Nick Bockwinkel
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Nicholas Warren Francis Bockwinkel (December 6, 1934 – November 14, 2015) was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in the 1970s and 1980s. Bockwinkel had a lengthy professional wrestling career with matches in 34 consecutive years. Debuting in 1954, Bockwinkel spent the first half of his career as a
journeyman A journeyman is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee ...
babyface, wrestling primarily in California and Hawaii with stints in Texas, Georgia, and the Pacific Northwest as well as excursions to Canada and Australia. In 1970, he joined the
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-based AWA, where he was based for the remainder of his career. Swiftly rising to prominence as a main event
heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
, Bockwinkel held the AWA World Tag Team Championship three times, then the AWA World Heavyweight Championship four times, before retiring in 1987. Bockwinkel was recognized for his exceptional technical wrestling ability, mastery of in-ring
psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...
, and even-toned, articulate promos. Professional wrestling historian Tim Hornbaker described him as "the definitive heavyweight champion heel of the 1970s", while historian Scott Beekman described him as "the most successful heel champion in wrestling history". Bockwinkel was inducted into the ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' Hall of Fame in 1996, the
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum was an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Wichita Falls, Texas; following the postponement of its 19th induction ceremony, planned for May 2020, and an annou ...
in 2003, the
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
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in 2007, the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009, and the
National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
in 2016.


Early life

Bockwinkel was born to Warren Bockwinkel – himself a professional wrestler – and Helen (née Crnkovich) Bockwinkel in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 6, 1934. Bockwinkel's parents divorced when he was aged five and he lived with his grandmother until he was 12, then attended a boarding school in
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for two years before returning to live with his father. As Bockwinkel's father moved around the country for work, he attended four separate high schools. Bockwinkel was a star fullback in high school, winning an "outstanding player" trophy in 1953. He attended the
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on a
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, playing for the
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until sustaining a pair of knee injuries that ended his football career and cost him his scholarship. Bockwinkel subsequently transferred to the
University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...
—studying marketing—where at the suggestion of his father he began wrestling to fund his studies. After graduating from UCLA, Bockwinkel was drafted into the
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in 1958; he spent two years in the Army, during which time he was stationed in Fort Ord in
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.


Professional wrestling career


Training

Bockwinkel was trained to wrestle by his father Warren, a regional star in the 1940s, and Lou Thesz. He received additional training from
Gene Kiniski Eugene Nicholas Kiniski (November 23, 1928 – April 14, 2010) was a Canadian athlete who played football for the Edmonton Eskimos and then became a three-time professional wrestling world heavyweight champion. "Canada's Greatest Athlete", as he ...
, Lord Blears, and Wilbur Snyder. When he was first breaking into professional wrestling, Bockwinkel served as the driver for Yukon Eric, taking him to various cities throughout the Eastern and
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; he later commented that the experience, "was so smart. ..Lots of ways to learn about this business."


Early career (1954–1961)

Bockwinkel debuted in 1954 in
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. He spent the early years of his career working in
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for the North American Wrestling Alliance, where he occasionally teamed with his father and was sometimes billed as "Nicky Bockwinkel". In 1955, he briefly held the NWA International Television Championship. From June to September 1956, during his summer break from UCLA, Bockwinkel made a foray into the
Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
, performing in cities such as
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,
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, and St. Louis. From July to September 1957, he had a stint in Texas, appearing with Houston Wrestling and Southwest Sports. In early 1958, upon being drafted into the United States Army, Bockwinkel relocated to
Northern California Northern California (commonly shortened to NorCal) is a geocultural region that comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, spanning the northernmost 48 of the state's List of counties in California, 58 counties. Northern Ca ...
. During his military service, he moonlighted as a wrestler, appearing sporadically for NWA San Francisco and the
Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...
-based Ad Santel Promotions under a variety of ring names. In April 1958, Bockwinkel (wrestling under the name "Dick Warren") and Ramón Torres won the NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(San Francisco version)''. They held the titles until June 1958, when they lost to Hombre Montana and Tiny Mills. They regained the titles from Mills and Montana in July, then lost them to Gene Dubuque and Mike Valentino the following month. In June and July 1959, Bockwinkel reappeared with the North American Wrestling Alliance. In late-1959 and early-1960, he made a handful of appearances in
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
with NWA Indianapolis and the American Wrestling Alliance, where he was billed as "Nick Bock". Bockwinkel left the Army in 1960. Throughout mid-1960, he wrestled for Big Time Wrestling in
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
. During this time, he also appeared with All Star Wrestling in
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, both as Nick Bockwinkel and under a mask as "The Phantom". In late-1960, Bockwinkel returned to the North American Wrestling Alliance, where in December 1960 and January 1961 he won the International Television Tag Team Championship on two occasions: once with Lord Blears and once with
Édouard Carpentier Édouard Ignacz Weiczorkiewicz (July 17, 1926 – October 30, 2010) was a French and Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, gymnast, and member of the French Resistance during World War II, known by his ring name, Édouard Carpent ...
. His second reign lasted until May 1961, when he left California to join Southwest Sports in Texas.


Texas and Canada (1961–1962)

In May 1961, Bockwinkel left California for Texas, where he began wrestling for Southwest Sports as an "All American babyface". Shortly after debuting, he won a
battle royal Battle royal (, also battle royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules, where the winner is the one who registers the most wins. In recent times, the term has been ...
in the
Dallas Sportatorium The Sportatorium, located in downtown Dallas, Texas, was a barn-like arena used primarily for professional wrestling events. The building, which stood at 1000 S. Industrial Blvd, or the intersection of Industrial Boulevard and Cadiz Street (near ...
. His regular opponents included Angelo Poffo, Corsica Joe, Duke Keomuka, Mike DiBiase, and
Waldo Von Erich Walter Paul Sieber (October 2, 1933 – July 5, 2009) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for performing under the ring name Waldo Von Erich, playing the character of a villainous Prussian Nazi. He was billed as the brother of ...
. In June 1961, he unsuccessfully challenged Von Erich for the NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion. In July 1961, he unsuccessfully challenged visiting NWA World Heavyweight Champion Buddy Rogers. Bockwinkel left Texas in September 1961, wrestling a handful of matches for NWA Upstate in
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, before relocating to Canada. In November 1961, Bockwinkel began wrestling in Canada for the
Regina, Saskatchewan Regina ( ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province, and is a commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. As of the 2021 Canadian census, ...
-based Big Time Wrestling promotion. He occasionally teamed with George Scott, while his regular opponents included Dave Ruhl, Tiny Mills, and
Killer Kowalski Wladek Kowalski (born Edward Władysław Spulnik; October 13, 1926 – August 30, 2008) was a Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Killer Kowalski. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the ...
. In December 1961, he unsuccessfully challenged Kowalski for the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship. Bockwinkel left Canada in January 1962.


Hawaii and California (1962–1963)

In early-1962, Bockwinkel began wrestling in Hawaii for the
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
-based
50th State Big Time Wrestling 50th State Big Time Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Hawaii or Mid-Pacific Promotions) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Haw ...
promotion, where he was named the inaugural NWA United States Heavyweight Champion ''(Hawaiian version)'' on arrival. He held the title until June 1962, when he lost it to
King Curtis Iaukea Curtis Piehau Iaukea III (September 15, 1937 – December 4, 2010) was an American professional wrestler better known as King Curtis Iaukea. Iaukea won championships in several of the major regional U.S. promotions, both as a single and in vari ...
. During his run, he regularly teamed with Lord Blears and Neff Maiava, while his rivals included villains such as Curtis, Buddy Austin, and Tosh Togo. Bockwinkel left 50th State Big Time Wrestling in August 1962. Bockwinkel returned to California in September 1962, joining Roy Shire's American Wrestling Alliance, which had succeeded NWA San Francisco. He formed an "All American babyface" tag team with Wilbur Snyder, and the duo were pushed by Shire as his top babyface tag team. In November 1961, Bockwinkel and Snyder won the NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(San Francisco version)'', defeating Kinji Shibuya and Mitsu Arakawa in the
Cow Palace The Cow Palace (originally the California State Livestock Pavilion) is an indoor arena and events center located in Daly City, California, situated on the city's northern border with neighboring San Francisco. Because the border passes through t ...
. They defended the championship against teams including Dan Manoukian and Ciclón Negro and
Ray Stevens Harold Ray Ragsdale (born January 24, 1939), known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country music, country and pop singer-songwriter and comedian. He is best known for his Grammy-winning recordings "Everything Is Beautiful" and "M ...
and The Sheik before losing to Art Nielsen and Stan Nielsen in March 1963. Bockwinkel left the AWA in April 1963. Bockwinkel returned to Hawaii in April 1963. In July 1963, he defeated King Curtis to win the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship for a second time. His reign lasted until September, when he lost to Don Manoukian in a
two out of three falls match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick, gimmick matches" in the Glossary of professional wrestling terms, jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick m ...
. During his run, Bockwinkel teamed with Lord James Blears and briefly feuded with
Dick the Bruiser William Fritz Afflis Jr. (June 27, 1929 – November 10, 1991) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and National Football League player, better known by his ring name, Dick the Bruiser. During his NFL days he played four seasons with ...
. Bockwinkel subsequently left Hawaii once again, relocating to the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...
to wrestle for
Pacific Northwest Wrestling Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) (also known as Big Time Wrestling and Portland Wrestling) is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. ...
.


