Tony Atlas vs Ken Patera Atlas defeats Patera for the Mid Atlantic title 1979

[@brianstump4512]

That match took place in Roanoke, Virginia. Tony Atlas's hometown

[@HoustonIsImmortal]

That crowd was on FIRE!!

[@LoganCharlesII]

I know! I seen lots of excited wrestling crowds but this has to be near the top as far as electricity.

[@allencollamore8052]

how ANYONE can compare the CRAP out there today to THIS is beyond me!!!! this is SO MUCH BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@robertvaughn7358]

You are absolutely right

[@SuperDetroit9]

@allen collamore;Ken Patera has been my inspiration since high-school!!! When walking shirtlessup the avenue on a hot,humid day,I'll stop,flex my arms,then KISS each bicep like Patera used to do!!

[@sinbad799]

How true.

[@josethompson5778]

Tony Atlas was the man of that ERA

[@rickb.9067]

Ken Patera and Ric Flair rented a house together. While they were learning to become a professional wrestler's. Tony Atlas was the first man in the Mid-Atlantic area that made $75,000 a year.

[@kevinaraujo4945]

Why was Tony making such a large sum of money? Did his bodybuilding body the reason he got more money since no one else had that kind of look

[@HoustonIsImmortal]

In his autobiographical book Tony proclaims that he was the first man promoters ever paid to BECOME a professional wrestler back then!

[@MrDock]

@@HoustonIsImmortal Don Kernodle said the same thing on his interview for the mid Atlantic gateway website. Some people don’t like it when I say this but you have to fact check some of these guys…they can tell some tales! Everyone who tells the wrestling bear story swears the referee or someone else smeared honey on their ass and the bear chased their behind all night 😖

[@tresfielder3148]

How is that so when they broke into wrestling at different times. Ken trained with Verne and Billy Robinson in '72. Atlas with the Scott brothers ~ '75. Doesn't add up.

[@harrykadaras9459]

Atlas has the best built arms and chest in the business but Ken Patera has the same physique as a classic Zeus sculpture from ancient Greece...

[@donrajah1738]

In '79 I was stuck with the wwwf, no no wait a minute wwf, no wrong again wwe, whatever !!! Man the south had all the action & the stars. Until TBS was on cable I missed these glory days. Action, excitement, a relevant storyline, modern wrestling can never bring that back.

[@BeniBen]

I agree the south has the better wrestler and script and were not afraid to show blood unlike the north Vince McMahon production

[@savagecook4324]

They both look like they were chiseled out of marble !! Wow!!

[@jacksteel3464]

The fans were so intense back in the day when they thought wrestling was real

[@BeniBen]

in the eyes of a child like I was back then I'd debate/fight anyone who thought it was fake, especially the southern conference wrestler (not the Vince McMahon production) seeing them in action and the magazine with blood and all.. how could it not be real !!

[@killerjoe7596]

Man, they are LOUD!

[@utepart7056]

Notice the old people also you don't see many anymore

[@peopleunite78]

I remember being a 15 yr old kid when Atlas & Rufus R. Jones was my heros, at 55 yrs old..they "still" are.

[@SeanRankin2]

two powerhouses

[@jimmadonna1436]

The crowd is going crazy for the Home town man.

[@glenbrizendine5161]

If this is in Roanoke it must be at the old Starland Arena, the seats at the Civic Center went further back.

[@ltskinol]

I was never a Patera fan back in the day, but holy cow - the guy _made_ this match, selling for the (at the time) limited skillset Atlas. Fantastic job.

[@mane4689]

They both were limited just 2 Strong Guys !!!

[@HoustonIsImmortal]

Atlas and Patera both had extensive amateur wrestling backgrounds, but that wasn't going to sell tickets for two genetically gifted specimens

[@asphaltcowboy7567]

​@@mane4689true but atlas was known for bad work

[@lordeli8866]

Atlas missed Leg day.. alot :-/

[@SurgeonVault]

haha yeah, my thoughts exactly

[@reggieshambley3522]

He still won bodybuilding shows.

[@asphaltcowboy7567]

​@reggieshambley3522 Dude, I'm a fan, but his legs were awful compared to the rest, he admitted it, and was known for tiny legs.

[@insidewrestling2]

This is NOT the match where Tony won the title. This is a rematch where Tony retained the title. I was at the match in Roanoke when Tony won the title. This is not Roanoke. But still fun to see. Thanks for posting.

[@savagecook4324]

In the comments people talk about Atlas’s legs 1970s Atlas to 1985’s Atlas Tony was a youngster in this match

[@davidiihouston6883]

Still bodybuilding competitively and working a full schedule. He put on some mass once he got older and was just wrestling.

[@greyhulk3379]

What does being a youngster have to do with LEG DAY

[@asphaltcowboy7567]

He's known for his small legs

[@TheTerryE]

Wish we could see the whole match.

[@sheldonhchambliss1385]

Beautiful

[@destronia123]

Atlas looked like he was walking on stilts.

[@brianskoi]

These two were great! Can you imagine...neither won the world title. Compare Kofi Kingston to Tony Atlas. Atlas was light years better than Kofi could ever be. Patera was a beast! He should have beaten Backlund at least once for the title.

[@davidiihouston6883]

That's a horrible comparison.

[@hansd.lassiter8822]

I always thought that his legs were always suspect...I was 12 years old when this happened and was like "what's up with his legs?" My grandfather would always laugh...

