Verne Gagne / Latest Videos

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	Lee Henning vs Verne Gagne (Homage to a Unknown Scrapper) "Butcher Boy","Bulldog",or just Lee,Henning was a journey man who wrestled in the Buffalo-Toronto area.I remember watching him when I was a 10 year old in 1970.He was in his mid 50's by then and was skinny and had a face like my grandpa!(Any Canadians out there who remember our Prime Minister John Diefenbacker? Lee looked like his older brother!).When he wrestled he would growl when he punched and would plead for mercy like a babbling...grandpa! It was funny as well as slighty sad that this guy was still in the ring at that time.He either loved it or had to do it I guess.He passed away (and into obscurity) in 1977 at age 60.This match took place at the Buffalo Auditorium in the 50's or early 60's.I'm glad I got to see him in his prime!And I pay homage to his career by placing his name in front of Verne's for this file! View Video
	Iron Sheik shoots on Verne Gagne part 23 Iron sheik discusses Verge Gagne,his thought on The Rock Don Muraco,Superfly Jimmy Snuka.Talks about the difference between Vince jr. and sr. Best promos in the business.Discusses no pay days in the indy scene with Warlord and the Birdman Koko b. Ware. myspace.com/manibrainz View Video
	"The Wrestler" Movie Clip Funny clip of Dusty Rhodes and Murdoch in the 1974 movie, "The Wrestler." It also has clips of The Crusher, The Bruiser, Verne Gagne and many of the famous wrestlers of that era. Plot: Promoting the world of professional wrestling at the expense of the plot itself, Frank Bass (Ed Asner) takes a stand and defends what he thinks is right. Gamblers, mobsters, unscrupulous wrestlers, money-grubbing promoters, and fixers conspire to corrupt the industry, but Frank tries to make the game as honest and fair as it is his idealized vision. Frank's efforts climax as he promotes an over-the-hill champion in the final matches of his career View Video
	Nick Bockwinkel concludes his visit with the Prima-Donns Nick Bockwinkel concludes his extended visit with the Prima-Donns, discussing his rivalry with Verne Gagne, sharing a nugget about Mad Dog Vachon, and telling a tale about Stan Hansen and the AWA Heavyweight Championship belt. View Video
	Maurice Vachon vs Grand Prix Champ Edouard Carpentier Quick Bio on Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon: Born on September 14, 1929, Maurice Vachon was one of 13 children of Montreal policeman Ferdinand Vachon, and they grew up in the district of Ville-Émard, a working-class borough southwest of Montreal. As a child, he regularly attended wrestling shows at the nearby Montreal Forum, where he grew up idolizing local ring legend Yvon Robert; and at just 12 years old, he had already begun grappling at the area's YMCA. He entered a wrestling course advertised at the back of a comic book, and he began training under Chief Jim Crowley. He trained hard and even worked in the docks and on the canal to build up his muscle. By age 14, Vachon and he eventually established himself among Canada's premier amateur grapplers. At just 18 years old, he competed in the 1948 Olympic Games in London, where he pinned the Indian champion in 58 seconds and ultimately finished in seventh place at 174 pounds. Moreover, it was at the 1948 Olympics where Vachon first encountered an American Greco-Roman competitor named Verne Gagne. He rebounded to win the gold medal at the 1950 British Empire Games in New Zealand, and he then spent several years working as a bouncer at a Montreal nightclub before he was encouraged to join the pro wrestling circuit in 1954. Despite his exceptional grappling ability, Maurice Vachon nonetheless struggled to distinguish himself from the myriad of image-less grapplers during his early years. As a result, he soon took radical measures to differentiate his persona, bulking up to a more plausible 225 pounds while also shaving his head bald and growing a long goatee. In addition, Vachon would frequently buy local TV time prior to a weekend event, which he then used to boldly proclaim his supremacy while also deprecating his opponent. Such acts of bravado were considered revolutionary at the time, though it was successful in that it attracted attention to Vachon's new character as well as drawing additional fans to the arena. As a result, Vachon subsequently established himself as a major heel while also portraying a wrestling beast inside the ring who would freely stomp, bite, and pound his opponent into submission. Therefore, Portland