Pacific Northwest Wrestling (1963–1964)

In late-1963, Bockwinkel left Hawaii upon being recruited by Don Owen to join his
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-based
Pacific Northwest Wrestling Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) (also known as Big Time Wrestling and Portland Wrestling) is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. ...
promotion. He quickly began a feud with NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion
Tony Borne Anthony Wayne Osborne (July 13, 1926 – August 27, 2010) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Tough" Tony Borne. Professional wrestling career Osborne was an amateur wrestler in both high school and in the Uni ...
. In October 1963, Borne defeated Bockwinkel in a two-out-of-three falls match in which the loser was painted yellow. Later that month, Bockwinkel defeated Borne for the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship - his first major singles title. He lost the title to Mad Dog Vachon in November 1963. In December 1963, Bockwinkel formed a tag team with Nick Kozak. In March 1964, Bockwinkel and Kozak defeated Art Michalik and The Destroyer for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship. Michalik and The Destroyer regained the titles in April, but Bockwinkel and Kozak won them a second time by defeating The Destroyer and Don Manoukian (substituting for Michalik, who was injured). After Kozak himself suffered an injury, Buddy Mareno replaced him as Bockwinkel's partner. Bockwinkel and Mareno held the titles until June 1964, when they lost to Pat Patterson and Tony Borne. Bockwinkel left Pacific Northwest Wrestling the following month.


Hawaii, California, and Australia (1964–1968)

Bockwinkel returned to Hawaii in September 1964, reforging his alliance with Lord James Blears and resuming his feud with King Curtis Iaukea. In November 1964, Bockwinkel won the
NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship The NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and was defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which began in 1935. From February 1940 through 1942 the titl ...
, defeating Johnny Barend. His reign lasted until December 1964, when he lost the title to Iaukea. Over the following months, his opponents included Iaukea, Harold Fujiwara, and Hard Boiled Haggerty. Bockwinkel left Hawaii in May 1965. In September 1965, Bockwinkel returned to the Los Angeles, California-based North American Wrestling Alliance, since renamed Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA). His opponents included Luke Graham,
Pedro Morales Pedro Antonio Morales (October 22, 1942 – February 12, 2019) was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) and the World Wide Wrestling Federati ...
, El Mongol, and
Gorilla Monsoon Robert James "Gino" Marella (June 4, 1937 – October 6, 1999), better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Sports commentator, play-by-play commentator, and Glossary of profess ...
. Bockwinkel left WWA in January 1966, briefly returning to 50th State Big Time Wrestling in Hawaii before leaving for a tour of Australia. From March 1966 to June 1966, Bockwinkel wrestled in Australia with the
World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of National W ...
promotion. In his first appearance, he won a "Russian Roulette"
battle royal Battle royal (, also battle royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules, where the winner is the one who registers the most wins. In recent times, the term has been ...
in the
Sydney Stadium The Sydney Stadium was a sporting and entertainment venue in Sydney, which formerly stood on the corner of New South Head Road and Neild Avenue, Rushcutters Bay. Built in 1908, it was demolished in 1970 to make way for the construction of ...
. His regular opponents included
Killer Kowalski Wladek Kowalski (born Edward Władysław Spulnik; October 13, 1926 – August 30, 2008) was a Canadian professional wrestler, known by his ring name Killer Kowalski. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the ...
,
Pampero Firpo Juan Kachmanian (April 6, 1930 – January 9, 2020) was an Argentine-born Armenian-American professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Pampero Firpo. Early life Kachmanian was born on April 6, 1930, in Buenos ...
,
Toru Tanaka Charles J. Kalani Jr. (January 6, 1930 – August 22, 2000) was an American professional wrestler, professional boxer, martial artist and actor. He was known by the ring names Professor Toru Tanaka, or simply Professor Tanaka. He was best know ...
,
Waldo Von Erich Walter Paul Sieber (October 2, 1933 – July 5, 2009) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for performing under the ring name Waldo Von Erich, playing the character of a villainous Prussian Nazi. He was billed as the brother of ...
, and
Larry O'Dea Larry Davies (1944 – 30 June 1997) was an Australian professional wrestler best known as Larry O'Dea. He was one half of the tag team known as "The Australians" with Ron Miller. Larry made his professional wrestling debut in the 1960s fo ...
. Following his tour of Australia, Bockwinkel returned to 50th State Big Time Wrestling in Hawaii in June 1966. In August 1966, he challenged Johnny Barend for the NWA Hawaii United States Heavyweight Championship, with the match ending in a time limit draw. He faced Barend once again in October, losing to him in a two-out-of-three falls match. In November 1966, Bockwinkel returned to Worldwide Wrestling Associates, where he wrestled until January 1967. Bockwinkel made a second tour of Australia with World Championship Wrestling from January to March 1967. In his first appearance, he participated in a one-night tournament, losing to The Beast in the semi-finals. His opponents during his second stint in Australia included Dory Funk Jr., Roy Heffernan, and Rudy LaBelle. Following his second tour of Australia, Bockwinkel made a handful of appearances in Hawaii before returning to Worldwide Wrestling Associates in April 1967. His regular opponents included
Karl Gotch Karl Istaz (born Karel Alfons Ceclie Istaz; August 3, 1924 – July 28, 2007), best known by the ring name , was a competitor and trainer in Professional wrestling, professional, Amateur wrestling, amateur, and catch wrestling, born in Antwerp, B ...
, Hard Boiled Haggerty, and Ricky Romero. During his time in California, he appeared in an episode of the television series ''
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''. Bockwinkel left WWA once more in October 1967, returning to Hawaii once more until early 1968 before moving to Texas in March 1968.


Texas and Hawaii (1968–1969)

In March 1968, Bockwinkel began competing for the
West Texas West Texas is a loosely defined region in the U.S. state of Texas, generally encompassing the desert climate, arid and semiarid climate, semiarid lands west of a line drawn between the cities of Wichita Falls, Texas, Wichita Falls, Abilene, Texa ...
-based Western States Sports promotion, where he was cast as a babyface. Shortly after debuting, Bockwinkel formed a tag team with Ricky Romero, with the duo feuding with the Von Brauners. In April 1968, Bockwinkel and Romero defeated the Von Brauners for the Amarillo version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Their reign lasted until May 1968, when the Von Brauners regained the titles. Over the following months, Bockwickel continued to team with Romero as well as competing as a singles wrestler against opponents such as Gypsy Joe Rosario and Pat Patterson. In September 1968, Bockwinkel unsuccessfully challenged visiting NWA World Heavyweight Champion
Gene Kiniski Eugene Nicholas Kiniski (November 23, 1928 – April 14, 2010) was a Canadian athlete who played football for the Edmonton Eskimos and then became a three-time professional wrestling world heavyweight champion. "Canada's Greatest Athlete", as he ...
in two two-out-of-three falls matches. Bockwinkel left Western States Sports in October 1968. Bockwinkel returned to Hawaii once more in October 1968. In late-1968, he formed a tag team with Bobby Shane. In December 1968, he held the
NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship The NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and was defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which began in 1935. From February 1940 through 1942 the titl ...
for a second time. In March 1969, Bockwinkel and Shane defeated Ripper Collins and Luke Graham for the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship. Their reign ended the following month when they lost to Collins and Buddy Austin. Bockwinkel continued to compete in 50th State Big Time Wrestling until leaving in November 1969 to join
Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...
. During this stint in Hawaii, Bockwinkel was cast in an episode of the television program '' Hawaii Five-O''.


