Brody and Friends talk about the AWA (Brody has no friends)

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

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[BruiserBrody]

"Battle By The Bay", Oakland, CA - June 28, 1986​

From Kaiser Convention Center

- aired live on ESPN

Col. DeBeers beat Brad Rheingans (sub. for Scott Hall) (untelevised)

Larry Zbyszko vs. Scott LeDoux resulted in a no contest in a karate gloves match (untelevised)

Earthquake Ferris beat Ali Khan

Sherri Martel (w/ Buddy Rose) beat Candi Devine to win the AWA Ladies Title

Jimmy Snuka beat Jay York

Nord the Barbarian (w/ Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie) beat Nick Bockwinkel

Jerry Blackwell beat AWA World Champion Stan Hansen by disqualification

Curt Hennig & the Midnight Rockers beat Buddy Rose, Doug Somers & Alexis Smirnoff

--
Wrestlerock in April was loaded and drew 20K. Only months later a lot of guys here who didn't make the mega show.

Groovy Greg doesn't even have a match:?

Nord went over to set up matches with Bock once Nick won the belt IIRC. I'm not sure any matches ever actually happened.

IIRC Ali Khan went on to be Soldat Ustinov.

Maybe they should have played this up as the TV version of the "Wrestlerock Revenge Tour" they were running and have Verne make his final final final final for realz last match ever teaming w/ Greg vs Adnan and Boris? They were doing 6 mans with Snuka vs Adnan's Army in some markets.

Hell, even Snuka/Greg vs the Alaskans or something to establish their team.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://www.facebook.com/100047348262615/posts/1079259636995635

@BruiserBrody too tired and weary to make any noises

 

[BruiserBrody]

I still have such a mental problem picturing the AWA roster being all pilled up. Especially the old guys like Mad Dog and the infamous AWA version of the Plane ride from Hell.

 

[snuffbox]

There was probably some speed pills involved in those long drives between far flung towns.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Stick to Wrestling this week shared a story about Wahoo and Slater messing around with a loaded gun and Slater was accidentally shot. He left the AWA to recover.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1828151949969236390

Reminder Sid was in Memphis and they didn't bother to book him on SuperClash 3.

 

[BruiserBrody]

The Secret Affair of Ric Flair and Donna Gagne
In the bustling world of professional wrestling, where drama often transcends the squared circle, there lurks a scandalous tale involving the daughter of one of the sport's most revered figures. Donna Gagne, daughter of the legendary AWA promoter Verne Gagne, was more than just a ring announcer with a TV segment. She was a fixture at the AWA's training camp, where her fascination with the wrestlers was no secret.
From a young age, Donna was a familiar face around Verne's training farm, captivated by the athletes who shaped the sport. As the years rolled on, her admiration didn't wane—it intensified. When Donna was in her early twenties, an explosive rumor began to circulate, sparking intense speculation among wrestling insiders.
Ken Patera, a wrestler known for his candid nature, recounted a startling incident involving Donna and none other than "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Patera claimed that he had stumbled upon Donna and Flair in a compromising situation, a moment that would shake the wrestling world to its core. At the time, Flair was married to his first wife, Leslie, and the secrecy of their rendezvous was crucial. Flair, fearing the wrath of Verne Gagne, who was known for his strict morals and unyielding standards, begged Patera to keep quiet. The stakes were high—if Verne discovered the affair, Flair’s career could be irreversibly damaged.
Patera, honoring his promise, kept the secret, and this clandestine affair between Donna Gagne and Ric Flair remained hidden from the wrestling world. Despite the intrigue and drama surrounding the incident, Patera and Flair's friendship grew stronger, as did the web of secrets they wove.

Given that Flair couldn't draw with the JCP and Turner machine behind him (after 86), I don't think Flair being the AWA champ in the 80s saves Verne.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Last week was the usual Groovy Greg tall tales (I beat Baba in Japan after 48 mins....) (Jim and I won the Japan tag tourney over Brody and Hansen after 56 mins.) And the usual "Today's flippy guys can't work"

This week he gets heated over Dale Gagner, shits on Jesse Ventura, Claims to be friends with Hogan (Well, I haven't talked to him since 1994 and he hasn't returned any recent messages...") but was willing to admit the 1987 WGN deal with Hogan was never going to happen past Hogan using the AWA to get more money out of Vince and admits that a Gagne AWA History book wouldn't sell so he isn't interested in writing it. He brings up George Schire as being the historian that could do it (and he did release a book on the Twin Cities AWA history within the past decade) which was fun as Schire quit this podcast so his name being dropped was met with awkward silence.

He did flip the usual story of Brunzell wanting to turn heel on Greg to Jim wanting to have Greg turn heel on him. He gently buries Brunzell's drawing skills in his response.

 

[BruiserBrody]

5/16/82 – Brillion, WI
No DQ Match:
Jerry Blackwell & Sheik Adnan defeated Tito Santana & Baron Von Raschke
Bobby Duncum defeated Brad Rheingans
Tiny Thumb & Lone Eagle defeated Billy the Kid & Little Tokyo
Sgt. Jacques Goulet drew Buck Zumhofe

Dan “Mr. Bruiser” Roeglin responds

“Claw: The Brillion card was mine, I lived there from 78-84 and put it together with Al DeRusha and Dennis Hilgart, I was also the ring announcer and had to take the mic and cord away from Goulet while he was choking Zumofe with it. Billy the Kid was drunk, and I got to see half naked Jerry Blackwell playing cribbage with Little Tokyo. Quite the day. Brillion is about 120 miles from Monona, which is a Madison suburb to the south. And since I did airport shuttle we picked up Shiek, Duncum, Goulet, Zumhofe (who spilled 7 Up all over the dash of my van) , Santana, and Baron. The midgets and Blackwell drove themselves. We needed two vehicles as instructed for the airport deal, heels and faces, and drank alot of beer on the trip back to the airport. Brillion is 25 miles south of Green Bay, where they flew in and out of.”

The good ol' days!

 

[snuffbox]

I know they're not superstars on current WWE television, but, for that time, that's quite a lineup for a high school card.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Let's say Verne gives him the money, or a piece of the AWA to stay...since Hogan had been around since late 81, how long does Hogan actually draw in the AWA? You not only have audience burn out (which took until 1990 in the WWF-6 years) but also a different set of opponents since we'll assume Vince is still plucking everyone he wants for the most part.
Hogan may feud with more Japan centric guys like Brody, Hansen, Abby, etc. The refusal to work Baba over Inoki would have to be settled by Baba's check book.
You'd still have guys like Kareem Muhammed, Kamala, Botswana Beast, Big Steel Man, Bigelow etc
I suppose a big factor is if Verne pays Heenan to stay and build up heels.

 

[alkeiper]

If Hogan stays at the very least some wrestlers are bound to stick around and come in for the big arena paydays.

 

[snuffbox]

Keeping Hogan and having the ESPN exposure might've kept the AWA successful into the 90s.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Geez, picking a Gagne promo from 89 of all things too.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Al DeRusha passed away