Giant Baba vs. Verne Gagne, 1/18/81

[hotpursuit1984]

people this is real wrestling .. not the bullshit of WWE .. just fake shits

[Cz1990player]

sucks

[Frequent2001]

damn thats one skinny giant.

[TheBronzeSkull]

It's boring to some "wrestling" fans because any semblance of actual wrestling is boring to them but this was a great match between two fantastic technical wrestlers who were still amazing for their ages. I did laugh at the idea that pro wrestling was a respected sport back then. It wasn't. I laughed at Baba's chicken arms and legs. He was no Andre. Gagne was probably as strong as him. 

[TheBronzeSkull]

@TheBronzeSkull Gagne's majority ownership of AWA certainly allowed him to keep the belt for too long but it wasn't just ego. McMahon wasn't the first person to be afraid that one of his stars might win the belt and then leave for another organization. If you're the owner and the champion, you know you can trust yourself not to jump ship with the belt. Besides, Gagne was a superb wrestler, wonderful to watch, not some boring punching and kicking contest.

[scorpioswrath]

Verne could stretch about anyone.

[scorpioswrath]

Verne could stretch about anyone who's wrestling today.

[jhiggs17]

Worst crap ever

[getodachoppa1]

Are those arms dangling from Babba's shoulders??

[GoenitzLoveSeth]

Old good times.

Verne Gagne was NOT so small for the times.

Perhaps he was not a "flashy guy" , but he's still one of the most respected pro wrestlers of all times.

Great tecnical wrestler.

Also Baba is great.

Pro wrestling deserved a great respect.

[Germany1111]

@fujichan1969 He's a car salesman. He also worked for WWE for awhile.

[charterbus3002]

why in god's name did Gagne come out to Star Wars?

[OrigLanceR]

@charterbus3002

lol

[fatguyinlittlecoat86]

Gagne's music sound like something only the Villiage People's mothers would love!

[styx4ever1963]

Did Verne Gagne ever wrestle Jumbo Tsurta or Antonio Inoki

[Chuloloc]

Awesome. A monumental match between 2 of the best professional wrestlers of all time. Time for Part 2.

[eslubin]

well said. and verne may be the best wrestler pro or otherwise of all time

[Chuloloc]

I think Lou Thesz is a top candidate for that.

[eslubin]

both are great. but verne stayed on top in one place, with wrestling. thats no easy task. thesz is a physical phenom no doubt. thesz was better, longer, than anyone throughout the past

[Chuloloc]

Both are as equally as good. Also, both examplified the standard of basic physical shape and conditioning that all wrestlers should strive for. No bodybulding, drugs and shortcuts. Just simple shape and old fashion hardwork. The way to go.

[Chuloloc]

Also, another important name that needs to be mentioned is Japan's Antonio Inoki. From the same breed of wrestlers.

[eslubin]

well said. i can't argue. built for go not show

[Chuloloc]

Good call. "Built for go, no show."

[befuddledman]

Actually, the longest AWA title reign went to another legitimate shooter, Mad Dog Vachon, who held the title for over three years. People forget that most of the top guys back in the pre-cable era HAD to be legit shooters. You couldn't have your world champ getting beat up by an irate fan in a bar fight or a parking lot, it was bad for business. Gagne, Thesz and many others of their era were legit badasses who could cripple you if they wanted to.

[SgtAnt08]

MURDERER

[styx4ever1963]

How old is Gagne in this match about 55 or 56

[eslubin]

sounds about right

[styx4ever1963]

They should have put belt on Wahoo or Billy Robinson

[Sanguiluna]

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

Wrestling was a respected sport...

Before the dark times...

Before the WWE...

[highnrising]

When was that?

[meekrob]

@Sanguiluna Hate to break it to you, but wrestling hasn't been a "sport" in about a century, and as far as respected, well, that's certainly debatable.

[choirboy5000]

How come no one says anything bad about Gagne in wrestling?

He owned AWA and gave himself 10 world title belts, which lasted for a total of 4,690 days, the most all time!

He was politicking long before HHH, HBK, Hogan, and Flair.

Don't get me wrong, he is one of the best ever, but can anyone comment on his holding belts for so long, so often?