Georgia Championship Wrestling (1969–1970)

In November 1969, Bockwinkel began wrestling for the
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
-based
Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...
promotion. It was at this time that Bockwinkel "found his calling" as a heel. Having previously wrestled primarily as a babyface, Bockwinkel adopted a "cocky, uppity Beverly Hills California heel" persona in Georgia, aligning himself with the villainous tag team The Assassins. In January 1970, Bockwinkel unsuccessfully challenged visiting NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk Jr.; Funk later described Bockwinkel as "one of the best wrestling challengers for the belt. ..He was very technical, and put a lot of thought into his interviews, his talk, his work in the ring, his persona." In January 1970, Bockwinkel defeated Joe Scarpa for the NWA Georgia Television Championship. He lost the title to El Mongol in March 1970, but the title was vacated after footage showing El Mongol using an illegal karate strike was aired; Bockwinkel defeated El Mongol in a rematch later that month. Bockwinkel's second reign ended in April 1970 when he was defeated by his former ally Assassin #2; after The Assassins were suspended and Assassin #2 was stripped of the title, Bockwinkel defeated Joe Scarpa in June 1970 to win the vacant title. His third and final reign ended in August 1970 when he lost to Bobby Shane. In April 1970, Bockwinkel defeated Assassin #2 for the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship. He held the title until July 1970, when he lost to Paul DeMarco. Bockwinkel regained the title from DeMarco later that month, with his second reign lasting until September 1970 when he lost to
Buddy Colt Ron Read (January 13, 1936 – March 3, 2021), known professionally as Buddy Colt, Ty Colt and "Cowboy" Ron Read, was an American professional wrestler who worked in NWA promotions including the St. Louis Wrestling Club, Championship Wrestlin ...
. Following his loss to Colt, Bockwinkel left Georgia, briefly returning to Hawaii once more before joining the
Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
-based American Wrestling Association. Bockwinkel's appearances in Georgia were described by Jim Zordani as " howingthe wrestling world he was more than capable of being the top heel in a promotion".


American Wrestling Association (1970–1987)


Tag Team Champion reigns (1970–1975)

In December 1970, Bockwinkel began wrestling for the
Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
-based American Wrestling Association (AWA). Over the following months, he went on a lengthy undefeated streak (albeit while losing some matches by disqualification and count-out), with his regular opponents including Edouard Carpentier, Kenny Jay, and
Paul Diamond Thomas Boric (born May 11, 1961) is a Croatian-Canadian retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name Paul Diamond. He is best known for being one half of the tag team Badd Company with Pat Tanaka and for his time in the Worl ...
. He sustained his first defeat in September 1971 when he unsuccessfully challenged
AWA World Heavyweight Champion The AWA World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling professional wrestling championship#World championships, world heavyweight championship and the highest ranked championship in the defunct American Wrestling Association (AWA). A ...
Verne Gagne the Minnesota Golden Gophers wrestling, Minnesota Golden Gophers Laverne Clarence "Verne" Gagne ( ; February 26, 1926 – April 27, 2015) was an American amateur wrestling, amateur and professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Amer ...
. In August 1971, Bockwinkel began teaming with
Ray Stevens Harold Ray Ragsdale (born January 24, 1939), known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country music, country and pop singer-songwriter and comedian. He is best known for his Grammy-winning recordings "Everything Is Beautiful" and "M ...
. The duo became "the most hated AWA grapplers of the early 1970s"; they ultimately wrestled over 300 matches together. The tag team was formed when Bockwinkel interfered in a bout between Stevens and
Red Bastien Rolland "Red" Bastien (January 27, 1931 – August 11, 2012) was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler best known for his time in Capitol Wrestling Corporation, Capital Wrestling Corporation where he was a three-time WWWF ...
. Bockwinkel and Stevens went on to feud with Bastien and The Crusher, the then- AWA World Tag Team Champions. In January 1972, Bockwinkel and Stevens defeated Bastien and The Crusher for the titles in a
two out of three falls match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick, gimmick matches" in the Glossary of professional wrestling terms, jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick m ...
, winning the final fall when Bockwinkel kicked Bastien in the stomach as he attempted to give Stevens an atomic drop. They successfully defended the titles in a series of rematches with Bastien and The Crusher, as well as other challengers such as
Billy Robinson William Alfred Robinson (18 September 1938 – 27 February 2014) was an English professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and coach. Having trained at Billy Riley's gym, better known as " The Snake Pit" in Wigan, Robinson was one of the leadin ...
and Dr. X, The Vachon Brothers, and Billy Robinson and Wahoo McDaniel. During 1972, Bockwinkel and Stevens also competed in
Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida professional wrestling promotion, wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it close ...
- where they briefly held the
NWA Florida Tag Team Championship The NWA Florida Tag Team Championship is the primary tag team title in NWA Florida Underground Wrestling. It started out in 1968 as the main tag team title in Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was ...
- and several other promotions. Their reign as AWA World Tag Team Champions finally ended in December 1972 when they lost to the "dream team" of Billy Robinson and Verne Gagne. In January 1973, Bockwinkel and Stevens regained the AWA World Tag Team Championship from Gagne and Robinson in a two out of three falls match. Over the next 18 months, they defended the titles against teams such as the Texas Outlaws (
Dick Murdoch Hoyt Richard Murdoch (August 16, 1946 – June 15, 1996) was an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and "Captain Redneck". He was best known for his time in the NWA, WWE, Wo ...
and
Dusty Rhodes Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. (October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who worked for the National Wrestling Alliance ...
), The Crusher and Mad Dog Vachon, and Billy Robinson and a series of partners including
Don Muraco Don Muraco (born September 10, 1949) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation from 1981 to 1988, where he held the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship on ...
, Geoff Portz,
Ken Patera Kenneth Wayne Patera (born November 6, 1942) is an American retired professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and strongman competitor. He was well known in the World Wrestling Federation from 1976 to 1981, 1984 to 1985 and 1987 to 1988 a ...
, Red Bastien, and Wahoo McDaniel. Magazine ''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
'' named Bockwinkel and Stevens its " Tag Team of the Year" for 1973. Their second reign ended in July 1974 when they lost to Billy Robinson and The Crusher in a two out of three falls match in a match with Greg Gagne as special guest referee. Following their title loss, Bockwinkel and Stevens began feuding with Greg Gagne and his partner
Jim Brunzell James Brunzell (born August 13, 1949), best known under the ring name "Jumping" Jim Brunzell, is an American retired professional wrestler known for his successful tag teams, Brunzell performed for various wrestling promotions during his 21-year ...
. Claiming that there was a "conspiracy" against them, in August 1974 Bockwinkel and Stevens introduced
Bobby Heenan Raymond Louis Heenan (November 1, 1944 – September 17, 2017) was an American professional wrestling Manager (professional wrestling), manager, color commentator, and wrestler. He performed with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), the Wo ...
as their
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
to protect their interests. In October 1974, Bockwinkel and Stevens regained the AWA World Tag Team Championship from Robinson and The Crusher following interference from Heenan. In November 1974, Bockwinkel and Stevens participated in the
International Wrestling Enterprise was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1966 to 1981. Founded by Isao Yoshihara, it was affiliated with the American Wrestling Association in the United States and also had tie-ins with promotions in Canada and Europe. In 1972, it ...
World Championship Series tournament in Japan, during which they defended their titles against The Great Kusatsu and
Rusher Kimura was a Japanese professional wrestler, best known by his ring name . He was a five-time IWA World Heavyweight Champion, making him a five-time world champion. Sumo wrestling career He was a sumo wrestler under the ''shikona'' Kinomura, a d ...
. On January 25, 1975, an angry fan fired a gun at Heenan in Chicago's
International Amphitheatre The International Amphitheatre was an indoor arena located in Chicago, Illinois, that opened in 1934 and was demolished in 1999. It was located on the west side of Halsted Street, at 42nd Street, on the city's south side, in the Canaryville neig ...
after Heenan interfered in Bockwinkel's match; neither Heenan nor Bockwinkel were hit, but several audience members at ringside were injured. Over the following months, Bockwinkel and Stevens defended their titles against challengers including the High Flyers (Gagne and Brunzell), Dusty Rhodes and Superstar Billy Graham, and Dusty Rhodes and
Larry Hennig Larry Hennig (June 18, 1936 – December 6, 2018) was an American professional wrestler. He was the father of "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, and the grandfather of Curtis Axel and Amy "Ms. Perfect" Hennig. He worked in the American Wrestling Ass ...
. Their third and final reign ended in August 1975 when they were defeated by The Crusher and
Dick the Bruiser William Fritz Afflis Jr. (June 27, 1929 – November 10, 1991) was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and National Football League player, better known by his ring name, Dick the Bruiser. During his NFL days he played four seasons with ...
. The team dissolved shortly thereafter when Stevens departed the AWA, with Bobby Duncum allying with Bockwinkel in November 1975.


