PWI shoots on the AWA

The March 2011 Pro Wrestling Illustrated special year-end awards issue went on sale this week. It's always a fun time seeing who the fans voted for and their Unofficial/Official awards. Another one of my favorite sections is the year in review in photos. Most of the photos in this section take a humorous look at pro wrestling. In this issue a few of my photos were used to take a shot at the old AWA. The photos used were Buck "Rock N Roll" Zumhofe showing his ass to his opponent and Greg Gagne drop kicking Mitch Paradise. The caption read "Two reasons why no one is clamoring for an AWA reunion". Being from the Midwest the AWA was my introduction to pro wrestling and it holds a special place in my heart. So I was a little disappointed with the caption for my photos. Sure, no one really wants to see Zumhofe's back side but a Gagne drop kick is another story.

This image to the right was taken just a second before the one that was printed in PWI. Sure, Greg Gagne didn't get as high as he used to but he's around 60 years old now. Not only that but he was wearing dress shoes when he did the dropkick on 6' 5" Mitch Paradise. Even though Gagne has lost a little spring in his dropkick, it got a huge pop from the crowd at the Lakeville high school. Maybe even the biggest pop of the night. But the writers at PWI are right. As cool as it was to photograph a Gagne dropkick, I would not want to see him team up with Jim Brunzell to take on The Destruction Crew in a full match.

This past summer I was at an AWA reunion of sorts when I went down to Waterloo, Iowa for the George Tragos/ Lou Thesz Hall of Fame inductions. There I got to meet such AWA legends as Larry "The Ax" Hennig, Rene Goulet, and the Vachon Brothers, Butcher & Mad Dog. Another AWA great who was at the HoF weekend was Baron Von Raschke.

Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling

At the May 1st SDW event Mick Karch brought out George Schire to introduce The High Flyers, Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne to the crowd. Schire, AKA "The Authority", was also there to promote his new book Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling. Schire earned that nick name because of the vast knowledge he has of the wrestling scene in Minnesota. I've read this book and highly recommend it to every wrestling fan, especially anyone who grew up watching the AWA.

Minnesota's Golden Age of Wrestling Click on the link for ordering info.

From the press release: "If you missed the Golden Age of Wrestling, you can catch up by reading this honest, informative book. And remember, 'Don't Knock the Doc.'" Dick Beyer, aka "Doctor X and "the Destroyer"

"Mr. Schire has written an erudite, in-depth look at a half century of AWA wrestling. It's a great read for anyone interested in the history of professional wrestling. And dat is all da people need to know." Baron Von Raschke, "the Claw"

"I thought I knew the sport of professional wrestling.Then I met George Schire! No one is more knowledgeable about the event and personalities that made professional wrestling what it is today." Greg Gagne, former professional wrestler and titleholder

SDW Lakeville, MN 5/1/2010

This past Saturday night at the Lakeville South high school Steel Domain Wrestling returned to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for the first time in over 5 years. Promoter Ed Hellier put on this "One Night Only" event for the Lakeville, MN high schools to raise funds for the grade 9 sports.
The first match of the night was a tag team match between coaches from Lakeville North and Lakeville South. The team from Lakeville North won the match and a trophy.

After the tag team match Mick Karch and Ed Hellier did a TV taping opening. Karch then introduced George Schire who then introduced The High Flyers, Greg Gagne & "Jumping" Jim Brunzell. As Gagne and Brunzell were reliving their past as AWA tag team champions they were interrupted by Mitch Paradise & Adrian Lynch.

In the official first match of the night Brain Ash defeated Gage Octane. The last time I saw these two wrestle was October 2007 in a looser leaves 3XW match. Ash lost that match and left the ring for over 2 years.

Mitch Paradise & Adrian Lynch defeated Horace the Psychopath & Red Lighting. Ann Brookstone was the referee for this match.

After the match Lynch got on the mic and called out Greg Gagne. Lynch said Greg was old and a coward. Gagne came to the ring showing now fear and he was attacked by Paradise while Lynch distracted him. Gagne got the upper hand by giving Lynch a back body drop and a drop kick to Paradise's face. Growing up I was a big fan of the High Flyers and really liked their drop kicks. It was quit a thrill to be at ring side photographing a Gagne drop kick. If you've ever seen the movie The Wrestler staring Vern Gagne you know that no one gets up after a Gagne drop kick.

Two former ROH champions faced each other in the next match. Jerry Lynn got the 3 count on Austin Aries after a cradle piledriver.

Former SDW wrestler Primetime defeated "The Law" Mark Barker in his first SDW match.

Two more wrestlers making their SDW debuts competed in the next match. Chadwick Wentworth the 3rd defeated Cpl. Julio Julio.

In the semi main event WWE's Bam Neeley (Magnus Maximus in SDW) took on current NWA heavy weight champion "Scrap Iron" Adam Pearce for the vacated SDW championship. Neeley got Pearce to put the NWA belt on the line for this match. During the match Neeley tossed Pearce over the top rope and according to NWA rules that is a DQ so the NWA title stayed with Pearce.

Bam Neeley got the 3 count on Adam Pearce after this move pictured above.

Senior SDW referee Jay Soltis raising new SDW champion Bam Neeley's hand after the match.

The main event for the night was a lumber jack/hair cut match. Representing Lakeville North was "Playboy" Pete Huge with Austin Aries leading the North football players/lumber jacks out side the ring. Lakeville South was represented by Brody Hoofer in the ring and Jerry Lynn on the outside. The coach of the loosing side would have to have his head shaved after the match. Hoofer got the win for Lakeville South but in heel fashion the coach from Lakeville North made one of his football players get his hair cut instead.