GREG GAGNE - FULL EPISODE

[@timhenderson5284]

Thank u guys for this...I'm in Minneapolis where AWA was based.. I go back 50 years with that territory and they were absolutely one of the biggest and best back in the 70's and 80's...last time I saw Greg was at his dad's funeral, and he hasn't aged a bit🤣...Great ppl...

[@walterdent2217]

9

[@billwebber400]

Another fantastic episode of Briscoe and Bradshaw. I haven't seen or heard anything about Greg gagne in 20 years, for being in his seventies he still looks fantastic lots of memories watching him wrestle

[@wallypalmer4704]

I think one of the things I like best about this interview is that Brisco and Bradshaw ask the questions and then let Greg talk without interrupting him. A lot of other podcasters/interviewers could learn from these guys.

[@davidsobilo9622]

Great content. I want to tell a story when i had a huge frt and it was instant relief

[@jonathanturbide2232]

The AWA will always be my go-to promotion when it comes to old school pro wrestling on KZbin, so it's always fun to hear Greg do these podcasts. Just take some of the things he says with a grain of salt. 😉

[@NWFWrestling]

I love listening to Greg, but you're right, have to take him with a grain of salt as a lot of what he says doesn't always add up. He is kind of like the "Mike Love" of professional wrestling.

[@mmmadog]

One thing about Greg I'm sure he did his partying but never let it get out of control and still looks and sounds good all these years later.

[@jimnoort5391]

John, I love the way you were like a fly on the wall listening to the 2 great old time wrestlers. I grew up with the AWA in the 70's and 80's. Watching as you just listened to the stories Greg told was great

[@jonstrickland4848]

Looking forward to it Mr Brisco!

[@scrubduuken7755]

The first match I remember was The High Flyer vs East West Connection inside a cage at the Winnipeg Arena. I was hooked. We found out that if we unhooked the cable and aimed the rabbit ears southernly we could tune it in. We would pass around snowy copies at school. Good times.

[@jamiemark]

Every time I've heard Greg interviewed, he says wrestling first aired on TV via the Dupont Network. It was called the DuMont Network, DUMONT!!!!!!!

[@bobbyhulll8737]

You are correct .. that’s what age does ..

[@bobbyhulll8737]

It was likely CKY or CKND, TSN didn’t start until much later .. we okay had CBC CKND and CKY ..as Canadian stations in Canada

[@davidsobilo9622]

It's du fucking mont Greg not the DuPont chemical company

[@markkeegan7535]

Thanks so much Jerry and JBL for interviewing Greg. Grew up in AWA country and started watching in 1968. Real treat.

[@curthennig9448]

A treat? More like you're being tricked with all this Greg Gagne fabrication!

[@markkeegan7535]

@@curthennig9448 said the man using a dead mans handle. No trick there.

[@curthennig9448]

@@markkeegan7535 Good point Mark. You got me there. The unfortunate part about Greg is that he could give us a mountain full of info regarding the AWA both inside and outside the ring, yet he won't come 100% clean on a lot of it. Why that is, I don't know. Many of his stories are embellished. Jim Brunzell does a much better job of retelling AWA history. Even Jim has mentioned that Greg won't give him the full truth on things that happened during their time together in the AWA. On some of the stuff I think he just wants to protect the legacy of his father. Anyway, lucky for you that you started watching in 1968. 1968-1975 was a great era in the AWA. A roster full of some of the best talent in the industry.

[@grawakendream8980]

greg is a great storyteller. his keynote speech to induct his dad into the wwe hof was maybe the best one i've heard

[@clay883]

Always love how Greg tells the story of the airplane ride with Mad Dog Vachon.

[@grawakendream8980]

the real plane ride from hell

[@curthennig9448]

@@grawakendream8980 Flair's was better!

[@Tjs71384]

The Mad dog story is hands down the greatest wrestling story ever.

[@SassyLaughlin13]

I know right. gets funnier everytime I hear it.

[@delbertprince5302]

I recently purchased a double dvd of the history of AWA....

[@jonathanturbide2232]

I guess it's the one released by WWE in 2005? Really good documentary, and a good number of matches as extras. 👌🏻

[@delbertprince5302]

@@jonathanturbide2232 ok...I am going to watch it. I am a big wrestling fan with all territories.