First reign as World Heavyweight Champion (1975–1980)

In 1975, AWA co-founder and World Heavyweight Champion Verne Gagne proposed that he transition the title to his son, Greg Gagne. His business partner, Wally Karbo, proposed Bockwinkel as an alternative. Bockwinkel went on to defeat Verne Gagne for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship on November 8, 1975, at the age of 40 in the St. Paul Civic Center in
Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...
, ending Gagne's seven-year reign. The match ended when Bobby Duncum interfered, enabling Bockwinkel to pin Gagne. Throughout 1976, Bockwinkel defended the AWA World Heavyweight Championship against challengers including Gagne,
Larry Hennig Larry Hennig (June 18, 1936 – December 6, 2018) was an American professional wrestler. He was the father of "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, and the grandfather of Curtis Axel and Amy "Ms. Perfect" Hennig. He worked in the American Wrestling Ass ...
,
Pampero Firpo Juan Kachmanian (April 6, 1930 – January 9, 2020) was an Argentine-born Armenian-American professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Pampero Firpo. Early life Kachmanian was born on April 6, 1930, in Buenos ...
, Joe Blanchard, Jos LeDuc,
Peter Maivia Fanene Leifi Pita Maivia (born Fanene Pita Anderson; April 6, 1937 – June 13, 1982), better known as Peter Maivia, was a Samoan-American professional wrestler, actor and stunt coordinator. Maivia was the grandfather of Dwayne Johnson, Dwayne ...
, Art Thomas, and The Crusher. Bockwinkel also teamed with Heenan and Bobby Duncum to face the High Flyers and various partners in a series of six-man tag team matches. In August 1976, Bockwinkel defended the AWA World Heavyweight Championship against
André the Giant André René Roussimoff (; 19 May 1946 – 28 January 1993), better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Dubbed "the Eighth Wonder of the World", Roussimoff was known for his great size, which ...
in a bout at
Comiskey Park Comiskey Park was a ballpark in Chicago, Illinois, located in the Armour Square neighborhood on the near-south side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Built by Wh ...
in
Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, that ended in a double disqualification. Following stints in Japan, California, and Florida, Ray Stevens returned to the AWA in late 1976. Stevens reunited with Bockwinkel and Heenan, who had by now also been joined by Blackjack Lanza (who held the AWA World Tag Team Championship with Bobby Duncum) in what was known as the " Heenan Family". Stevens was often overlooked by Heenan, who would ignore or interrupt him during televised interviews on ''All Star Wrestling'', angering Stevens. On the December 25, 1976, episode of ''All Star Wrestling'', Heenan was presented with a " Manager of the Year" trophy by ''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
'' editor
Bill Apter William Stanley Apter (born October 22, 1945) is an American journalist and photographer specializing in professional wrestling. He was an editorial staff member and photographer for several magazines during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, notably ''P ...
. In his acceptance speech, Heenan thanked Bockwinkel, Duncum, and Lanza (overlooking Stevens), then insulted Stevens when he attempted to congratulate him. An incensed Stevens knocked down Heenan and Bockwinkel and shattered Heenan's trophy before being beaten down by the Heenan Family. The
angle In Euclidean geometry, an angle can refer to a number of concepts relating to the intersection of two straight Line (geometry), lines at a Point (geometry), point. Formally, an angle is a figure lying in a Euclidean plane, plane formed by two R ...
saw Stevens
turn To turn is to rotate, either continuously like a wheel turns on its axle, or in a finite motion changing an object's orientation. Turn may also refer to: Sports and games * Turn (game), a segment of a game * Turn (poker), the fourth of five co ...
face The face is the front of the head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affect th ...
and begin feuding with the Heenan Family. In 1977, Bockwinkel defended the AWA World Heavyweight Championship against Stevens as well as other challengers such as Billy Robinson , The Crusher,
Ernie Ladd Ernest L. Ladd (November 28, 1938 – March 10, 2007), nicknamed "the Big Cat", was an American professional American football, football defensive tackle and professional wrestling, professional wrestler. A standout athlete in high school, Ladd ...
,
Les Thornton Les Thornton (9 April 1934 – 1 February 2019) was a British professional wrestler who competed in Great Britain, Japan, European and North American regional promotions throughout the 1970s and 1980s including Joint Promotions, Stampede Wrestli ...
,
Pedro Morales Pedro Antonio Morales (October 22, 1942 – February 12, 2019) was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) and the World Wide Wrestling Federati ...
, and
Terry Funk Terrance Dee Funk (June 30, 1944 – August 23, 2023) was an American professional wrestler and actor. Widely considered one of the most influential and greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Funk was known for the longevity of his car ...
. In 1978, he faced new challengers such as
John Tolos John Tolos, nicknamed "The Golden Greek", (April 5, 1931 – May 28, 2009) was a Canadian professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager. Professional wrestling career Tolos was born on April 5, 1931, in Hamilton, Ontario to G ...
,
Bob Armstrong Joseph Melton James (October 3, 1939 – August 27, 2020) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. In the course of his career, which spanned five decades, Armstrong held numerous championsh ...
, Mr. Wrestling II,
Rocky Johnson Rocky Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles; August 24, 1944 – January 15, 2020) was a Canadian professional wrestler. Among many National Wrestling Alliance titles, he was the first Black NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion as well as the NWA Tel ...
,
Tommy Rich Thomas Richardson (born July 26, 1956) is an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Tommy "Wildfire" Rich. He is a one time former National Wrestling Alliance NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Wo ...
, Rufus R. Jones, and
Angelo Mosca Angelo Valentino Mosca (February 13, 1937 – November 6, 2021) was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. He was a defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As a wrestler, Mosca was known by the nick ...
, as well as old opponents such as Verne Gagne, Greg Gagne, Billy Robinson, The Crusher, and André the Giant. In December 1978, Bockwinkel and Blackjack Lanza toured Japan with
All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Puroresu, Japanese professional wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on October 21, 1972, by Giant Baba after he left the Japanese Wrestling Association to create his own promotion. Ma ...
, competing in the annual
World's Strongest Tag Determination League __NOTOC__ The , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually, run on the first weeks of December. The first tournament was actuall ...
. Bockwinkel began 1979 by successfully defending his title against challengers from around the world such as
Dino Bravo Adolfo Bresciano (; August 6, 1948 – March 10, 1993), better known by the ring name Dino Bravo (), was an Italian-Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter, promoter. After training under Gino ...
, Jumbo Tsuruta, and Tiger Jeet Singh. In March 1979, Bockwinkel faced WWWF Champion
Bob Backlund Robert Louis Backlund (born August 14, 1949) is an American retired amateur wrestling, amateur and Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Fede ...
in the first ever American Wrestling Association and
World Wide Wrestling Federation Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) was an American sports promotion company. Run by Vincent J. McMahon from the 1950s until the 1980s, the company was originally a professional wrestling and boxing promotion and later became the holding company ...
title versus title bout, with the match ending in a double count-out. In April 1979, Bockwinkel appeared with Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, defending his title against challengers such as Johnny Weaver and
Paul Orndorff Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr. (October 29, 1949 – July 12, 2021), nicknamed "Mr. Wonderful", was an American professional wrestler and football player, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Champions ...
. Back in the AWA, Bockwinkel's challengers throughout the remainder of the year included
Ricky Steamboat Richard Henry Blood Sr. (born February 28, 1953), better known by his ring name Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat, is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his work with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), Jim Crockett Promo ...
, Bill Dundee,
Rick Martel Richard Vigneault (born March 18, 1956) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler, trainer, and television presenter, better known by his ring name, "The Model" Rick Martel. He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling As ...
,
Bruiser Brody Frank Donald Goodish (June 18, 1946 – July 17, 1988) was an American professional wrestler who earned his greatest fame under the ring name Bruiser Brody. He also worked as King Kong Brody, the Masked Marauder, and Red River Jack. Over the year ...
,
Bobo Brazil Houston Harris (July 10, 1924 – January 20, 1998) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Bobo Brazil. Credited with breaking down barriers of racial segregation in professional wrestling, Harris is considered one o ...
, and Super Destroyer Mark II, as well as old adversaries such as Greg Gagne and The Crusher. In September 1979, Bockwinkel returned to Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, where he faced NWA World Television Champion
Ricky Steamboat Richard Henry Blood Sr. (born February 28, 1953), better known by his ring name Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat, is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his work with the American Wrestling Association (AWA), Jim Crockett Promo ...
in a title versus title match that ended in a disqualification (meaning the title did not change hands). In October 1979, Bockwinkel wrestled in Japan for
International Wrestling Enterprise was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1966 to 1981. Founded by Isao Yoshihara, it was affiliated with the American Wrestling Association in the United States and also had tie-ins with promotions in Canada and Europe. In 1972, it ...
as part of its "Dynamite Series" tour; during the tour, he faced IWA World Heavyweight Champion
Rusher Kimura was a Japanese professional wrestler, best known by his ring name . He was a five-time IWA World Heavyweight Champion, making him a five-time world champion. Sumo wrestling career He was a sumo wrestler under the ''shikona'' Kinomura, a d ...
in a title versus title bout that ended with Bockwinkel being disqualified (meaning the title did not change hands). Bockwinkel began 1980 with defences against opponents such as The Crusher, Mad Dog Vachon, Kintarō Ōki, Wahoo McDaniel, and Scott Casey. His reign finally came to an end after 1,716 days when he was defeated by Verne Gagne in a bout in Comiskey Park on July 18, 1980, losing to Gagne's signature sleeper hold.


