awatitle

This article should be read skeptically - It was intended to build up interest in Tom Zenk's return to AWA. To do this, it locates Zenk in relation to the infamous Can-Am split. It argues that Tom left WWF because he felt undervalued by Martel who had become overly conceited after an earlier spell as AWA heavyweight champion.

According to the story, part of Tom's motivation in going back to the AWA was to win the heavyweight title and thus prove that he was just as good a wrestler as Martel.

The storyline's entire premise is that the Can-Ams fell apart because they fell short of expectations. In fact the Can-Ams, performing entirely to script, had defeated the Hart Foundation in a number of non-title matches and were booked to take the belts when Zenk walked out.

This article is accompanied by photographs* that establish Zenk's reputation as a scientific wrestler in the classic AWA mold. In the photos, Zenk "out to make a big name for himself after leaving the WWF" is seen winning a test of strength with British veteran Billy Robinson, the scientific wrestler par excellence. In accompanying photos "Zenk who has recently been concentrating on his strength training, is primed to break Robinson's full-nelson;" and "Zenk chin-locks Robinson, who poses a severe test of his scientific abilities. A win over Robinson would move Zenk closer to a shot at AWA World champion Curt Hennig."

* we're interested in locating copies of the photos by Bruce Kreitzman which accompanied this article - if you can you help - please email from here

"Anything Martel Can Do, I Can Do Better"

WHY TOM ZENK MUST WIN THE AWA WORLD TITLE

As one-half of The Can-Am Connection in the WWF, Tom Zenk was forced to take a back seat to the more experienced Rick Martel. Now that he's in the AWA, Zenk is out to prove that he's just as good as his former partner by winning the World title - just as Martel did!

Tom Zenk is smiling again, something that couldn't be said about the handsome young Minnesota native last summer. His walk is brisk and he struts down the streets of Minneapolis with his head held high. "It's pretty hard to grow, " said Zenk, "when you're constantly in someone else's shadow. I feel like I've been given a second chance in this sport. I'm free, man!"

Last year at this time, Zenk was a member of the most popular, and, arguably, the most talented tag team in the WWF. Zenk and Martel , The Can-Am Connection, were adored by female fans, idolized by male fans, and were taking dead aim at WWF World tag team champions The Hart Foundation. Success appeared well within their reach.

But the Can-Ams fell short (In fact they were on the verge of taking the belts when Zenk walked out).

Before long, the labels started to haunt them. Critics called the Can-Ams overrated; many of their fans called them underachievers. But it wasn't the Can-Am's inability to win the belts that haunted Zenk.

"What really rubbed me the wrong way," said Zenk, "is that I always had to take the blame. Everybody said, 'Well, Martel was AWA champion and he's had the WWF tag belts, so it must be Zenk's fault. He doesn't have the experience and he's slowing them down."

"Well, let me tell you something," Zenk continued. "Nothing could be further from the truth. When we won, it always seemed like I was in the ring for most of the match setting up the pin, doing all the hard work, and Martel finished off the match. And when we lost, everyone always pointed at me. Even Martel. That's why I left."

Zenk's sudden disappearance from the WWF last June took even Martel by surprise. Martel claimed that he had no idea where Zenk went or why he left, but Zenk says otherwise.

"I told him, 'Listen Rick, this just isn't working. You're constantly trying to overshadow me." You know, at the start, up in Canada, he helped me a lot. But when we went to the WWF, he got consumed by his stardom. He wanted to be the star. I was supposed to just back him up. Well, it couldn't be that way."

Zenk was further angered when many people suggested that his leaving the WWF was the best thing that could have happened to Martel. According to this school of thought, Martel was getting bogged down because he had to spend too much time teaching the relatively inexperienced Zenk, and not enough time working on improving his own wrestling skills and devising match strategies.

Then came the ultimate insult.

On October 27, in Syracuse, New York, Strike Force - the team Martel formed with new partner Tit Santana - defeated The Hart Foundation for the WWF tag team championship. The evidence was in: Zenk leaving was the best thing that ever happened to Martel. Zenk was holding back The Can-Am Connection.

"That's what everybody was saying," said Zenk, "and I couldn't believe it. A couple of days later, I contacted [AWA President] Stanley Blackburn. I just had to get back into the mainstream. If you want to know the truth, though, there was another reason why I wanted to come to the AWA."

That reason is rather easy to surmise. On May 13, 1984, Martel defeated Jumbo Tsuruta in St. Paul, Minnesota, to win the AWA World heavyweight championship. Martel held the belt until December 29, 1985, the third-longest AWA title reign ever (behind Verne Gagne and Nick Bockwinkel) and is exceedingly proud of his record. Too proud, according to Zenk.

"It's all I ever heard about," Zenk said. "Now, I admit that he has every right to be proud of being a world champion. It's what we all strive for.

back to August 28 features