Nick Bockwinkel vs Tony Atlas 1982 10 22 AWA Title

[@surfczar]

Considering that he was older than most of the people he was wrestling Nick was in amazing shape. Just watch his first match with Curt Henning to prove it. He was awesome. RIP Nick, you'll always be the Champ.

[@calvinweathington8245]

De

[@JuliusC1973]

He was a 2nd Generation Wrestler so he had his Father for an example.

[@dougfredricks2017]

Loved the AWA Championship belt

[@JamesWilliams-yx2ze]

This white boy was INFERIOR to the legendary Tony Atlas and if it were not for the myth of white supremacy this white wouldn't dare step in the ring with Tony Atlas.

[@gatorsmld7480]

I grew up in the south during the 70’s and 80’s so I was an NWA guy. But thanks to KZbin I have become a HUGE Nick Bockwinkle fan. Amazing talent.

[@blueeyedbehr]

bockwinkel was almost 48 years old here. amazing.

[@Bellthorian]

I never understood the whole racism thing in wrestling where promoters thought that black wrestlers couldn't draw. As a 13 year old white kid in 82 Tony Atlas was my FAVORITE wrestler. I started lifting weights because of Tony Atlas and I wanted to be like him.

[@yoholmes273]

I just saw Tony perform at an Indy show on his 64th birthday. Still jacked and still got it.

[@randquadrozzi5850]

Yes and i was a big Bobo Brazil fan and when atlas and rocky Johnson joined wwwf I was in awe at their massive muscles and yes I to started lifting weights

[@JuliusC1973]

Promoters usually wanted to limit how many Professional Wrestlers of Color they wanted to have on their Roster working shows. This was not unique at that time. The same thing was true in Major Leagues baseball, The National Football League, The National Basketball Association and The National Hockey League. For the very same reason, thinking if they had too many Athletes of color, it would hurt attendance.

[@ruckanitepreacher5618]

Amen brother! They should have put a world title belt on him it would have been great for the fans and the sport.

[@asphaltcowboy7567]

😢

[@jeffreymiller9808]

Geez Tony Atlas was Huge at this time

[@MrWolfTickets]

I think those are the biggest triceps I've ever seen!!

[@robr5786]

I knew Nick traveled a bit to defend to Awa belt in other territories starting in 78 or so,Memphis,Houston,South West,had no idea he wrestled Tony Atlas though,thanks for posting

[@shacknastyray4429]

I met Tony several times in the 70's after matches. He always took time to speak with the fans and take photos.

[@jermaineperry8860]

Bockwinkel is smooth entertaining classic enjoyable smart beautiful showman hardworking passionate non hitting skillful to hitting but with ability to sale a match and his person he working without even be nice about it

[@timmygolden4461]

Tony Atlas was a big dude back then.

[@alphonzasmith1015]

Still is😂

[@johnnyjiel3146]

My man Mr Atlas God bless you brother and family Amen my Lord oh Lord oh Lord

[@LGSFILMS]

When I was around 8 or 9 (1983-1984) Mi Best Friend and I went to the BRANTFORD CIVIC CENTRE to a WWF EVENT. At age 9 when I walked threw the Front doors of the Civic Centre Right there Standing inna the Foyer, WAS MI FIRST CELEBRITY I HAVE EVER SEEN/MET, signing autographs was the one and only TONY ATLAS. I have seen & met a few famous peeps after that inna Mi Life, But TONY ATLAS was MI FIRST. Later On inna Mi Life, Dewey "THE MISSING LINK" Robertson was 1 of Mi Friends. RIP DEWEY

[@karim.mmmmmmm]

Tony atlas just had ridiculous physique!

[@ckobo84]

Not only that ...but he was well built too

[@jermaineperry8860]

Plus this great classic enjoyable entertaining wrestling holds mix with very little high flying moves and some brawling spot match

[@randquadrozzi5850]

I had always heard about bockwinkel but he never wrestled for wwwf so this was 1st time I've seen him.

[@robert_b9251]

Two of my favorite old school

[@borgullet3376]

Before The Hulk, there was Tony Atlas. He was the first For Real 💪Jacked dude I ever seen as a little kid. It was then I knew I had to lift. Then came Big Lou and then Ahhnold. Aint No Thing like that old skool d bol 😉

[@suicidality2744]

Tony Atlas scored a pinfall victory over a heel Hulk Hogan in 1981. Hogan wouldn't take another pinfall loss for the next 9 years.

[@kennethjohnson5179]

Nick was a survivor boy. He’d take a good beating but he wasn’t letting go of that belt.