Second reign as World Heavyweight Champion (1981–1982)

Bockwinkel (left) wrestling Hulk Hogan in 1982. Immediately following his loss to Gagne, Bockwinkel challenged
World Wrestling Association The World Wrestling Association (WWA) (Asociación Mundial de Lucha Libre in Spanish language, Spanish) is a lucha libre promotion based in the Tijuana-area of Mexico. It was founded in 1986 by Benjamin Mora Jr.. It featured some of Mexico's best ...
World Heavyweight Champion Dick the Bruiser in what had been marketed as a title-versus-title match; the bout ended in a draw. Over the following months, Bockwinkel faced a series of the AWA's top faces. In November and December 1980, Bockwinkel once again toured Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling; he competed in the World's Strongest Tag Determination League alongside Jim Brunzell, placing fourth. After returning from Japan, Bockwinkel unveiled his new finishing move, the "Oriental Sleeper". Throughout early 1981, Bockwinkel received a series of title shots against Gagne, but failed to defeat him. The feud culminated in a final bout between Bockwinkel and Gagne in the St. Paul Civic Center on May 10, 1981, which Gagne once again won using his sleeper hold. Gagne retired following the match, and the AWA World Heavyweight Championship was awarded back to Bockwinkel - the number one contender - on May 19, 1981. This move infuriated AWA fans, solidifying Bockwinkel's status as one of the most despised wrestlers in the world. Throughout the remainder of 1981, Bockwinkel faced fresh challengers such as
Tito Santana Merced Solis (born May 10, 1953), better known by the ring name Tito Santana, is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Professional wrestling school, trainer, and retired school teacher. Solis has stayed a Face (profession ...
, Pat Patterson, Baron von Raschke, and
Adnan Al-Kaissie Adnan bin Abdul Kareem Ahmed Alkaissy El Farthie (; March 1, 1939 – September 6, 2023), better known professionally as Adnan Al-Kaissie, was an Iraqi-American professional wrestler and manager best known as Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey, Billy White ...
. He also defended the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in other promotions, facing opponents such as a young
Bret Hart Bret Sergeant Hart (born July 2, 1957) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. A member of the Hart wrestling family and a second-generation wrestler, he has an amateur wrestling background at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal U ...
in
Stampede Wrestling Stampede Wrestling was a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta. For nearly 50 years, it was one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies. Originally established by Stu Hart in 1948, the prom ...
and Tony Atlas in Houston Wrestling. In December 1981, he appeared in
Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (, ), is the capital of the States of Germany, German state of the Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (), a two-city-state consisting of the c ...
, Germany with the
Catch Wrestling Association The Catch Wrestling Association (CWA) was a professional wrestling organization based in Austria and Germany that was founded as the Internationalen Berufsringer Verbandes (IBV) in 1973. Since the late 1980s it has been known as the CWA in honour ...
, defending the AWA World Heavyweight Championship against Austrian wrestler
Otto Wanz Otto Wanz (; 13 June 1943 – 14 September 2017) was an Austrian professional wrestler and boxer. He made his professional wrestling debut in 1968. He is a one time American Wrestling Association champion and former operator of the Catch ...
in a bout that went to a time limit draw. In January 1982, Bockwinkel made another tour of Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling as part of its "New Year Giant Series". Back in the AWA, Bockwinkel began feuding with
Hulk Hogan Terry Gene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as a brand ambassador. Known for his flamboyance and massive physiq ...
, who Verne Gagne had signed after Hogan left the World Wrestling Federation. Hogan had swiftly become the AWA's top babyface, with his popularity booming further following the release of ''
Rocky III ''Rocky III'' is a 1982 American sports drama film written and directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. The film is the sequel to ''Rocky II'' (1979) and the third installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise. It also stars Talia Shire, Burt You ...
'' (in which Hogan appeared) in May 1982. In March 1982, Hogan defeated Bockwinkel and Heenan in a non-title
handicap match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick, gimmick matches" in the Glossary of professional wrestling terms, jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick m ...
in the
International Amphitheatre The International Amphitheatre was an indoor arena located in Chicago, Illinois, that opened in 1934 and was demolished in 1999. It was located on the west side of Halsted Street, at 42nd Street, on the city's south side, in the Canaryville neig ...
in
Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. Hogan went on to repeatedly challenge Bockwinkel for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, with the matches generally ending in disqualifications (meaning the title did not change hands). In April 1982, Hogan defeated Bockwinkel and was declared the new champion, only for the decisions to be overturned by AWA president Stanley Blackburn due to the use of a foreign object during the match. During mid-1982, Bockwinkel made multiple defences of his title in other promotions, facing challengers such as Bret Hart, Keith Hart, Mr. Hito, and David Schultz in Stampede Wrestling,
Dick Slater Richard Van Slater (May 19, 1951 – October 18, 2018) better known by his ring name "Dirty" Dick Slater, was an American professional wrestler who wrestled in the 1970s, 1980s, and mid-1990s for various promotions including Mid-Atlantic Champ ...
in Houston Wrestling, and
Bruiser Brody Frank Donald Goodish (June 18, 1946 – July 17, 1988) was an American professional wrestler who earned his greatest fame under the ring name Bruiser Brody. He also worked as King Kong Brody, the Masked Marauder, and Red River Jack. Over the year ...
in
Southwest Championship Wrestling Southwest Championship Wrestling (SCW) was a professional wrestling promotion that was owned by Joe Blanchard and based in San Antonio, Texas, from 1978 to 1985, when it was purchased by Texas All-Star Wrestling and absorbed into that company. ...
. His second reign came to an end on August 29, 1982, when he lost to Otto Wanz in the St. Paul Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The loss - regarded as a major upset - reportedly came about after Wanz offered Verne Gagne $50,000 () in return for a run as AWA World Heavyweight Champion, enabling him to bill himself as a former world champion.