[@curthennig9448]

@@jonathanturbide2232 I think it was released in late 2006.

[@Charles-e8e9m]

In late 50s my mother, who's in Heaven, came home in Crenshaw,MS and my late father bought the newest thing,a television and aerial,that night company came over,the first thing they watched,pro wrestling.

[@ilobnodj]

Verne Gagne could stretch your favorite wrestler in the middle of the ring

[@grawakendream8980]

my favorite wrestler was jack brisco.

[@SassyLaughlin13]

Verne was absolutely the best. I am a Fritz fan till the day I die but I truly feel Verne could have taken him in the ring.

[@philaman1972]

Great interview. It's amazing how Greg recalls events that happened decades ago with such clarity as if they happed only yesterday!

[@curthennig9448]

It is amazing isn't it? Every story he tells you could blow holes into them.

[@bilklein]

Heenan was in the AWA with Lanza before Bockwinkel and Stevens. But I think he was just going back and forth between the AWA and Bruiser's WWA back then.

[@stephencatchdudeknight4623]

AWA: greatest technical promotion. Verne Gagne: technical genius and great businessman. High Flyers: a decent tag team, ahead of its time. Greg Gagne: told Jesus to start a religion, created the NWO as a Producer a year after getting released, predicted Japanese wrestling will draw & the greatest potential main event to be very overlooked by jebronis like Mr Perfect, Rick Rude, Jerry Blackwell, Rick Martel, Marty Jannetty & Hulk Hogan. Even in this comment section is all about these “names”. Yeah this Greg Gagne is a daddy’s son who isn’t anything else, compared to these “names.” Take a shot everytime he says his dad.

[@jeyDsixx18]

Don’t forget he broke flair into the business and he even says Ric had the space mountain line back in college which is complete and utter bs

[@ArlendaTV]

Have a good day! Watching commercials as well and thanks for sharing.

[@delbertprince5302]

When I think of AWA,I think wrestlers such as Scott Hall,Seargent Slaughter and Larry zybyso

[@curthennig9448]

What about me Prince? How could you not mention me? I'm the man that beat Nick Bockwinkel!

[@denischiaravalle1793]

Greg gets a lot of crap but he's a great storyteller. I love the AWA. Great show

[@chadk890]

Rick Martel vs Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA belt was the best match I've seen in the AWA.

[@gopherstate777]

That was a great match. On KZbin here there is a match between the High Flyers and Tito Santana and Rick Martel . 7 years before "Strike Force" in the WWF. The ending is brutal and I don't want to spoil it for you but if you are a fan of these wrestlers you will come out of your chair at the match's conclusion.

[@bobbyhulll8737]

Great interview

[@scoh840]

One thing I will give Greg credit for, He was the only baby face who knew how to sell taking an atomic drop in a realistic fashion. Most of the time, only heels receive the atomic drop and sell it as a comedy spot.

[@bobbyhulll8737]

TSN didn’t start until 1984 and even then it was small .. CBC is a Government owned station , CKY or CKND were likely what he was on which did broadcast across the country in a way , I watched it but cant remember what station in Canada

[@ithinkaboutthings9052]

I like when Greg and his contemporaries talk about the old school training methods. It’s too bad Verne and the other promoters weren’t able or willing to put up more resistance to Vince’s expansion.

[@curthennig9448]

They probably underestimated the deviousness of Vinny Mac!

[@johnkolko5199]

With cable tv the market changed and did not support the local territory system anymore If Vince didnt take over then someone else would have. They probably would have been more fair than Vince in the way they went about it though.

[@markkeegan7535]

If you go onto youtube and watch Gregs matches he is an excellrnt wrestler. Always on time and sells his arse off. He gets a bad wrap from a lot of people and its a shame. Doesnt deserve it.

[@shaynewest8757]

He gets a bad wrap because he's bitter and rewrites history too much.

[@gopherstate777]

@@shaynewest8757 It has to be tough when a multi-billion dollar company continues to erase your promotions accomplishments and say you never existed.

[@johnkolko5199]

He was undersized, didnt work out and looked like a smurf compared to who he faced but daddy still shoved him down our throats, we all hated when he came on when we were kids.

[@markkeegan7535]

@@johnkolko5199 Funny, never hear that about Ricky Morton and Gagne is twice the technition AND bigger.