[@dundeedm]

I felt so sorry for Tony Atlas as a performer. He was an incredible talent. Lots of emotions, fast, athletic, not the best talker though. But he was so overused as the token black hero. Given that so called chance at the gold but never allowed to actually hold that top spot. Promoters wanted to keep their black fans happy by giving their hero a chance. But were always to scared to hand that Gold over and let him run with it. Because of fear of backlash from their white fan base. Hell even today greats like Bobby Lashely have shown they can carry a company but still don't get the matches and accolades of their peers. Bobby can run circles around Lesner, Cena, Macyntire, Reigns, and others. But his reigns that were in the WWE were limited and he was never given enough control. I mean they had a great gimmick with Bobby, MVP, Shelton, and Cedric. That could have been just as big as what they have been doing with Roman Regains and the Samoan family the last few years. As for Nick, he was amazing and a great show man. He could carry a match with a broomstick and people would leave happy. I don't think the guy knew how to have a bad match. He could wrestle with anyone technical, brawl, even high flyers. He helped create some great talent like Curt Henning, Rick Martel, Scott Hall, Shaw Michaels, and a ton of other talent that excelled in the 80s and 90s. He did most his work in the AWA but no matter where you lived you knew who Nick was. Bobby Hennan is another one who owes a ton to Nick and in many ways vice/versa. Bobby perfected his style in AWA managing Nick before Bobby moved on to the WWF and became an international star. Nick is just one of those great talents that could have excelled in any era of wrestling.

[@CWAMemphis]

I think Tony Atlas got a good run but I agree he could have been AWA champ and when he went to WWF in 1991 he didn't need the African gimmick.

[@MarkHermann-u5p]

Thanks for this

[@ramlangoddos4425]

Wow. Now I see real wrestling. Classic wrestling.

[@albinodeng9897]

This the real classic wrestling not the commercial wrestling we are seeing since 1990's

[@AnibalMartínez-n7l]

Es tremendo estos hombres parecen unos búfalos unos toros fuerza felicitaciones esos campeones

[@jimclark6256]

Bockwinkel had to work extra hard to make Atlas look good.

[@cantstop-wontstop2138]

@jimclark6256 Bockwinkel had to work extra hard to make it look like he could actually compete against Atlas. (There, I fixed it for you)

[@jasonkessler6841]

@@cantstop-wontstop2138 Your both right, but its "the suspension of disbelief." Atlas was 28 here, Bockwinkle was 48, I hope for Atlas's sake your right. And this is long before the whole 40 is the new 30 perspective was around, in 2024 it's very easy to see Bockwinkle is the better worker. Not to mention the blade job.

[@jermaineperry8860]

Tony was entertaining handsome athletics likable hardworking talent solid skilled powerful underrated super big man wrestler

[@ecast1500]

Bockwinkel gave the best interviews,

[@throwball2248]

I always like Nick and Ray Stevens never seen Nick this big before wonder if he was doing juice

[@ricardoguadalupe7179]

No commentary on this match.

[@MrWolfTickets]

Lol that's hilarious, it didn't really register until I scrolled past your comment. I wonder why?

[@gringobronx7670]

Well it like going to a live wresting event you dont hear commentators ther either

[@ts.elliot5870]

No roids in this match. No Sir!

[@daviddevine1030]

Awesome 👍😎👍 thank great job 👏

[@quadraticresidue]

Good stuff here. Interesting that Bobby Heenan wasn’t at ringside with the champ. Bronco Lubich was supposed to officiate this match but he came down with food poisoning and explosive diarrhea at a taco place in Conroe. Imagine if he had officiated the match and had an accident.

[@stevedrums1675]

Andre did…..

[@roninsixx3541]

How was Tony Atlas not mr universe

[@michaelsmiley2828]

Legs

[@jeffsimmons4130]

Tony was good and powerful

[@supremoking4469]

Tony...un autentico Coloso...💪👏👍💪

[@blackcaesar4u]

Nick pulled it off in the end.

[@brianbray2721]

Tony was a big man

[@earlpitsch2149]

Tony was a bodybuilder not so much a wrestler.

[@ericwright2594]

steroids

[@MoniqueFromPlymouth]

What's interesting about this title match: Tony Atlas was with the WWF/E at that time. So Atlas and other WWF/E stars of that era, before Vince Jr. took over, had to find work at other places when their WWF/E schedule had days off.

[@MarkHermann-u5p]

Bockwinkel vs.Atlas Wow totally different styles 😮

[@bruuzar]

アトラスという木偶を相手でも､ちゃんと試合を成立させて､アトラスの良さを引き出す､プロレスの天才がニックです。

[@stevedrums1675]

Nick was so smooth and Tony was a much better worker than I think he gets red or for.

[@killerjoe7596]

Bockwinkle gave Tony 90% of the match. He sold really well.

[@DCMcNeilJr]

Atlas should have gotten one of the three big straps. He was crazy great on the mic when he let go. Just spewed crazy nonsense and it was awesome. On another note, does everyone realize Bobby The Brain was actually younger than Nick Bockwinkel?