Third reign as World Heavyweight Champion (1982–1984)

Bockwinkel faced Otto Wanz in a series of rematches, eventually defeating him to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship for a third time on October 9, 1982, in the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois. Two days later, Bockwinkel appeared with the
Continental Wrestling Association Continental Wrestling Association (later the Championship Wrestling Association) was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually ...
in the Mid-South Coliseum in
Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
, where he defeated
Jerry Lawler Jerry O'Neil Lawler (born November 29, 1949), better known as Jerry "the King" Lawler, is an American retired color commentator and professional wrestler signed to WWE under a Legends contract. Prior to joining the World Wrestling Federati ...
to win the
AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship The AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship was a major professional wrestling championship (professional wrestling), title in the Continental Wrestling Association during the 1970s and 1980s. The title is part of a long lineage that was started wh ...
. Bockwinkel spent the next month as a dual champion before losing the title back to Lawler in a no disqualification "title versus hair" match. Bockwinkel closed out 1982 with successful defences of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship against challengers such as
Rick Martel Richard Vigneault (born March 18, 1956) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler, trainer, and television presenter, better known by his ring name, "The Model" Rick Martel. He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling As ...
, Mike Graham, Tito Santana, Jim Brunzell, and Baron von Raschke. On December 27, 1982, the AWA World Heavyweight Championship was held up after a match between Bockwinkel and Jerry Lawler ended in controversial circumstances; Bockwinkel defeated Lawler the following month to confirm his status as champion. Throughout 1983, Bockwinkel faced challengers such as Pat Patterson, Rick Martel, Baron von Raschke, Jerry Lawler, Wahoo McDaniel, and Brad Rheingans. In April 1983, Bockwinkel defended his title against Hulk Hogan once more at the Super Sunday supercard in the St. Paul Civic Center, which was attended by over 18,000 fans with over 4,000 more fans watching on
closed-circuit television Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signa ...
in the
Roy Wilkins Auditorium Roy Wilkins Auditorium (nicknamed The Roy) is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. Designed by the renowned municipal architect Clarence W. Wigington, it was built in 1932 as an arena extension to the existing ''St. Paul Aud ...
, with Lord James Blears as special guest referee. Hogan won the bout (and the title) by pinfall following a
leg drop A leg drop or legdrop refers to an attack used in professional wrestling in which an attacking wrestler will jump and land his leg across a fallen opponent's chest, throat, face or head or in some cases, the groin/lower-abdominal area. The mov ...
, but subsequently AWA president Stanley Blackburn overturned the decision on the basis that Hogan had thrown Bockwinkel over the top rope (an illegal maneuver in the AWA), infuriating fans. Behind the scenes, disputes between Hogan and Verne Gagne led Hogan to depart the AWA later that year to return to the WWF, where he was swiftly made WWF Champion and became a global star. In July 1983, Bockwinkel returned to All Japan Pro Wrestling as part of its " Grand Champion Carnival III" tour, facing opponents such as
Genichiro Tenryu , better known as is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling. "Tenryu" was h ...
and Jumbo Tsuruta. Bockwinkel began 1984 with defences against challengers such as Dino Bravo, Jerry Lawler, and Brad Rheingans. He had a short feud with his former ally Blackjack Lanza, who left the Heenan Family after being berated by Bobby Heenan for losing to Greg Gagne; Bockwinkel also faced Lanza and his new partner
Blackjack Mulligan Robert Deroy Windham (November 25, 1942 – April 7, 2016), better known by his ring name Blackjack Mulligan, was an American professional wrestler and American football player. He was the father of wrestlers Barry and Kendall Windham, father- ...
in a series of tag team matches. In February 1984, Bockwinkel returned to All Japan Pro Wrestling as part of its "Excite Series" tour; on February 23 in the Kuramae Kokugikan in
Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, Bockwinkel faced NWA International Heavyweight Champion Jumbo Tsuruta in a title versus title match with Terry Funk as the guest referee. The bout was won by Tsuruta, bringing Bockwinkel's third reign as champion to an end. Similarly to Otto Wanz in 1982, Tsuruta's victory reportedly came about after All Japan Pro Wrestling owner Giant Baba paid Verne Gagne a "sizeable sum of money" for Tsuruta to have a short reign as AWA World Heavyweight Champion.


Tag team with Mr. Saito; feud with Larry Zbyszko (1984–1986)

In spring 1984, Bockwinkel unsuccessfully attempted to regain the AWA World Heavyweight Championship from Jumbo Tsuruta in a series of bouts. After
Rick Martel Richard Vigneault (born March 18, 1956) is a Canadian retired professional wrestler, trainer, and television presenter, better known by his ring name, "The Model" Rick Martel. He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling As ...
won the title from Tsuruta in May 1984, Bockwinkel was his first challenger. In July 1984, Bockwinkel formed a tag team with Mr. Saito and began a lengthy feud with The Fabulous Ones that lasted to the end of the year. In September 1984, Bockwinkel's long-time manager Bobby Heenan left the AWA to join the World Wrestling Federation, ending their decade-long association. In December 1984, Bockwinkel returned to All Japan Pro Wrestling, participating in that year's World's Strongest Tag Determination League with
Harley Race Harley Leland Race (April 11, 1943 – August 1, 2019) was an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling promotion, promoter, and trainer. Race wrestled in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the American Wrestling Association (AW ...
as his partner. Bockwinkel and Saito continued to team in early 1985, facing teams such as Curt Hennig and
Larry Hennig Larry Hennig (June 18, 1936 – December 6, 2018) was an American professional wrestler. He was the father of "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, and the grandfather of Curtis Axel and Amy "Ms. Perfect" Hennig. He worked in the American Wrestling Ass ...
,
The Road Warriors The Road Warriors, also known as the Legion of Doom, were a professional wrestling tag team originally composed of Road Warrior Hawk (Michael Hegstrand) and Road Warrior Animal (Joseph Laurinaitis).. They performed under the name "The Road W ...
, and The High Flyers (Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell) before separating in April 1985 when Mr. Saito left the AWA due to legal issues. That same month, Bockwinkel reformed his tag team with Ray Stevens. In July 1985, the team was joined by Larry Zbyszko, with the trio feuding with Greg Gagne and Sgt. Slaughter. At the inaugural
SuperClash SuperClash was a series of major professional wrestling shows promoted by the American Wrestling Association (AWA) between 1985 and 1990, often co-promoted with other North American wrestling promotions. AWA held a total of four SuperClash shows, ...
supercard event on September 28, 1985, in Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois - which was attended by over 20,000 people - Bockwinkel competed on the undercard in a six-man tag team match, teaming with Stevens and Zbyszko in a loss to
Curt Hennig Curtis Michael Hennig (March 28, 1958 – February 10, 2003), better known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler. Considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time by peers, critics, and fans, he per ...
, Greg Gagne, and
Scott Hall Scott Oliver Hall (October 20, 1958 – March 14, 2022) was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his tenures with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under his real name and with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE ...
. In November and December 1985, Bockwinkel once again participated in the All Japan Pro Wrestling
World's Strongest Tag Determination League __NOTOC__ The , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually, run on the first weeks of December. The first tournament was actuall ...
, teaming with Curt Hennig. On the December 3, 1985, episode of ''AWA on ESPN'', Zbyszko faced Greg Gagne with Bockwinkel on
color commentary A color commentator or expert commentator is a sports commentator who assists the main (play-by-play) commentator, typically by filling in when play is not in progress. The person may also be referred to as a summariser (outside North America) ...
at ringside. The match ended in a disqualification when Zbyszko struck Gagne in the midsection with a ''
nunchaku is a traditional East-Asian martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately (sticks) and (rope). A person who has pract ...
''. Following the match, Zbyszko struck Gagne in the back of the head, then hit Bockwinkel as he remonstrated with him. The angle saw the alliance between Zbyszko and Bockwinkel end, with Bockwinkel turning face for the first time since joining the AWA in 1970. In January 1986, Bockwinkel challenged NWA World Heavyweight Champion
Ric Flair Richard Morgan Fliehr (born February 25, 1949), known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Flair's career spanned 50 years. He is ...
at the
Winnipeg Arena Winnipeg Arena was an indoor arena located in the Polo Park district of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The arena was the city's premier ice hockey venue from 1955 to 2004 and is best remembered as the home of the first Winnipeg Jets franchise, whi ...
in
Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
; the bout ended in a double count out. Bockwinkel faced Zbyszko in a series of increasingly violent matches throughout early 1986, including Texas death matches and
steel cage match Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Gimmick, gimmick matches" in the Glossary of professional wrestling terms, jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick m ...
es.