[@johnkolko5199]

@@markkeegan7535 Greg looked like a bum they dragged in off a bar stool. If daddy didnt own the company, he would have been tag teaming with Jake "The Milkman" Miliman. I remember when they did the Camp Slaughter build-up and we were curious who Sarge was going to pick for his trainee, it was a well done build-up and you couldnt wait for the reveal. Then it turns out to be the pasty w no physique Greg Gagne w a bandana on playing Rambo. It was ridiculous. I remember how we all turned off the tv in disgust. Verne ruined the company pushing himself too much when he was old and past his prime and then later w Greg.

[@davidstatz9087]

Great stories. I find it hard to believe that you would be the only person in the world that had Hulk Hogan's phone number though.

[@fjccommish]

6:12 Nope. It was the Dumont Network.

[@davidsobilo9622]

JBL was correct not Gregory

[@carlosortiz6923]

Great stuff

[@chrismemphis8062]

'what a businessman Verne'.. the guy who wouldn't put a belt on hogan b/c he wouldn't marry his daughter. What a businessman.

[@curthennig9448]

Supposedly Cathy had a hot body. Hogan passed but Larry Zybysco took advantage of the situation. Hence AWA world champion in Feb.1989!

[@bobbyhulll8737]

So you discount the 40 years before that ? Lol

[@SassyLaughlin13]

oooooh the action figures!! I ordered Kerry and Bruiser and cannot wait until they finally arrive. They look so dang real, they did a great job on them. Greg is a very talented and smart businessman.

[@DropkickMurphysFan01]

when does he talk about the figures?

[@SassyLaughlin13]

@@DropkickMurphysFan01 he did not speak on them in this, I just got the link from a friend and ordered them and Greg was one of the creators

[@PulverizerA]

Greg was an excellent in wring performer, a good interview and competent in a group booking environment. We were fans of him and Jim as kids. Bobby Heenan said the Weasel suit matches with Greg were a pleasure, while the Weasel suit matches with Warrior were awful. Bobby also said that if you wanted to make money, you went to either Minneapolis or NY. Everywhere else was hillbilly mentality. Eat it, haters. AWA was a GREAT organization and I was fortunate to have grown up with it and the awesome talent they hired and helped create. Greg included.

[@frizzyred1292]

I enjoyed this, Gregg is a good talker, very coherent and speaks clearly. Ideal guest.

[@curthennig9448]

You got tricked then!

[@SassyLaughlin13]

@@curthennig9448 LOL. no tricks, just facts.

[@curthennig9448]

@@SassyLaughlin13 You can punch holes in virtually everything Greg says. You should be Laughing very loud Shannon.

[@impalaman9707]

Verne Gagne sounds like the US version of Stu Hart with his rigorous training camp!

[@SassyLaughlin13]

Verne was better than Stu, just being honest, as was Fritz

[@impalaman9707]

@@SassyLaughlin13 Verne was badass--after Ric Flair went AWOL from his "boot camp", he found where he was staying and literally kicked him out of that house and beat him up until he made him come back to training! I agree about Fritz, though. He was a kitten compared to Verne and Stu. Heck Bill Watts was even more demanding than Fritz!

[@johnkolko5199]

That is a complete Greg Gagne fabrication about Verne beating Flair to get him back. Highly doubtful that happened. And on the comparison to Stu Hart's training, Verne was tough but Stu Hart was sadistic to the point of being mentally ill. Verne was nothing like Stu. Billy RObinson had a bit of Stu in him but you never hear any stories about Verne torturing anyone like Stu did.

[@Stevenross83]

Greg is looking more and more like Verne

[@SassyLaughlin13]

he always has looked like his dad.

[@charles2675]

We all get. OLDER

[@charleslegoff3859]

More like Greg Brady

[@SassyLaughlin13]

OH I so love this. I have loved Greg since I was a little girl and he wrestled. I always had hoped to see him go big, but respected his staying with his dad's promo. He is still just legendary and so very handsome. I get to see him May 13th in St Louis and cannot wait

[@joshhefner8179]

Hogan left in Dec 83 so it would have been April 84 for that tv for CBS. The AWA wasn't in business anymore when Bischoff was in charge.