[@jimclark6256]

So being good on the mike qualifies one to be a Champ? Really?

[@largelester]

AWA might have survived if they strapped their title around Mr. USA's waist because honestly, nobody even back in those days believes a 50 year old man can survive more than 5 minutes with anyone built like this.

[@thomascook4466]

He was stronger than many of the strongest wtestl er ts...name them,! A-z

[@David-yw2lv]

Nick Bockwinkel was one of the best wrestlers ever.Tony Atlas was a body builder and a mediocre wrestler

[@earlpitsch2149]

What I said

[@gringobronx7670]

Atlas wasnt mediocre at all you buggin

[@michaelmartin7073]

I remember Tonny benched pressed 500lb I belive it was on mid South wrestling.

[@jeffsimmons4130]

Tony is a good person

[@pilot7791]

22 OCT MY BIRTH DAY

[@PappyNet01]

I swear that Tony Atlas looks like Ron Simmons whom played nose-guard on the FSU defense in the 1970's.

[@alanstrong55]

Never understood why Tony turned sour for a short time on IWF Wrestling. Ivan Putski may have found a way to fix that matter.

[@MarkHermann-u5p]

I had no clue they wrestled 😮

[@jneroo226]

This reminds me of the Trump and Biden show.

[@perception_management]

Because it is

[@MarkHermann-u5p]

Mr Usa Baby Tony Rocked

[@donrajah1738]

Atlas was a big guy, but Bockwinkle wasn't a slouch either

[@phulnelson]

two very hot muscular opposites, very virile men in a 20-minute wrestling match. and not a single full nelson or sleeper.

[@MyFighter7773]

Always like , NB he carried the awa for yrs

[@chr970]

This is conclusive video evidence that Bockwinkel cheated. This decision should have gone to arbitration. This decision should have been overturned.

[@phillydisco-h1r]

Bockwinkel was a heel

[@DrGargani]

never get clean pins and victories...what wore me down with "professional" wrestling....always some bullchite ending...

[@sheldonhchambliss1385]

I knew atlas wasn't going to win that title

[@EdwardGrazes]

Wrestling is a grown man soap opera also like the circus and carvinal . Heel's and hero and Babyface. High up decideds before the show starts who wins storyline. Good vs Bad . Anti drugs drawing money makes it although is dead and destroyed his body of drugs i mis Super Star Billy Graham not the greatest wrestler but could make a promotor money, Vince Sr .was wrong back then Bob .b was the better wrestler but later on fan's got bored 😢

[@briankregg6329]

Abysmal!!! Exposing the business blade job, and why are they wearing matching trunks??

[@سماءسكاي]

توني اطلس كنت انظر بتعجب الى جسمه وانا طفل صغير .. مفتول العظلات .

[@MarkHermann-u5p]

❤

[@gregmcfarland6554]

Here is a funny. Tony has smaller underwear than Nick's underwear

[@HighhPlainsDrifter]

QUACK! QUACK!! QUACK!!!🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🐣😅

[@JIMMYRogula]

REMEMBER POLISH POWER IVAN 'SUPERFLY" PUTSKI

[@donaldfoy6684]

Tony was so weak to have all that muscle.

[@therealbabybob]

Tony atlas

[@cathydrumobich9045]

Atlas would have pinned Bockwinkel in around 30 seconds.

[@ThouSwell-zx3fd]

Idk, Nick was a very skilled wrestler

[@petermayne3434]

Wrestling was better back than with Tony Atlas.Atlas ivan portski and rocky johnson

[@jasonmorgan951]

WOW! Tony Atlas wrestled the used car salesman. Nick Bockwinkel was the most overrated world champion

[@markjackson6431]

weird weird WEIRD take.

[@ThouSwell-zx3fd]

He was a skilled wrestler.. dominated the AWA in the 70s and 80s

[@jasonmorgan951]

@@ThouSwell-zx3fd I remember. He wouldn't have performed well against Race, Flair, Samartino, Billy Graham. No charisma

[@jasonmorgan951]

@@markjackson6431 Admit it, he looked like a used car salesman vs. the rest of the world champions(70s-80s)

[@ThouSwell-zx3fd]

@@jasonmorgan951 Yeah, if you're looking for a cartoon character you would be disappointed. He didn't look like much, he wasn't flashy, but he was renowned even amongst his fellow wrestlers for his technical abilities.

[@George-gk7nc]

This when I knew wrestling was fake 😆 🤣

[@mcdonoghrahloh459]

You weren't even born 👹

[@brianbray2721]

Nick wasn't that good

[@TSWBM]

ITS ALL FAKE

[@jamiesbgrace]

Unbelievably boring

[@glenncastillo3502]

This match call it as it is … trash .

[@maxguod]

Bockwinkle always sucked -

[@dwaneyocum1718]

Professional Wrestling is so real... it's like Republican politics.