Greg Gagne (wrestler) - American Wrestling Association

American Wrestling Association

Gagne started wrestling in 1972 in his father's promotion, the American Wrestling Association (AWA). Gagne formed the team The High Flyers with Jim Brunzell, and their success was cemented on July 7, 1977 after defeating Duncam and Lanza to win the AWA World Tag Team Championship. The Flyers successfully defended the title in rematches with the former champions as well as other top contenders within the AWA ranks for nearly 15 months before they had to vacate the title due to an injury that Jim Brunzell sustained while playing in a charity softball game. The title was awarded to Pat Patterson and Ray Stevens in late September 1978. The Flyers regained it in June 1981 from The East-West Connection (Adrian Adonis and Jesse "The Body" Ventura). The Flyers held the title for a little more than two years before dropping it to Ken Patera and Jerry Blackwell on June 26, 1983. Though the Flyers came close to regaining the title on several occasions, they never recaptured it. The team parted ways shortly thereafter, with Gagne entering into singles competition while Brunzell worked frequently as both a singles and tag team wrestler before departing for the World Wrestling Federation in 1985.

From 1984 to 1986, Gagne was involved in a feud with Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie's army, which at the time included King Kong Brody. The feud also saw Greg's retired father Verne return briefly for a number of matches. The David vs. Goliath feel to the Brody/Gagne feud boosted attendance at the time, a trend that might have continued, giving the AWA a much needed shot in the arm. Before the feud could be marketed to its full potential, Brody left the AWA. Meanwhile, in 1985, Gagne began an ill-fated and short-lived metamorphosis, becoming a member of Sgt. Slaughter's Cobra Corps. The idea saw a fatigues-clad Gagne teaming with Slaughter.

In the later 1980s, Gagne feuded with Curt Hennig, Ron Garvin, and Larry Zbyszko and briefly resurrected his feud with Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie. His feud with Hennig over the AWA title only heated up when both fathers, Verne and Larry Hennig, became embroiled in the feud interfering on behalf of their sons during many of their matches. Gagne apparently won the title on several occasions only to have the belt returned to Hennig on technicality, à la the Dusty finish.

It was during this time that the AWA created the AWA International Television Championship. Gagne defeated Adrian Adonis in a tournament to be crowned the first TV champion. Ron Garvin defeated Gagne for the TV title in the fall of 1988, hitting Gagne with a foreign object to get the pin. The belt was held up until a showdown at SuperClash III. Gagne won the belt back as the result of a count out.

After SuperClash III, the AWA stripped Jerry Lawler of the World Title (Lawler eventually left the AWA and competed in the USWA as that federation's World champion). It was then decided that the new champion would be determined in a battle royal in February 1989. Many fans expected either Gagne or Slaughter to win the title that night and the crowd reacted with shock when both were eliminated late in the match. The crowd was even more stunned when Larry Zbyszko became the new champion by eliminating Tom Zenk to end the match. Gagne challenged Larry Zbyszko for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship at War in the Windy City, but was unsuccessful. It was also around this time the Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie attacked Verne Gagne during an interview. As a result, Gagne turned his attention to Adnan in a feud that eventually involved a young Kokina Maximus. Gagne's wrestling career ended during a match for the vacated AWA World Tag Team Title. Gagne and Paul Diamond were facing The Destruction Crew in the finals when Adnan and Kokina came to the ring and confronted Gagne. Kokina slammed Gagne on the cement floor outside the ring and then splashed his leg, apparently doing damage to Gagne's knee. Gagne retired due to the injury and began to work in the broadcast booth and in production. Publicly, he enlisted the help of Jerry Blackwell to exact revenge on Adnan and Kokina. Despite the build up, the match never occurred.

Following an ongoing exodus of talent and the disastrous Team Challenge Series, the AWA became inactive in late 1990. The Gagnes made an attempt to revive the AWA in May 1991, but were unsuccessful. Gagne teamed with Wahoo McDaniel to face the Destruction Crew in the main event of the last AWA show promoted by Verne Gagne in May 1991. After the AWA closed for good, Gagne worked as a road agent for World Championship Wrestling for a couple of years. While working for his father's AWA, Gagne received $100,000 in workman's compensation benefits. This money would later play a role in his bankruptcy proceedings.