[@dskywalker3397]

KZbin Gold!!!

[@earldrakeford1775]

Tony legs lol 😂 my man

[@reggiejohnson1201]

I have to admit patera was good and strong 💪

[@abrahammitchell5599]

Mr.USA and the STRANG MAN WHAT A GREAT MATCH!

[@ghostofpastghostofpast3700]

All old people in front row.

[@craigd2599]

How did Tony Atlas' calves hold up that body??

[@Pewtooyou]

Tony obviously skipped Legs Day at the gym quite often...LOL

[@Noway673]

What I find funny is that the crowd sounds so loud but the people mouths not moving.Where is all that hollering and screaming coming from? They needed to focus on the one who are actually cheering,not the ones sitting on the front row absolutely sitting still without any lip movements.

[@redformaze5968]

I thought the same exact thing. The front rows just sat and looked like they were put in timeout.

[@jackjackiii]

Honestly it's either a little bit of _EVERYTHING_ in the background, and the quality is very low, or it's the top rows i guess. Though, if you look closely there were some people that jumped out of their seats.

[@radioactivekaraoke]

Now I know why Jess Ventura called him Boney Tony. Look at how skinny his calves are and legs in general here. Atlas was all upper body.

[@reggiejohnson1201]

Back in the day Ken patera was the most hated wrestler

[@Bellthorian]

Look at how skinny Tony's legs and especially his calves were. He was skipping leg day every day.

[@Noway673]

That's how some guys in prison looked when they come out of prison.The arms and chest looks 250lbs but the legs and thighs looks 20lbs.

[@jimmadonna1436]

For such a large man, Tony's legs are really small. He said in an interview that he wasn't ambulatory until he was 3 yo. I think that's why his legs are so small.

[@alanstrong55]

Tony bench pressed 600 lbs in his prime.

[@HoustonIsImmortal]

600++

[@killerjoe4409]

Just listen to those female fans squeal.

[@johndeagle4389]

Good ending.

[@santosrojas9610]

Now I done all your feats of Strength now give me a Title Match!💪.If you do this I will say you a Bit strong saw it during those years

[@bgood4449]

Boy Atlas was really putting the raccoon work in.

[@davesmith8877]

Ken Patera would win the Championship back from Tony Atlas and then lose it to Jim Brunzell

[@jtrentful]

did the rock steal his I'm the people's champ line from Tony atlas ? seems to me like he did .

[@nancysmith9487]

Crazyhow think he only workouts chest and arms, thin legs... I'd be scared there going to break

[@nancysmith9487]

He is ripped tho

[@rareform6747]

Patera in the ally would ?

[@marciadesouza3314]

Referee keep clear

[@pistanthrophobiamisanthrop4953]

Patera had him beat with the hurt lock 🤣

[@UpChuckTheBoogie]

Is it me or are atlas's legs real skinny

[@rodzor]

He never trained legs, unlike a real weightlifter like Patera

[@rodzor]

Atlas should have always worn pants. The Rick Rude ideology. Train upper body only, cover stick legs with flashy pants.

[@asphaltcowboy7567]

Man Atlas had tiny legs

[@greyhulk3379]

Atlas skipped Leg day

[@gregorabaileyein4685]

Tony was vince star.but couldn't talk

[@HoustonIsImmortal]

He could talk decent to above average, but he let drugs and money ruin him.

[@michaeltruthson6262]

Tony skipped leg day apparently

[@TheSanityMachine33]

for a few lifetimes...... damn.

[@qaz-fi1id]

Atlas had chicken legs.

[@leeinvegas]

Ken Petra should have won with the full Nelson easily

[@rockinyouallnight]

Atlas was sooooooo over back in the late 70s & early 80s. It's too bad that he was a total meat head.

[@aultunwhite4988]

if they only knew how much of an act all this was .....sports entertainment at it's finest!!

[@allencollamore8052]

yeah then vince comes around and exposes it (or allowed) it to be exposed and has been patting himself on the back ever since!!! and puts out total GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!!

[@emmanuelwilliams6004]

Aultun white 💯

[@osiawideman4851]

@@allencollamore8052 exactly

[@TheTerryE]

I love Atlas but let's get real. In the real world, Patera would have defeated him, pinned him, submitted him easily. Atlas would never have survived that full nelson. Atlas was strong but Patera was a powerhouse. Look at this legs. Atlas had chicken legs. Patera would have destroyed his legs.

[@libra42ful]

TheTerryE Ken sure did enjoy torturing Atlas in the swinging neckbreaker, and you could tell he "enjoyed" punishing Atlas afterward in the full nelson straddle, I bet Patera would of rode Tony in that half the night if they'd allowed it....im very sure he would of, heheh

[@LoganCharlesII]

Y'all do know that wrestling is a work, don't you? You guys are talking as if the people here are thinking Atlas won a real fight with Patera.

[@game2572]

denzelsnipes69 back in the day they thought it was real and no one in the business would say it was scripted

[@hrmarkley9758]

It isn’t a weightlifting contest-have competed in powerlifting and in wrestling....Ken was a lot stronger (one of the strongest men who ever lived IMHO), but it was Tony who won a state title here in Va as an amateur. Think Tony would whip him on a wrestling mat....although Patera had some amateur experience also

[@hrmarkley9758]

libra42ful -Tony was the amateur champ-he would take Patera in a shoot

[@josethompson5778]

Tony Atlas was the man of that ERA