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American Wrestling Association (Wrestling)

 American Wrestling Association (Wrestling)
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 American Wrestling Association (Wrestling)
 American Wrestling Association (Wrestling)
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 AmericanWrestlingAssociation
 American Wrestling Association (Wrestling)
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 Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991, owned and founded by Verne Gagne. The territory was originally part of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), before becoming an independent territory in 1960.Gagne, an amateur wrestling champion who had earned a spot on the U.S. team at the 1948 Summer Olympics, had become a well-known and popular pro wrestler nationally in the 1950s. He aspired to become NWA World Heavyweight Champion, but political sentiment within the NWA (whose Board of Directors decided who was world champion) prevented it. In 1960, after unsuccessfully lobbying the NWA for a title match between Gagne and the then-NWA World Heavyweight Champion Pat O'Connor, Gagne led certain territories out of the NWA, forming the AWA. The AWA unilaterally recognized O'Connor as the first AWA World Heavyweight Champion in May 1960 and gave him 90 days to defend the title against Gagne. The NWA ignored the challenge. O'Connor was stripped of the AWA title and it was awarded to Gagne on August 1960.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Gagne would run the AWA with a progressive sensibility, firmly believing that sound technical wrestling should be the basis of a pro wrestling company. At their height they had weekly shows sold-out across the country, with the AWA having insane TV numbers in a dozen markets, being beaten only by 60 Minutes. Today's promotions are often lucky to put a thousand people in a building despite being aired on major cable outlets (such as TNA's run on Spike TV). A lot of this was built on the back of decades of relationships that head booker (and frequent champion) Gagne had built in his time.After Gagne's retirement in 1981, he focused the promotion on Nick Bockwinkel, a loyal employee of several years who was a mat wrestling technician like Gagne had been. Bockwinkel faced numerous challengers for the title during the early 1980s, with by far the most famous of them being spry newcomer Hulk Hogan, who took on the villanous Bockwinkel in a heated rivalry which lasted up until 1983. Unfortunately, like many promoters, problems arose when the WWF began making its national push. Chief among them was that Hulk Hogan hadn't actually been crowned the next face of the company, and quit after 1983 due to disagreements with the money he had been making in his periodic trips to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and an increasing feeling of nepotism on the part of Gagne who, among other things, was pushing his own son. A massive talent exodus ensued, including such names as Bobby Heenan, Jesse Ventura, and "Mean" Gene Okerlund. They would bounce back however by pushing some of their rising talent like Scott Hall, Rick Martel, The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty), Leon White, and others...but by the late 80's, WCW and the WWF had raided them into oblivion nearly bi-annually. The final straw for the company came in 1990, where money problems and a lapsed TV deal allowed champion Larry Zbyszko an opportunity to sign with WCW, and Gagne stripped him of the world title. With mounting losses, Gagne folded for good in 1991, though not without occasional reunion shows throughout the early 90's.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_3'); })
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 American Wrestling Association (Wrestling)