Many people dismiss Gagne as only being champion becuase he owned the company. Those people are totally wrong, this match is as good as an example as any in showing that Verne was one of the very best wrestlers of the 60,s and 70,s.
Fantastic match -no doubt about it! I never saw verne gagne or Baron Von raschke in person but I read a lot about them and now I get to watch them both-everything said about them is true-awesome classic wrestlers-not shit like todays' mcmahon circus "entertainment wrestling". Unfortunenatly I hated to see raschke in interviews-he is too much like an upset Colonel Klink!
Never cared for Verne Gagne...but the Baron was awesome whether he was a heel or a face. Most unlikely babyface in all of wrestling, but a good one nonetheless.
Actually, this could not have been a championship match. The belt had been vacated the previous May, when Billy Robinson was mistakenly awarded the belt after pinning Verne 2 falls out of 3 - the ref didn't see that Verne's foot was on the rope. When the film was made public, it was decided that neither man was champion. The belt would be awarded the winner of the September 74 rematch, which Verne won by count-out. Thus there was no champ between May and Sept 74.
Did the match you're talking about take place in Chicago or another AWA city?
Point being Verne could still have been billed as AWA champion in the rest of the territory but the title would still have been declared vacant in the city where the match with Robinson took place, that sort of thing was quite common back in that era.
On ESPN Classic, Greg introduces V's 82 match against Jerry Blackwell as a title fight. What an odd mistake! Greg himself was chasing Bockwinkel around the country for the title around that time.
Robinson matches were in Chicago, the first indoors (Amphitheater) and the second outdoors. Your point actually had occurred to me - Raschke match could have been for the belt, but not in Chicago. Another interesting "verbal typo": In the "Spectacular" vid, Verne says that after Thesz got disqualified in a match in the 50s to avoid losing the belt, he never fought V. again. WRONG! - Chicago Trib covered a match in 66 which V. won by countout, tying up Lou in the ropes! - Non-title match tho.
Many people dismiss Gagne as only being champion becuase he owned the company. Those people are totally wrong, this match is as good as an example as any in showing that Verne was one of the very best wrestlers of the 60,s and 70,s.
theblackhaze 2 weeks ago
All that pressure on Verne's temples caused him to develop Alzeheimer's disease years later.
highnrising 9 months ago
Fantastic match -no doubt about it! I never saw verne gagne or Baron Von raschke in person but I read a lot about them and now I get to watch them both-everything said about them is true-awesome classic wrestlers-not shit like todays' mcmahon circus "entertainment wrestling". Unfortunenatly I hated to see raschke in interviews-he is too much like an upset Colonel Klink!
norseleague 1 year ago
Never cared for Verne Gagne...but the Baron was awesome whether he was a heel or a face. Most unlikely babyface in all of wrestling, but a good one nonetheless.
brnleague99 1 year ago
Was it true what the announcer says in the beginning?
Was all of Germany watching this match?
themightycelestial 1 year ago
Actually, this could not have been a championship match. The belt had been vacated the previous May, when Billy Robinson was mistakenly awarded the belt after pinning Verne 2 falls out of 3 - the ref didn't see that Verne's foot was on the rope. When the film was made public, it was decided that neither man was champion. The belt would be awarded the winner of the September 74 rematch, which Verne won by count-out. Thus there was no champ between May and Sept 74.
Footsiess 2 years ago
Did the match you're talking about take place in Chicago or another AWA city?
Point being Verne could still have been billed as AWA champion in the rest of the territory but the title would still have been declared vacant in the city where the match with Robinson took place, that sort of thing was quite common back in that era.
DotDotkins 2 years ago
Also I can't confirm that the date on this match is correct as the dates they give on these matches is quite often wrong.
DotDotkins 2 years ago
On ESPN Classic, Greg introduces V's 82 match against Jerry Blackwell as a title fight. What an odd mistake! Greg himself was chasing Bockwinkel around the country for the title around that time.
Footsiess 2 years ago
Robinson matches were in Chicago, the first indoors (Amphitheater) and the second outdoors. Your point actually had occurred to me - Raschke match could have been for the belt, but not in Chicago. Another interesting "verbal typo": In the "Spectacular" vid, Verne says that after Thesz got disqualified in a match in the 50s to avoid losing the belt, he never fought V. again. WRONG! - Chicago Trib covered a match in 66 which V. won by countout, tying up Lou in the ropes! - Non-title match tho.
Footsiess 2 years ago
lets c the barons GOOSE WALK WEEEE
MrNeal201 2 years ago
thanks for post, I was there with my dad...
littlenipper8u 2 years ago
Great match thanks for posting
styx4ever1963 2 years ago