[@phildodson6141]

And watts didnt bring bischoff in wcw.....watts came in spring 92....bischoff was there in spring 91

[@ApothecaryGrant]

I had heard about a promotion calling itself the New AWA a few years ago . I wonder what happened to it ? I think SteveCarino was involved .

[@bilklein]

WWE owns the rights to the AWA name, they threatened a lawsuit and the name was changed to something else.

[@claudepatterson1828]

Billy Robinson one of the greatest real

[@LannyTanny90210]

I can already smell the bullshit

[@smithhart2920]

Then take a shower 🚿 .

[@LannyTanny90210]

@@smithhart2920 I'm not gonna let the 9th best Hart talk shit too me

[@curthennig9448]

Huge Arouma. It can be detected for miles.

[@curthennig9448]

@@LannyTanny90210 I think he was even worse than his sisters. Ellie could even kick his ass!

[@maineventmafia7181]

Space mountain didn't open until 1975

[@curthennig9448]

Yeah Greg said it opened at the fraternity house on the campus of The U of Minn back in the fall of 1968. Not sure that Flair even owned a robe at that point in time. Flair was one of the original members of Animal House!

[@fjccommish]

Roman and anyone else in WWE couldn't tell a story if you gave them the collected Grimm Fairy Tales.

[@claudepatterson1828]

Clear understanding and the truth three of the greatest that might understand me I believe the blood of Jesus

[@alannacowart6414]

Get your boots and waders on

[@curthennig9448]

High tide rolling in.

[@charles2675]

I like. Mr. Vern ❤️. AWA

[@randyburger5249]

You need Jim Brunzell to tell some stories right

[@curthennig9448]

Especially all the stuff at The University of Minnesota.

[@Canadian_Skeptical]

All you young wrestling fans out there, watch some AWA!

[@joshuaricketts4847]

They would not like it just because there is no flippy flop crap plus they like wrestling with no story

[@ApothecaryGrant]

I saw Verne wrestle Lou Thesz on KZbin . It was refreshing to see wrestling portayed as a sport that neither participant wanted to lose . You could see them trying to position the other guy to their advantage while trying not to give the other guy anything . It had the sane feel of an MMA or Boxing match . No one screams boring when guys in boxing matches stick to what makes sense and it did not happen in this wrestling match . Gagne was a heavyweight at 215lbs and Thesz at 235lbs was considered a very big athlete . Thats true in boxing and again it was true of wrestling . Endurance , conditioning was key because a wrestling had no rounds . Any wrestler was supposed to be comparable to any other athlete . Running a mile , calisthenics , lifting weight etc were facets of sport that you were expected to master . Now ? Not so much . Wrestling has become more spectacle and cinematic . Athletic bonafides not as important as entertainment skills . I do not care for implausible combat . That belongs in Bourne series movies . I prefer my wrestling to appear as real as possible . Human chess performed by supreme athletes . I wish we could undo the idea that the way wrestling is done now is the only way .

[@ApothecaryGrant]

I miss the Big Three but I especially miss the territories that made up the NWA and AWA .

[@positively_broad_st3780]

Greg Gagne is talking. Pulling my boots waist high to wade through this b.s.

[@claudepatterson1828]

Steamboat was my partner in Florida when I first went down there told you we set it on fire

[@jeyDsixx18]

Turned away 20,000 people at a wrestling show during a blizzard?? Ok Greg, whatever u say, bud! This guy has an uncanny ability to rewrite history so that everything he or his dad were involved with was the biggest thing ever…he also tries taking credit for bringing hogan into WCW when hogan wanted nothing to do with him and Greg was actually fired because he was such a big pain in the ass and no one wanted to deal with him, the mice nuts amount of creativity he brought to the table just wasn’t worth the ego they had to work with.

[@bobbyhulll8737]

How do you know lol

[@genedriggers6046]

I wonder if those ninja suites were the Ninja Star Wars. If so I actually won one of those . You would have to write a letter in to AWA and they read mine on ESPN one afternoon. I got my game a few days later, that was the highlight of my 9 year old life.

[@curthennig9448]

I remember those commercials on ESPN. Late 1985 or 1986. Velcro on those suits. Sonny Oono was his partner in that venture. Didn't do well though.

[@genedriggers6046]

@@curthennig9448 I'm sure they didn't but to 7 year old me hearing my name and letter on TV was awesome.

