In this post we take a look at the Legends of the American Wrestling Association. These men may have wrestled elsewhere in their career, but when I think of them in my mind the AWA was there home.
Greg Gagne
May 4, 1991 AWA, Bloomington, Minnesota
with Wahoo McDaniel defeated The Destruction Crew: Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom
Gagne debuted in 1972 for the AWA the promotion that he primarily competed until his retirement in 1991. He is a two time AWA International Television Champion and two time Tag Team Champion with Jim Brunzell as the High Flyers.
Larry "The Ax" Hennig
January 30, 1986 AWA, Peoria, Illinois
with Scott Hall defeated Sheik Adnan Al-Kassie & The Mongolian Stomper
The Ax debuted in 1963 for the AWA after being trained by Verne Gagne. He traveled around the territories and had a successful tag team with Harley Race in the mid to late 60's. In 1982 he held the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championships with his son Curt for 6 days from April 27 - May 1st.
Baron Von Raschke
February 10, 1996 Superstars of Wrestling Princeton, West Virginia
defeated David Lynch
Raschke debuted in 1966 after being trained by Verne Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon. He held numerous championships around the territories. His dreaded claw hold was censored on WWWF television for the blood it drew. He headlined Madison Square Garden on March 28 and April 25, 1977 being defeated by champion Bruno Sammartino in both bouts. A documentary on Raschke called The Claw is currently in post production, I'm looking forward to checking it out.
"Pretty Boy" Doug Somers
October 30, 2011 Rampage Pro Wrestling/ NWA Warner Robins, Georgia
defeated by Frankie Valentine in a First Blood match
I don't know a lot about Doug Somers but this is what I have been able to find. He started wrestling sometime between 1971 - 1973 in Florida. He wrestled for the Crockett's, Portland Wrestling, and the AWA. In 1986 he began teaming with "Playboy" Buddy Rose in the AWA where they would go on to win the Tag Team Championships. They would feud with the Midnight Rockers: Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels in Somers most famous march the bloody Las Vegas Showboat casino.
In 1989 he toured All Japan wrestling, WCW in late 1991, and the WWE in 1992. He returned to wrestling after a 16 year absence in 2008 for a match and then more steady in 2010 & 2011. I always enjoyed watching Somers in the ring he was extremely underrated and it would be nice to have learned more about his career. Sadly Somers died earlier this year on May 16, 2017 at the age of 65.
Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast Podcast of 1,000 Holds on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network.
Later Readers!
