA wrestlers. Top 100 Worst Wrestling Gimmicks Ever2. Jun 7, 2018 · Over the past century, there have been many, many world championship titles in professional wrestling. Maybe if more 70s footage existed, I'd be kinder. He would go on to hold the AWA World Heavyweight Championship on ten occasions. Wrestling Observer Worst Television Announcer 1990 and Most Obnoxious 1991 Abrams died on July 23, 1996 in dubious circumstances The legend of Herb Abrams has grown over the years thanks to a book May 30, 2022 · Chris Benoit’s death remains one of the worst stories in wrestling history. 4 days ago · The 1980s are considered the Golden Era of professional wrestling. com Our complete Pro Wrestlers Database allows you to travel through time and see the AWA Roster & Alumni by Year or any specific Date in history. Former punter for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. Why do 10 when we can do 100 Worst Wrestling GImmicks from WWE, WCW, TNA, ECW etcTopics Discussed In this Video:1. This was their volley back at the WWF becoming as huge as it got. 4 AWA Promoters. 2024 Mar 1, 2023 · Founded in 1960 and lasting until 1991, The American Wrestling Association was one of the most successful territories of all time. Died on July 2nd, 1990 at the age of 66. Jerry Sags; the world’s worst. alot of jobbers. Throughout all of Harris was snapped up by the AWA and debuted as Silo Sam, but it quickly became apparent that he was a lumbering presence in the ring and had none of Andre the Giant’s charisma. A knock-off version of Goldberg, Gillberg is the worst wrestler of all time. Published Feb 27, 2016. Interestingly, this did not stop Vince McMahon snapping him up in 1985 as part of the WWF’s mass talent acquisition from the territories. For the next two decades, Verne reigned off and on as the AWA Champion. The first fourteen awards were created in 1980 as an informal poll between Meltzer and his friends and others he corresponded with on the subject of professional wrestling at the time. The schedule was relatively light (although travel in the We are Cultaholic. Big Daddy continued to wrestle off TV for a few more years, but in August 1987 a tragedy occurred. youtube. The NWA was also hot, led by the Nature Boy Ric Flair and Starrcade. Dec 17, 2023 · But The Midnight Express didn’t just change companies. I guess they figured the more wrestlers you have, the better your program. The home of the worst of pro wrestling! WrestleCrap looks back at the weird, whacky, unforgettable and truly bizarre moments in wrestling history. Consequently, there have been literally hundreds of world champions over that time. Let’s take a look at every member of The Midnight Express, starting with the worst ones. Soon, the AWA would become one of the biggest promotions in the country, with Gagne at the forefront. Bobby Heenan discusses why AWA Wrestling collapsed and thoughts on Verne & Greg Gagne, Nick Bockwinkle, Ray Stevens and more. By Michael Weyer. Curt Hennig was a solid competitor in the AWA, WCW, and WWE. they had mostly squash matches on tv. It's harder than you might think. One of the worst wrestlers I've ever seen. These were custom wrestling matches. There will always be some debate regarding the ethics of what McMahon and whether pro wrestling was better off for the changes. Photo Credit: WWE. 5 Other notable AWA contributors. TheSportster. Curt Hennig Just ask any fan of the AWA during the mid 1980’s. to I'm looking for somebody who had no redeeming features whatsoever. 07. It serves as a reminder of the AWA’s final attempt to reclaim its past glory, a valiant but ultimately . This is a list of both active and inactive Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards created by professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA) journalist Dave Meltzer. Ken Resnick: “This is Ken Resnick, and I’m here to say / we got the greatest wrestlers in the AWA / but you’re not here to listen to me mumble / let’s fill you in on the Wrestle Rock Rumble! GET ON!” Shawn Michaels: “We’re the Midnight Rockers” Marty Janetty: “Shawn and Marty!” Michaels: “We love to wrestle” Jan 1, 2023 · Another of my favorite pro wrestlers ever. At one point. 9: 20. Gillberg. Stream the Full Shoot https://t Greg Gagne discusses the one mistake that AWA & Verne Gagne made in the territory war against World Wrestling Federation. Started by the tough-as-nails Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo, the Mid-Western-based company, along with WWE and Crockett were the three top territories heading into The Expansion Era. Unless there's some obvious answers I'm missing this might be hard because even the worst workers have SOMETHING going for them. Stream New Shoot Interviews 📺 http:/ Dec 20, 2023 · The 1970s featured some great looking wrestling masks as well as some misfires. 