[@curthennig9448]

@@genedriggers6046 Did you tape that segment from ESPN? You still have that Ninja Star Wars stuff?

[@johnsawh8459]

Greg was a great guy

[@johnsawh8459]

Verne trained 144 people, only 2 did not make it, wow, excellent

[@curthennig9448]

I think this should be reevaluated. Greg claims all these guys made main event status. Not exactly the case, but point being that if you were trained under Verne's wing,usually you did quite well in the business.

[@ApothecaryGrant]

Is it me-or does everyone have a Yeehaw Junction mooning story ?

[@BillLockhart-zg1pb]

I still can't find. The. Match. Where. BAron and. Crusher. Won the. Tag titles. From. The. Sheiks

[@ApothecaryGrant]

The masters are too far into retirement to train people . Damn thats a shame . Thank good Vince saved those tapes . You can at least see how it worked and if you are lucky you can talk to people who were there . I would love to pick Gerald Brisco’s mind . Dory Funk Junior , Bill Watts …etc

[@dirkjewitt5037]

I'm surprised Gerald didn't know about the whole Ken Patera incident. He was working for WWF then.

[@curthennig9448]

Yeah but Gerald preferred to eat at Burger King so he was out of the loop.

[@grawakendream8980]

bradshaw was right it eas the dumont, not dupont

[@RogerDaltrey1942]

what a liar

[@michaelwiesel9654]

HIs father was not the second athlete to make $100K in a year. Why would that even be in the book of World Records? And it is the DuMont network not the DuPont network. Almost nothing he says is correct.

[@curthennig9448]

Greg has been saying DuPont for years. I think Verne made $30,000 in 1950 and $80,000 in 1951. By 1953 I'm sure he did make $100,000 per year. Gorgeous George was already making 100 grand and Lou Thesz had to be up there.

[@SassyLaughlin13]

it is record worthy because wrestlers just did not make that kind of money back then so it was a huge deal. Greg is a very honest man and is very open about his dad, the good and the bad. Verne and Fritz dominated territories.

[@jethro1963]

I have been posting Dumont for years telling the channel creators to at least tell him. So the last interview I saw him he started to say DuP and then corrected himself and said Dumont. Finally, someone has bothered to tell him. Ten seconds later he says DuPont. You can't win.

[@BillLockhart-zg1pb]

I don't. Think. I. Seen. The. Match where. Otto. Beat. Nick for. The. Belt

[@ApothecaryGrant]

Appaloosa Donkey ? I have heard of Appaloosa horses but never Appaloosa Donkey ? I guess I have heard of Appaloosa donkeys now . ( I wonder if he means Dapplewhite ?)

[@onithedemonslayer3142]

I like listening to Greg stories but I never much liked AWA I'm from Tennessee and I always like my Southern wrestling maybe if I grew up with it I might of liked it better I don't know.

[@sychophantt]

Gagne the ultimate body guy

[@utopiakorea9021]

Verne Gagne & Greg Gagne are sexy handsome gentlemen. I respect them.

[@curthennig9448]

Sounds like more than just respect to me!

[@johnramsey5551]

you know vince should thank vern gagne for developing all that talent he used from awa wwf did not hardly develop any of their own talent just took it from other promotions but then again he knew how to use the talent supplied from the awa vern did not

[@datacipher]

Maybe he should thank Verne for not treating his performers well.

[@curthennig9448]

@@datacipher At least Verne didn't kill them. Vince should have played the role of Paul Bearer.

[@datacipher]

@@curthennig9448 now you’re just being silly and absurd.

[@curthennig9448]

@@datacipher You don't think Vince put his wrestlers through the meat grinder? It was a hell of a work schedule. Let's face it, Vince's environment was get bigger at all costs and then you will rise to the top of the card. No health wellness program back in the 80s. Where did Vince give his wrestlers time off? Brunzell said on average it was 27 dates a month and in some cases the wrestlers went even further than that. Verne's schedule didn't even come close to this. You had zero life working under McMahon back in the 80s.

[@thenaturaltexican]

I don't think Greg was wearing pants

[@curthennig9448]

They did go up in flames pretty quickly!

[@ylatupa]

Greg Gagne should have run WCW. They'd probably still be around. Eric Bischoff couldn't manage money or the locker room politics and egos. Time Warner didn't want that disaster

[@davidsobilo9622]

Great interview