Final reign as World Heavyweight Champion (1986–1987)

In April 1986, Bockwinkel began challenging AWA World Heavyweight Champion
Stan Hansen John Stanley Hansen II (born August 29, 1949), best known as Stan "the Lariat" Hansen, is an American retired professional wrestler. Hansen is known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributed to his poor eyesight, and for his gimmick a ...
. At that month's WrestleRock 86 supercard event in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bockwinkel defeated Hansen by disqualification (meaning the title did not change hands). After Hansen no-showed a scheduled title defence against Bockwinkel due to a prior touring commitment with All Japan Pro Wrestling, Verne Gagne stripped him of the title and Bockwinkel was named the new champion (by forfeiture) for a fourth and final time on June 28, 1986, at the age of 52. A disgruntled Hansen defended the title belt in Japan, then upon his return to the United States ran it over with his car and mailed the fragments to Gagne. Throughout the remainder of 1986, Bockwinkel defended the title against Larry Zbyszko and other challengers such as Boris Zhukov, Nord the Barbarian, and Scott Hall, as well as wrestling Curt Henning to a time limit draw in an hour-long bout. In 1987, he faced challengers such as Leon White, The Super Ninja, Austin Idol, and Colonel DeBeers. His fourth and final reign as AWA World Heavyweight Champion ended on May 2, 1987, when he lost to Curt Hennig at SuperClash II in the
Cow Palace The Cow Palace (originally the California State Livestock Pavilion) is an indoor arena and events center located in Daly City, California, situated on the city's northern border with neighboring San Francisco. Because the border passes through t ...
in
San Francisco, California San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
. The match ended in controversial fashion due to interference by Larry Zbyszko, who handed a roll of coins to Hennig to use on Bockwinkel. Verne Gagne had reportedly originally intended to reverse the decision and return the title to Bockwinkel, but decided to keep the title on Hennig due to the strong reception to him during the match and a desire to prevent Hennig from leaving the AWA for the World Wrestling Federation. Bockwinkel wrestled his final match for the AWA on August 2, 1987, unsuccessfully challenging Curt Hennig. In August and September 1987 he made his final appearances with All Japan Pro Wrestling as part of its "Summer Action Series II" tour. On November 16, he participated in a World Wrestling Federation
battle royal Battle royal (, also battle royale) traditionally refers to a fight involving many combatants, usually conducted under either boxing or wrestling rules, where the winner is the one who registers the most wins. In recent times, the term has been ...
at the
Brendan Byrne Arena Meadowlands Arena (formerly Brendan Byrne Arena, Continental Airlines Arena and Izod Center) is a closed indoor sports and concert venue located in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Since closing, ...
in
East Rutherford, New Jersey East Rutherford is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an inner suburb, inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 Unit ...
, alongside multiple other veteran wrestlers, with former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz prevailing. Bockwinkel subsequently retired from professional wrestling, marking the end of a career that spanned four decades.


Retirement (1987–2015)

With the American Wrestling Association declining, in 1987 Bockwinkel approached the World Wrestling Federation and was hired as a road agent. He also serving as a color commentator for occasional televised events after having been introduced at an arena show by Bobby Heenan as his replacement for the night. In December 1987, he served as special guest referee for a bout between
Randy Savage Randy Mario Poffo (November 15, 1952 – May 20, 2011), better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler and professional baseball player, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation ( ...
and The Honky Tonk Man. He was released in 1989 due to budget cuts, after which he began working in
financial services Financial services are service (economics), economic services tied to finance provided by financial institutions. Financial services encompass a broad range of tertiary sector of the economy, service sector activities, especially as concerns finan ...
. Bockwinkel made a return to the ring for one night in December 1990, facing
Masa Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Mr. Saito or . He wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestle ...
in a bout for
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a Puroresu, Japanese professional-wrestling Professional wrestling promotion, promotion founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, and based in Nakano, Tokyo. It is currently majority owned by card-game company Bushiroad, with TV As ...
held in the Hamamatsu Arena in
Hamamatsu is a Cities of Japan, city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. In September 2023, the city had an estimated population of 780,128 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, with a population density of over the t ...
, Japan. He made a second return in May 1992, wrestling
Billy Robinson William Alfred Robinson (18 September 1938 – 27 February 2014) was an English professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and coach. Having trained at Billy Riley's gym, better known as " The Snake Pit" in Wigan, Robinson was one of the leadin ...
to a time limit draw in an
exhibition match An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, scrimmage, demonstration, training match, pre-season game, warmup match, or preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sporting event whose prize money and impact on the playe ...
for
UWF International Union of Wrestling Forces International, better known as UWF International, U-Inter, or simply UWFi, was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1991 to 1996. The UWF international was the successor to the ''Newborn UWF'' th ...
held in the
Yokohama Arena is an indoor arena located in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five-minute walk from the ...
in
Yokohama is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...
, Japan. Bockwinkel wrestled his last ever match on May 23, 1993, for
World Championship Wrestling World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of National W ...
at the
pay-per-view Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast. Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program ...
Slamboree 1993: A Legends' Reunion (which featured multiple veteran wrestlers), going to a time limit draw with former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk Jr. In 1994, Bockwinkel became the on-screen commissioner of World Championship Wrestling. His run as commissioner quietly ended in the summer of 1995, although he was last mentioned as commissioner on a November 1995 edition of ''
WCW Monday Nitro ''WCW Monday Nitro'', also known as ''WCW Nitro'' or simply ''Nitro'', is an American professional wrestling television program that was produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and broadcast weekly every Monday night on TNT (American TV ...
'' when WCW attorney Nick Lambrose stripped The Giant of the
WCW World Heavyweight Championship The WCW World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship originally used in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and later, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It was the original world title of ...
. He was released by WCW in December 1995. In 2000, Bockwinkel and
Yoshiaki Fujiwara is a Japanese professional wrestler, trainer and wrestling promoter. He is famous for his long career in wrestling, having worked in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (ZERO-ONE), and the two incarnations of shoot style pro ...
served as commissioners for a short-lived "
shoot-style Shoot wrestling is a Japanese hybrid grappling style and combat sport. Shoot wrestling incorporates techniques from various wrestling, submission grappling, kickboxing and karate styles. It was particularly inspired and influenced by catch wrest ...
" promotion, the Japan Pro Wrestling Association. On March 29, 2010, Bockwinkel made a guest appearance on
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
'' Raw'', where he was one of several "legends" at ringside for a lumberjack match between
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
and
Ted Dibiase Theodore Marvin DiBiase Sr. (; born January 18, 1954) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager, and color commentator. He is signed to WWE as of 2024, where he works in their Legends program. DiBiase achieved championship succ ...
.


Legacy

Bockwinkel was known for his technical wrestling ability and in-ring psychology.
Bob Backlund Robert Louis Backlund (born August 14, 1949) is an American retired amateur wrestling, amateur and Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Fede ...
wrote in his autobiography that "Nick had a great head for the game, a wonderful sense of ring psychology, and an uncanny ability to use his intelligence and cockiness to get under the people's skin. He was a terrific representative for the AWA and was the key player in the success of the AWA for a long time." Backlund goes on to say, "He was a very intelligent, well-spoken, and cocky heel, and his in-ring skills were right up there with the very best in the business." In the book ''50 Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time: The Definitive Shoot'', author Larry Matysik named Bockwinkel the 18th greatest professional wrestler, writing "he was an athlete, he could wrestle, and his psychology was second to none." Professional wrestling journalist
Dave Meltzer David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1959) is an American journalist, author, and historian who reports on professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Since 1983, he has been the publisher and editor of the ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter' ...
described Bockwinkel as "a first-rate worker". Fellow wrestler Jim Wilson described Bockwinkel as "one of wrestling's truly smooth workers with a repertoire of moves executed fluidly, believably and without a hint of pain for his opponents." Bockwinkel was reportedly considered by the
National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...
as a candidate to be NWA World Heavyweight Champion in the late-1970s but withdrew his name from contention due to regarding the travelling schedule of the champion to be too arduous. Richard Berger described Bockwinkel as "a poster boy for what was right about wrestling" who was "a technical maestro, capable of working smoothly and comfortably with most any opponent regardless of that man's style or limitations". Bockwinkel was known for his calm, charismatic, articulate promos, which distinguished him from many of his contemporaries. "I used to use the four, five or six syllable words as best I could," Bockwinkel was quoted as saying in the book ''The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Heels''. "If I ran across one I didn't know, I had a little dictionary. I would have this little dictionary, with 70 or 80 words, that I would always be perusing. I had it with me all the time. Automatically, some of these words just starting coming to me in my interviews because I was familiar with them." Richard Berger described Bockwinkel as a "master orator" who spoke "candidly, clearly and intelligently". In 2008,
Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler, rock musician, and actor. As a wrestler, he has been signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) , where he ...
based his new villainous wrestling persona on Bockwinkel. In his autobiography ''The Best in the World'' Jericho wrote, "The WWE had recently released an AWA retrospective
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
, and while watching it, I remembered how great a heel Bockwinkel was. He wore suits for all his interviews and used ten-dollar words that went over the average fans' heads, pissing them off markedly. Here was this pompous blowhard using the fancy talk and wearing the fancy suits, claiming to be the best because he was the World Champion, which was the truth." Bockwinkel was inducted into the ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' Hall of Fame in 1996 (as part of the inaugural class), the
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum was an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Wichita Falls, Texas; following the postponement of its 19th induction ceremony, planned for May 2020, and an annou ...
in 2003, the
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
in 2007, the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009, and the
National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
in 2016. In 2007, magazine ''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
'' gave Bockwinkel its Stanley Weston Award (a
lifetime achievement award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...
). In 2009, the
Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Ab ...
gave Bockwinkel its Iron Mike Mazurki Award.