promoter Don Owen accordingly bestowed Vachon with the nickname of "Mad Dog," and the fact that he was so much smaller than the majority of his opponents only added to his mystique. Before long, "Mad Dog" Vachon consequently developed a reputation as perhaps the most feared rulebreaker in all of wrestling. Furthermore, Maurice's younger brother Paul soon debuted himself, as he was ultimately given the nickname of "the Butcher;" and on February 17, 1959 in Edmonton, the Vachon brothers teamed to defeat Chico Garcia & Chet Wallick for the NWA Canadian Tag Team Titles. Maurice Vachon's tendency to hurt his opponents with foreign objects, filed fingernails, and his signature finishing move, "The Piledriver", made him notorious in the business and caused him to be banned in three U.S. states. But it also made his popularity soar among the fans, including his future wife Kathie Joe, whom he met after spitting a shoe string he had used for choking his opponent at her, as she was sitting in the audience. Quick Bio on Edouard Carpentier: Born Edouard Wiercowicz on July 17, 1926 in Roanne, Loire, France to a Russian father and a Polish mother, he joined the French underground resistance during the period of German occupation during WW2, and was subsequently awarded medals by the French government at the close of the war. He moved to Montreal, Canada and became an all around athlete with great gymnastic skills. An early proponent of "scientific" wrestling, Carpentier was a crowd favorite who delighted fans with acrobatic leaps from the turnbuckles and a variety of other aerial manoeuvres such as "flying head scissors." He was always a face, or "good guy," in his bouts, and was paired with numerous villains, perhaps the most well known of whom was the legendary Killer Kowalski. After his retirement, Carpentier operated a school for teaching professional wrestling skills.He also worked in late 80's-early 90's for French TV channel Canal + where he operated as a babyface colour commentator, alongside heel play-by-play host Guy Hauray, for the French edition of the World Wrestling Federation TV show "Superstars" (he would be replaced by former French-Canadian wrestler Raymond Rougeau). Carpentier was also: NWA World's Champion, NWA America's Champion Canadian International Champ 2 times IWA World's Champion 2 times World Heavweight Champion (Omaha) and believe it or not Canadian International tag team champ along with non other than Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon. View Video
	WCW Slamboree 93 Hall of Fame inducties...WCW gordon solie mr. wrestling II eddie graham lou thesz verne gagne View Video
	AWA Profiles on major stars 70's 80's awa...AWA verne gagne wwe raw tna View Video
	Maurice "Maddog" Vachon & Tokyo Joe interview Mad Dog Vachon introduces his tag team partner & protege "The Yellow Peril" Tokyo Joe. Sad note: It's ironic how both these great wrestler would end up losing a leg in weird accidents, first it was Tokyo Joe: After leaving the Grand Prix promotion he headed out to Calgary and in 74' had his career cut short when he lost his leg in a freak accident on an icey road in Alberta. Tokyo Joe was getting assistance from a tow truck when another car slid into him pinning his legs between two cars. Tokyo Joe still lives in Calgary where he trains young wrestlers and recruits talent for All Japan Pro Wrestling. As for the Mad Dog Vachon: Upon retiring, Vachon settled at his wife's home town of Omaha, Nebraska, but then tragedy came in 87' when Vachon was struck by a hit-and-run driver while out for a jog near his home, resulting in the forced amputation of his leg. However, nothing has slowed him down since. He turned to acting and appeared in beer commercials and was a restaurant critic for a Quebec City television station. He once said, "Since I've eaten in almost every gas station restaurant and roadside diner in North America, I'm one Mad Dog who knows his chow." He also appeared at the WWF pay-per-view In Your House 7, that was held in Omaha. He was sitting in the front row near ringside, when wrestler Diesel(Kevin Nash) ripped Vachon's artificial leg off and used it as a weapon in his match against Shawn Michaels. As of 2006, Mad Dog Vachon continues to make appearances at legends reunions and independent promotions. His last major title was holding the A.W.A. tag team titles with arch nemesis Verne Gagne when they defeated the legendary duo of Pat Patterson & Ray "The Crippler" Stevens. in 79-80. View Video

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