10 Ancient Wrestling Aug 8, 2016 · One of the most difficult concepts of pro wrestling you could describe to someone that isn’t necessarily a fan is that wrestling is a form of entertainment in which two performers are trying very hard to make it look like they are hurting each other when, in fact, that is the absolute worst thing they can do. Stream New Shoot Interviews 📺 http More than three decades have passed since Verne Gagne's Minnesota-based powerhouse, the American Wrestling Association, last ran an event, and those last few Jun 18, 2017 · The AWA was considered a prestigious company to work for with wrestlers reportedly enjoying some of the best payouts in the business. The worst AWA matches were better than the worst AJPW matches and the top 10 compares pretty favorably to the other sets I've watched. Worst Inaugural Wrestling Champions. The Team Challenge Series placed all the wrestlers in the promotion into three separate teams, headed up by Larry Zbyszko, Sgt. 2 AWA/WWA wrestlers (Chicago) 3 AWA female wrestlers. the wrestling was better back then if youre a fan of pure wrestling. See, these weren’t any ordinary wrestling matches filmed for public consumption. HulkaMania truly ran wild. Jul 10, 2016 · Women Of WWE: 10 Best And 10 Worst Female Wrestlers Of All Time. Jun 1, 2018 · In WCW, Luger spent a career wrestling lackluster matches, giving far less than 100 percent, and receiving the type of pushes and recognition that most wrestlers only dream of. Support Wrestling Bios: https://www. There’s just not time for all this violence and evil. WrestleMania's popularity and ratings appeal made professional wrestling a television mainstay. From the obvious (The Road Warriors, Lord Humongous) to the obscure (Jericho’s phrase “The Ayatollah of Rock and Roll-ah” is derived from the films), no other series of films has given pro wrestling as many gimmicks. Dude had one match in the WWE against HHH before he was even Helmsley if I recall correctly. That interview with the Long Riders where you saw the Road Warriors just hanging around in the background was hilarious. Most of Jul 21, 2008 · The worst thing was teaming up with the Jim Crockett/NWA group and creating "Pro Wrestling USA", which was a show that revolved around the AWA & NWA wrestlers. Larry Zbyszko made his long-awaited debut for the World Wide Wrestling Federation on March 8, 1974, picking up a decisive victory over "The Continental Nobleman" Joe Turco in Albany, New York. AWA is largely forgotten these days, which is a shame for the likes of Bockwinkel who deserve to be remembered. Some of the best wrestlers of all time came from that golden era such as Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, Ric Flair, and Bret Hart. Mainly used by WWE to lighten up the crowds, Gillberg’s gimmick was greatly inspired by Goldberg. No wrestling ability, no athleticism, no promo ability, no charisma, no marketability, but somehow made a career out of professional wrestling. Menu. Jack Pesek- Son of the legendary wrestler Tigerman John Pesek. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. He was a mid card guy for the AWA towards the end of them being a thing. I didn’t miss a word out there, that’s the whole sentence. Apr 22, 2023 · In 1960, Verne Gagne formed the American Wrestling Association. Published Jul 10, 2016. The old faves like Warrior can't be said to not be marketable and they certainly have charisma. This is classic! It’s an awesome example of why wrestling companies don’t outsource their production to non-wrestling people anymore. Guys like Erik Watts were at least big and athletic (and I don't know if you can say he really made a career out of wrestling). 6 References. May 5, 2018 · Before many WWE superstars became huge successes they had gimmicks that are very strange that they hope fans might forget. These wrestlers were poor choices as first ever champions, starting off the title's lineage with a whimper. May 27, 2009 · youre right the AWA sucked in the 1980's. My all time favorite AWA wrastler was "The Clawmaster," Baron von Raschke. Rumor has it that he even tried to put the AWA World Title on him on more than one occasion, with those in charge literally threatening to quit if he actually made the move. Relive the very worst of AWA as WrestleCrap looks back on the worst AWA gimmicks, worst AWA matches and worst AWA angles in history. Rock 'N' Roll Buck Zumhoff. After some unspecified amount of time, the winners would receive a million bucks. He wa Oh, my god. Toggle the table of contents. AJPW & AWA - AJPW's top 40 wipes the floor with AWA's top 40 but this set was a lot of fun and I got me pretty pumped to watch wrestling again. Verne Gagne's name always comes up in these conversations for putting the AWA title on his son Greg, and pushing him over bigger stars like Hogan or Curt Hennig despite Greg not being capable of being the cornerstone of the company. You know, private wrestling matches. This may end me. Made his pro wrestling debut in 1948, Also refereed and promoted in Omaha, Nebraska. Jun 7, 2018 · For this very special edition of Abandoned, I present the AWA World Heavyweight Championship! The American Wrestling Association was founded in 1960, but before that, they were a At some point, however, Nord headed into the woods and…you know what, here, I’ll just quote from his interview in Sports Review Wrestling from May of 1990: “Being up there in the Yukon with the fresh air, snow, and all the wild animals made me realize what life’s all about. com/wrestling_biosBack-up Channel / RTW Highlights: https://www. ttwrl wcrqium tqsf ocs jhgna gztct tcjr fdj gotg giuypm