Professional wrestling style and persona

For the first half of his career, Bockwinkel was a classic babyface, at one point being billed as "Young Nicky Bockwinkel, the old ladies' favorite". In the second half of his career, he portrayed a "cocky, uppity Beverly Hills California
heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...
" and a "pompous blowhard". Phil Nowick described him as "a classic cheating heel who was seemingly unbeatable no matter how big of a pounding he took". Bockwinkel used a variety of finishing moves over his career, including a
piledriver Piledriver or pile driver may refer to: *Pile driver, a person trained to use the diesel hammer that drives piles into the ground for foundations and bridges *Piledriver (professional wrestling), a move used in professional wrestling Entertainme ...
and the "Oriental Sleeper" (a sleeper hold). His other signature moves included an
armlock An armlock in grappling is a single or double joint lock that Anatomical terms of motion#General motion, hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow, elbow joint or glenohumeral joint, shoulder joint. An armpit lock is very useful; it w ...
,
leglock A leglock is a joint lock that is directed at joints of the human leg, leg such as the ankle, knee or hip joint. A leglock which is directed at joints in the foot is sometimes referred to as a foot lock and a lock at the hip as a hip lock. Leglock ...
, and shoulderbreaker.


Other television appearances

In 1967, Bockwinkel appeared in the episode " I Was a 99-Pound Weakling" of the television series ''
The Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees (TV series), Th ...
''. In 1969, he appeared in the episode " Savage Sunday" of the show '' Hawaii Five-O''. In 1968, Bockwinkel appeared as a contestant on the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...
''
Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'', later stylized as ''H2: Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show originally aired as a ...
'', winning a
Pontiac Firebird The Pontiac Firebird is an American automobile built and produced by Pontiac (automobile), Pontiac from the 1967 to 2002 model years. Designed as a pony car to compete with the Ford Mustang, it was introduced on February 23, 1967, five months a ...
, a deluxe kitchen set, and $1,300 () in cash.


Personal life

On June 22, 1957, Bockwinkel married Susan Tranchitella, with whom he had two daughters. The couple divorced in 1967. Bockwinkel remarried in 1972 to Darlene Hampp, with the marriage lasting until his death. In November 2007, Bockwinkel underwent
triple bypass Coronary artery bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG, pronounced "cabbage"), is a surgical procedure to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), the buildup of plaques in the arteries of the heart. It can relieve Angina ...
heart surgery. In 2007, Bockwinkel was elected President of the
Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Ab ...
, a non-profit
fraternal organization A fraternity (; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in the Western conce ...
of professional wrestlers. He stepped down in 2014 due to health issues, being replaced by B. Brian Blair.


Death

Bockwinkel died from undisclosed causes on the evening of November 14, 2015, at the age of 80. Prior to his death he had been suffering from
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
. He was survived by his wife Darlene, his two children from his first marriage, two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His remains were cremated in Las Vegas and a
memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects such as home ...
mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...
was held at St. Joseph Croatian Catholic Church in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, on November 21, 2015.


Championships and accomplishments

*
50th State Big Time Wrestling 50th State Big Time Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Hawaii or Mid-Pacific Promotions) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Haw ...
**
NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship The NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and was defended in the US state of Hawaii. The title, which began in 1935. From February 1940 through 1942 the titl ...
( 2 times) ** NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) – with Bobby Shane ** NWA United States Heavyweight Championship ''(Hawaii version)'' ( 2 times) * American Wrestling Alliance ** NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(San Francisco version)'' ( 1 time) – with Wilbur Snyder * American Wrestling Association ** AWA World Heavyweight Championship ( 4 times) ** AWA World Tag Team Championship ( 3 times) – with
Ray Stevens Harold Ray Ragsdale (born January 24, 1939), known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country music, country and pop singer-songwriter and comedian. He is best known for his Grammy-winning recordings "Everything Is Beautiful" and "M ...
*
Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Ab ...
**Iron Mike Mazurki Award (2009) *
Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida professional wrestling promotion, wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it close ...
**
NWA Florida Tag Team Championship The NWA Florida Tag Team Championship is the primary tag team title in NWA Florida Underground Wrestling. It started out in 1968 as the main tag team title in Championship Wrestling from Florida Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) was ...
( 1 time) – with Ray Stevens *
Continental Wrestling Association Continental Wrestling Association (later the Championship Wrestling Association) was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually ...
**
AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship The AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship was a major professional wrestling championship (professional wrestling), title in the Continental Wrestling Association during the 1970s and 1980s. The title is part of a long lineage that was started wh ...
( 1 time) * George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame ** Class of 2009 *
Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...
** NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship ( 2 times) ** NWA Georgia Television Championship ( 3 times) *
National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...
** NWA Hall of Fame (Class of 2016) * North American Wrestling Alliance / Worldwide Wrestling Associates ** International Television Tag Team Championship ( 2 times) – with
Édouard Carpentier Édouard Ignacz Weiczorkiewicz (July 17, 1926 – October 30, 2010) was a French and Canadian Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, gymnast, and member of the French Resistance during World War II, known by his ring name, Édouard Carpent ...
(1 time) and Lord James Blears (1 time) ** NWA International Television Championship ( 1 time) * NWA San Francisco ** NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(San Francisco version)'' ( 2 times) – with Ramón Torres (2 times) *
Pacific Northwest Wrestling Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) (also known as Big Time Wrestling and Portland Wrestling) is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. ...
**
NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship The NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW), which promoted shows in the U ...
( 2 times) ** NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship ( 2 times) – with Nick Kozak (1 time) and Nick Kozak/ Buddy Mareno (1 time) *''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publishing Group. The maga ...
'' ** PWI Stanley Weston Award (2007) ** PWI Tag Team of the Year (1973) – with Ray Stevens *
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum was an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Wichita Falls, Texas; following the postponement of its 19th induction ceremony, planned for May 2020, and an annou ...
** Class of 2003 * Western States Sports ** NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(West Texas version)'' (1 time) - with Ricky Romero *
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...
**
WWE Hall of Fame The WWE Hall of Fame is a List of halls and walks of fame, hall of fame which honors professional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. Originally known as the "WWF Hall of Fame", it was created in 1993 when An ...
( Class of 2007) *''
Wrestling Observer Newsletter The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four Wee ...
'' **
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA) hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to their professions. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Mel ...
(Class of 1996)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bockwinkel, Nick 1934 births 2015 deaths 20th-century male professional wrestlers 20th-century American professional wrestlers American expatriate professional wrestlers in Japan American color commentators American male professional wrestlers American people of Croatian descent AWA World Heavyweight Champions AWA World Tag Team Champions Contestants on American game shows NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Champions NWA Florida Tag Team Champions NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champions NWA National Television Champions NWA World Tag Team Champions (Texas version) Oklahoma Sooners football players Professional wrestlers from St. Louis Professional wrestlers from Missouri American professional wrestling announcers Professional wrestling authority figures Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Stampede Wrestling alumni Heenan Family members United States Army soldiers University of California, Los Angeles alumni WWE Hall of Fame inductees