AWA History

This series focuses on Verne Gagne’s American Wrestling Association, a Midwestern mainstay in the 1970s and 1980s before closing shop in early 1991. Most AWA shows took place in the Midwest, especially in Chicago, Milwaukee and in the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The AWA was also a stalwart in Winnipeg, Manitoba and had presence in markets like Denver and Salt Lake City. It was typically a wrestling-heavy territory that boasted stars like Gagne, Nick Bockwinkel, Dick the Bruiser, the Crusher (who I’ll occasionally refer to affectionately as “Da Crusher” since that’s how he said it), Billy Robinson and Rick Martel. The territory was hit hard by direct competition with Vince McMahon in the 1980s using his own former stars against him and was largely irrelevant by the end of the decade, being paid to simply fill time on ESPN.

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