Personally I think Verne was reticent to put the title on him because he saw him as a "gimmick", Verne was so old fashioned that perhaps he thought his character wasn't "serious" enough to be the AWA champion so he made him "America's champion" instead. Either that or he thought Slaughter was a WWF guy and thought he was going to go back to Vince at any moment.
Just remember...greg gagne is a legitimate legend. He was part of the biggest most successful territory from that period. They had the second highest rated syndicated shows in every market they were in.theres always several sides to every story. Greg has a great mind for wrestling...maybe some people like eric bishoff might have used him then stabbed him in hhe back and got famous stealing gregs ideas. Why would greg lie about that ? He has no agenda.
Underrated by who, by you? It's not underrated at all by those that actually know their wrestling history, it's very highly rated and fondly remembered as one of the "big three", as a very important promotiom. The reasons it might not be as talked-about as WWF and the NWA/WCW is because the promotion ceased to exist over 33 years ago, and because it wasn't as largely spread or "seen everywhere" as the NWA or WWF, but that doesn't mean it's underrated at all.
@@jonathanturbide2232 due to the fact I grew up in Brooklyn, I was able to watch the AWA promotion on Saturdays on a local channel in New York. The AWA was not popular to the viewers. The only I watched AWA was because I love watching wrestling.
Now this is a great interview. We all love Corny, it's why we are here. He has a tendency to talk over his guests. Greg didn't allow that this time lol. What a conversation. Dropping some AWA knowledge bombs
And we also finally learned that Greg Gagne was the most brilliant mind in wrestling history, and created everything from Hulk Hogan to the NWO... at least that's the way he tells it 😂
@@brandonwilliams5613 He was not a midcarder. He and Brunzell were usually in the main event. I guess you are one of those ignorant people that thinks Verne wrestled more than a few times a month. All you have to do is watch one of the High Flyers' matches to know how over they were, but you can't even do that.
Only if Verne kept up with Vince's grasp of the national TV market and pop culture reach... By the late 80's, the broad wrestling audience that Vince created wanted more than what the territories traditionally provided.
Greg “ Forrest Gump” Gagne. “So I told him not to give up on politics, and he ran and got elected potus. I didn’t get one thank you from Ronald Reagan after that”
As a fan watching AWA from afar I thought Rick Martel was a great look towards the future . But the Midwestern guys who were the home crowd did not like Rick Martel . Martel had good national appeal that Verne needed but his backbone fans had to buy it too . Stan Hansen was not it either . Stan Hansen fans were hardcore old school fans , not mainstream johnny come latelies on the national stage .
Vince didn't exactly love Martel either. He got the Model gimmick which Martel did get over, but Martel didn't have the height that Vince preferred (Shawn Michaels was the only shorter guy Vince ever gave a big push to... Well he did let Benoit be champion but we know how that turned out).
@@ryanjacobson2508 That's not true at all. Randy Savage was WWF champion for a full year, and he wasn't 6'5. The myth that Vince only pushed big wrestlers is ridiculous, when you look at all the guys that were given a big push throughout the 80's only a minority of them were big giants.
Greg Gagne gets a bum rap from too many wrestling fans and workers who opine that he was a terrible wrestler and that he had a job only because of the old man. On his podcast, Dutch Mantell lumped Greg in with George Gulas as the worst of wrestlers. Greg had to be at least an adequate to perhaps an excellent grappler due to his training. If Gagne is to be criticized, it was his lack of weight--180-to-190 pounds. 'Course, in today's AEW, he'd be as big as a lumberjack and taller than MJF. Some of Greg's stories may be suspect or embroidered, but his career certainly is not.
Stupid comment as some of the biggest names in the business have stated that Greg was outstanding in the ring. The problem is many put their feelings before fact
I mean all you need to do is listen to Greg geez...Greg was the 2nd best thing to ever happen to wrestling besides his dad of course. Greg was the architect of EVERY idea ever 😂😂😂😂😂
That Mad Dog Vachon plane story is an all-time great…
Great episode from a great series from a great producer of shoot videos.
Thanks for uploading it.
I never understood why they never put the world title on Sgt. Slaughter. He was the most popular wrestler they had in the mid 80's.
Good question.
Personally I think Verne was reticent to put the title on him because he saw him as a "gimmick", Verne was so old fashioned that perhaps he thought his character wasn't "serious" enough to be the AWA champion so he made him "America's champion" instead. Either that or he thought Slaughter was a WWF guy and thought he was going to go back to Vince at any moment.
Literally anyone else on earth would've been a more credible source of information than Greg Gagne
These shows are so good. Great job
How many times has this been uploaded now?
Just remember...greg gagne is a legitimate legend. He was part of the biggest most successful territory from that period. They had the second highest rated syndicated shows in every market they were in.theres always several sides to every story. Greg has a great mind for wrestling...maybe some people like eric bishoff might have used him then stabbed him in hhe back and got famous stealing gregs ideas. Why would greg lie about that ? He has no agenda.
Mad Dog Vachon in the first plane ride from hell...
The story he told about Hogan jumping back from WWF is actually true, it was reported in the dirt sheets at the time.
Is this sarcasm?
The AWA was an underrated promotion.
Underrated by who, by you? It's not underrated at all by those that actually know their wrestling history, it's very highly rated and fondly remembered as one of the "big three", as a very important promotiom. The reasons it might not be as talked-about as WWF and the NWA/WCW is because the promotion ceased to exist over 33 years ago, and because it wasn't as largely spread or "seen everywhere" as the NWA or WWF, but that doesn't mean it's underrated at all.
