@@CP-kb1du actually if you watch those AWA Matches Hogan was over like crazy....he was extremely popular and kicked Bockwinkels ass, just to have it reversed on a technicality he needed a foil they didn't have a stable of other wrestlers to go after every week that could reasonably have a chance with Hogan...that wasn't Hogan's first run at WWF either
Nick Bockwinkel was a ring general . I rate him with Harley Race and Terry Funk as being a guy who never wrestled the same match twice and could adapt to any opponent , IF I was the owner of a new territory I would want Nick Bockwinkel to have role in developing it .
Nick did a great impression there...lol. I met Nick years ago in an airport and got to talk to him for awhile. He was the most gracious and nice guy you could imagine. It was a dream come true for me as I loved him as a heel when I was a kid.
Had the pleasure of attending a non-wrestling presentation he gave about 1972 or so at the new Student Union at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Standing room only. Classy, intelligent man. RIP.
@@InvisibleHotdog Good question. Honestly, it was so long ago I simply don't remember. I do remember the place was packed and nobody left early. He was very good!
There is a lot of Nick Bockwinkle in Ric Flair. I met him once at a convention, a very nice man and respectful of the business and of us fans. He was the same on camera as off, making him believable.
Saw him wrestle a few times in NJ at the Meadowlands for the Pro Wrestling USA cards. It was a privilege. he was just so smooth, cocky and the perfect 'asshole'. So good at what he did.
Ive heard stories too about Mad Dog kicking people's butts for bothering him while eating. He'd get up from the table, go outside and batter the fool for picking on him or a friend, then come back inside and finish his food. A legitimate tough guy, as many of them were back in the day.
Back in the day when it was the big 3 NWA , AWA and WWF things were so much better with separate territories made the sport stronger and more fun to watch I no longer watch the Vince McMahon version of Pro Wrestling which has ruined the sport entirely his dad did a much better job running the Company then Vince became the Wrestling Zar and bought up everything and ruined it for everyone including the fans and Wrestlers
Vachon was the Kurt Angel of his time . A guy who medaled in the Olympics that adapted quickly to pro wrestling and became a multiple time World Champion. He could out fight AND out shoot nearly any wrestler in the biz and was only 5'8" .
You want respect???? Nick Bockwinkel never wrestled ONE match in WWE and he is in their hall of fame. THAT's MAD RESPECT!!!
That is Mad
Payoff since he single handed Bankrupt the AWA for refusing to put Hogan over ....wake up ... Vince made Hogan the star he was ....
@@CP-kb1du I think that was Verne Gagne's bad decision making that Bankrupted the AWA, Nick had nothing to do with that
@@CP-kb1du actually if you watch those AWA Matches Hogan was over like crazy....he was extremely popular and kicked Bockwinkels ass, just to have it reversed on a technicality he needed a foil they didn't have a stable of other wrestlers to go after every week that could reasonably have a chance with Hogan...that wasn't Hogan's first run at WWF either
Brickhouse Brown and Pez Watley is too. Let's not make WWE hall of fame mean Jack Squat
@@kevindouglas5333 it may be fake but it’s all there is
Nick Bockwinkel and Bobby Heenan in the 1970’s AWA, pure gold baby!
Nick Bockwinkel was a ring general . I rate him with Harley Race and Terry Funk as being a guy who never wrestled the same match twice and could adapt to any opponent , IF I was the owner of a new territory I would want Nick Bockwinkel to have role in developing it .
Nick did a great impression there...lol. I met Nick years ago in an airport and got to talk to him for awhile. He was the most gracious and nice guy you could imagine. It was a dream come true for me as I loved him as a heel when I was a kid.
That's cool. I saw him wrestle Andre for AWA title when I was 6 or 7 with my dad. Double count out finish by the way.
No you didn’t
@@Ijustinsultedyou what do you even know
@@uainjansun I know you was a mistake.
Got to meet Nick Bockwinkle, very nice and I learned a lot from him 😊
He was pure class. Always looked like a million dollars. Smart man as well. He set the standard.
they wanted him at WWF to be the million dollar man ..
Slick Nick!
Had the pleasure of attending a non-wrestling presentation he gave about 1972 or so at the new Student Union at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Standing room only. Classy, intelligent man. RIP.
What was he presenting?
@@InvisibleHotdog Good question. Honestly, it was so long ago I simply don't remember. I do remember the place was packed and nobody left early. He was very good!
There is a lot of Nick Bockwinkle in Ric Flair. I met him once at a convention, a very nice man and respectful of the business and of us fans. He was the same on camera as off, making him believable.
Bockwinkel was great. RIP champ
Saw him wrestle a few times in NJ at the Meadowlands for the Pro Wrestling USA cards. It was a privilege. he was just so smooth, cocky and the perfect 'asshole'. So good at what he did.
Love Bockwinkel..
One of the best ever imho..
Nick Was the champion back when i was a young boy . Loved wrestling back then and now . Guess i never grew up
I'm with you
Same here. Grew up in the 70s and early eighties in Minnesota.
Big fan of nick bockwinkle watched him wrestle 45 minutes unreal wrestling start a riot every yime
He started a riot every time? Cool. What did you do when they started rioting? Where'd you see him?
Saw him v Bret Hart at a Stampede Wrestling show probably 1980 ish. 60 minute match.
Ive heard stories too about Mad Dog kicking people's butts for bothering him while eating. He'd get up from the table, go outside and batter the fool for picking on him or a friend, then come back inside and finish his food. A legitimate tough guy, as many of them were back in the day.
I remember hearing he loved to drink. Andre was the same. I think the Frenchmen just consume a lot of alcohol.
when wrestlers looked like adults
IKR?
When Wrestlers look like used cars salesmen .....
@@CP-kb1du I want a crappy & rusty El Camino from Bockwinkel
@@CP-kb1du better than JV baseball players.
I saw nick bockwinkle vs mil Mascaras in houston around 1981
No you didn’t
Former WCW commisioner during the best years
PRICELESS!
A TOTAL BUISNESSMAN
Back in the day when it was the big 3 NWA , AWA and WWF things were so much better with separate territories made the sport stronger and more fun to watch I no longer watch the Vince McMahon version of Pro Wrestling which has ruined the sport entirely his dad did a much better job running the Company then Vince became the Wrestling Zar and bought up everything and ruined it for everyone including the fans and Wrestlers
Heard the Mad Dog/plane story about a million times. I want to hear something new.
Class act
Nick Bockwinkel, the Original King Slender.
I wish we could here Adrian tell his side of what is was like to see Mad Dog pop the door open and almost crash the plane.
Nick got rooked by Kurt Hennig. Nick was the true AWA champion of that day. Kurt stung himself by drug abuse.
I'm still shocked about Curt's drug use & passing I never would've thought Curt had drug issues it just didn't fit him.
It's BOCKwinkel
Nick one of the most intelligent wrestling ever . Mad dog Vashon maybe not as bright 😅
Vachon was the Kurt Angel of his time . A guy who medaled in the Olympics that adapted quickly to pro wrestling and became a multiple time World Champion. He could out fight AND out shoot nearly any wrestler in the biz and was only 5'8" .
MY BAD ....He won gold in The British Commonwealth Games in 1950 . He did not medal in the 1948 Olympics .