[OrigLanceR]

a little before my time, I do remember when he got the belt in 80 or 81 thought what is this? How old is this man? LOL...The AWA through the years had plenty of deserving guys they could have put the belt on. Verne was the boss.

[genius275]

He was also a draw. It did not effect the bottomline!

[WickedObscureFilms]

sometimes ya just gotta put yourself over.

[altohart]

He owned the company! And I can't say he was a draw because the company went bankrupt in the 1980s, though I'm not saying that was because Verne made himself champ. Anyway, when you're in charge, you can book yourself however you want.

[eslubin]

verne drew huge money as the top man. he stayed on top for decades in business and in the ring. who could beat him

[Sanguiluna]

Because even though he did award himself ten AWA title reigns, no one can complain about him the way people complain about Triple H because unlike Triple H, he could back up his ten title reigns with his prodigious in-ring ability. His wrestling was such that it was credible and reasonable for him to be a ten-time champion. Anyone who ever saw him wrestle in the ring would be hard-pressed to give a reason why this wrestler shouldn't be the world heavyweight champion.

[eslubin]

verne was the real champion

he could back it up  because he was a bad mother

[TomBarristerX]

@choirboy5000 As you said, Gagne owned a significant share of the AWA. The owner can do whatever he pleases, including have himself hold the belt until age 55.

[RPenta]

Two strange looking athletes at least as of 1981 but they both made there mark in the business; I did find Baba' matches vs. Bruno, Race, and Jack Brisco interesting but they were years before this.

[Reg197844]

So true. That's what happens when two over-the-hill wrestlers run their respective organizations and put the belts on themselves instead of pushing the younger talent.

[RPenta]

Bockwinkel would have made a more interesting match. Gagne looks like he needs time away from Minnesota in the sun and to gain another 20 lbs--he needed to start doing some heavy squats to build up his spindly legs. All respect, in his time he was a great wrestle--about 10 years at least before this.

But thank God it was not Hogan, brotha!

[zackboy105]

9:26 It Looked Like Some Thing Else Was Going On xD

[DaMounty]

Verne Gagne, 82 and suffering from Alzheimer's disease, body-slammed a 97

year-old fellow patient at a nursing home where they both lived, causing the man's death. This happened in late January 2009.

[LUCIFERVAMPIRO]

Dude...I thought you were joking when you mentioned that Verne, at 82, body-slammed a 97 year-old patient at a nursing home...Pretty funny...Until I found out recently that it was true...OMG!!!...I am totally freaked out and feel terrible for thinking that it was a joke!!!

[Lfdjake91]

Man, more then 7 minutes into this video before these 2 even locked up. The Japanese sure do love long, drawn out showy enterences w/ pomp & circumstance.

[thegreatpampero]

Verne Gagne needed to retire he looked like shit.

[JarlStaubhold]

Verne Gagne is a jedi? Only a jedi should walk down to the ring with a star wars disco theme! Otherwise it would just be dumb...

[foolsbetrippin]

hahaha

[RaldyV]

Giant Baba: Verne, I am your Father.

[tow74]

Verne Gagne. What an asshole. Great example of why wrestlers should never run a wrestling company. Dusty Rhodes is a similar example. Wrestlers should never book, either.

[astronato]

Verne Gagne ran a successful wrestling promotion for decades. Dusty Rhodes was one of the greatest bookers of all time. You do not know what you are talking about.

[jrekdal]

Verne Gagne was almost 55 in this match as defending champ. He looked it too. No wonder the AWA went down hill after this reign.

[Lando1981]

He would have been 65 when the AWA went out of business.

[jrekdal]

And was.

[Fit4Life1967]

The AWA was actually a hot territory after Verne retired. At one time you had the Road Warriors, Hulk Hogan, The Fabulous Ones and many others packing houses. Verne was just too old school and didn't see the writing on the wall.

[SlimmArmstrong]

I agree, but, DAMN, what about Baba? not only does he look old, but he was always in the worst shape. slap an armbar on him, it should snap like a twig, OMG!

[wrestlingfan4life08]

I had that Disco version of Star Wars as a 12 year old...Played the hell out of it

[georgyfontaine28]

Verne Gagne entrance music is a disco version of the Star Wars theme.

[saanzacs]

Interesting match-up