@@jonathanturbide2232 due to the fact I grew up in Brooklyn, I was able to watch the AWA promotion on Saturdays on a local channel in New York. The AWA was not popular to the viewers. The only I watched AWA was because I love watching wrestling.
Now this is a great interview. We all love Corny, it's why we are here. He has a tendency to talk over his guests. Greg didn't allow that this time lol. What a conversation. Dropping some AWA knowledge bombs
And we also finally learned that Greg Gagne was the most brilliant mind in wrestling history, and created everything from Hulk Hogan to the NWO... at least that's the way he tells it 😂
@joshuaedwards6692 lol that's pretty funny! I rolled my eyes when he said hogan. He wasn't hulk hogan In the Awa
It seems being around G.
Gagne influenced Hogan in another way too - which Gagne doesn't take credit for...
Greg Gagne had the idea for SummerSlam. He told everybody about it except Verne. The day he was going to Verne, WWF announced it.
Was there one of these for southeastern wrestling, wouldve been great with wither ron fuller or bob armstrong
They should have made a three man stable of Greg Gagne, George Gulas, and Erik Watts called Nepolution back in the day.
Daddy said sell!!
Good idea.
Greg Gagne was a great wrestler and was actually over in his younger days. Your comparison shows your ignorance.
@@Rjensen2 Greg was an okay midcarder. You must be a distant relative to be so butt hurt as to try and dunk on someone over a joke. Get a hobby.
@@brandonwilliams5613 He was not a midcarder. He and Brunzell were usually in the main event.
I guess you are one of those ignorant people that thinks Verne wrestled more than a few times a month.
All you have to do is watch one of the High Flyers' matches to know how over they were, but you can't even do that.
The Roadwarriors and Hogan in AWA would have meant surviving Vince’s machinations to put people out of business .
Only if Verne kept up with Vince's grasp of the national TV market and pop culture reach... By the late 80's, the broad wrestling audience that Vince created wanted more than what the territories traditionally provided.
If Brain Last was Jims co host at this point he would not have Jim restraint, "Bullshit!" would be yelled ALOT 😂😂
It seem like Greg Gagne and Eric does not to each other until this day.
Yess!! 🙌
This is from around 2015.
I believe him that Jarrett pocketed all if the Superbrawl money . Verne had a great reputation and Jarrett was sketchy as feck .
Yep Verne was always one of the best paying guys in the industry.
Jarrett and Lawler were 2 of the promoters involved.
Besides, there wasn't any money.
I wouldn't believe anything Greg Gagne said even if his tongue was notorized.
@@toddsmods.623 I would, the place was empty, there was no money to pay Jarretts guys.
Greg “ Forrest Gump” Gagne. “So I told him not to give up on politics, and he ran and got elected potus. I didn’t get one thank you from Ronald Reagan after that”
Yeah that’s what I got from this
Wow Jim did not cuss at all!
I have watched this interview years ago. Stolen Valor.
Greg wrote this comment.
Larry Zbyszko was great but not a guy that can carry a promotion with old ,aging talent and rookie never wases as a roster .
A company thats a cross between wwe and ufc.....oh you mean UWF/UWFI IN JAPAN in the late 80s early 90s? 😂
As a fan watching AWA from afar I thought Rick Martel was a great look towards the future . But the Midwestern guys who were the home crowd did not like Rick Martel . Martel had good national appeal that Verne needed but his backbone fans had to buy it too . Stan Hansen was not it either . Stan Hansen fans were hardcore old school fans , not mainstream johnny come latelies on the national stage .
Vince didn't exactly love Martel either. He got the Model gimmick which Martel did get over, but Martel didn't have the height that Vince preferred (Shawn Michaels was the only shorter guy Vince ever gave a big push to... Well he did let Benoit be champion but we know how that turned out).
@@ryanjacobson2508 That's not true at all. Randy Savage was WWF champion for a full year, and he wasn't 6'5. The myth that Vince only pushed big wrestlers is ridiculous, when you look at all the guys that were given a big push throughout the 80's only a minority of them were big giants.
Shawn was insufferable and Marty incorrigible … both bad news
Greg Gagne gets a bum rap from too many wrestling fans and workers who opine that he was a terrible wrestler and that he had a job only because of the old man. On his podcast, Dutch Mantell lumped Greg in with George Gulas as the worst of wrestlers. Greg had to be at least an adequate to perhaps an excellent grappler due to his training. If Gagne is to be criticized, it was his lack of weight--180-to-190 pounds. 'Course, in today's AEW, he'd be as big as a lumberjack and taller than MJF. Some of Greg's stories may be suspect or embroidered, but his career certainly is not.
Yes, he was not a bad worker.
He was awful 😂 He never would've got over anywhere if not for his name, and his dad pushing him.
Stupid comment as some of the biggest names in the business have stated that Greg was outstanding in the ring. The problem is many put their feelings before fact
Lost a lot of respect for Jim not calling “bullshit” multiple times on this interview
I mean all you need to do is listen to Greg geez...Greg was the 2nd best thing to ever happen to wrestling besides his dad of course. Greg was the architect of EVERY idea ever 😂😂😂😂😂
That wasn’t his job here, it was to get Greg’s story.
@@jeremywilson6387 Greg gave Google the idea to buy UA-cam 😅
@@eptx830 I heard Google double crossed him and took the idea but you know how wrestling stories get twisted lol
Oh yea, Corny bit his tongue here. He was very diplomatic.
Extablish
Trump 2024
Fascist says what?
@swfcocs1 what a dope you are. See you on November 5th dummy.