TOM ZENK
PACIFIC NORTH WEST

October,1985 - March,1986
 


 
 
 
Tom Zenk began his pro-wrestling career in mid-1984 in USA Pro, then AWA and was immediately recognized as a serious new talent.  

Wrestling Magazine declared him "1984 Wrestler/ Rookie of the Year" while Zenk tied with Jushin "Thunder" Liger  for the 1984 Wrestling Observer Newsletter's "Rookie of the Year" Award.  

But before achieving serious stardom in the WWF in 1987, Tom Zenk faced a year and a half of ring work in cold halls across the north of the United States and Canada (see cards below).  

 
From around July 1984 to December, 1984 Tom had worked mainly in preliminary matches in the AWA until a move to promoter Frank Valois's Canadian Wrestling Alliance, Montreal in 1985 and from there, in October 1985,  to NWA's Pacific North West Federation. 

"I was voted Rookie of the Year in the AWA and I decided to head up North and try my luck. I went to Canada and the fans were so impressed with me that they named me the most improved wrestler of the year in Canada. From Montreal I came to the Northwest and I hope this area will be my big break." (Tom Zenk Interview with Wrestling Ringside, No 19, May 1986).
 

 

Tom Zenk worked in the Pacific North West for six months (until late-March 1986) in promotions managed by Don Owen in Oregon and Dutch Savage in Washington State.  ("The Northwest was talked about highly by my former partner Curt Hennig. He mentioned it and said that Don Owen is a great promoter and he is highly respected and recommended.") 

During that time, he achieved good promotion, main-eventing in arena shows and on  "Big Time Wrestling" (seen on KTZZ Channel 22, Seattle and around the region) in solo and tag team (with Scott Doring and with Billy Jack Haynes and Brady Boone). 
During October, November and December 1985, Zenk maintained an unbroken record of wins leading to the then current PNW Heavyweight Champion, Bobby Jaggers, offering a $3,000 bounty for "the first man to defeat Tom Zenk."
 
    From "Big Time Wrestling" commentary, December 1985 - "What a sensation this Tom Zenk is - we haven't seen anything like this since Billy Jack Hayes. This man has really got the entire North West buzzing over his skills, capabilities and the excitement that he brings to professional wrestling and of course the fact that he's still undefeated."

On December 14, 1985  Tom Zenk and Scott Doring defeated Mike Miller and  Moondog Moretti for the PNW tag team title in Portland, Oregon ("That was exciting because it was my first title").  
 
 
 

Subsequently, on January 21, 1986 Tom defeated Bobby Jaggers in Portland for the PNW heavyweight singles title. Tom Zenk now held the two major NWA titles in the Pacific North West. ("Two titles at once was unbelievable!") 
Immediately after his successful heavyweight title victory, Jaggers and Rip Oliver double teamed the new champion, beating him unconscious, leading to an ongoing feud between the two men. The feud was given further impetus when, two days later,on January 23, 1986,  Zenk and Scott Doring lost the PNW tag team title to Jaggers and Oliver in Salem, Oregon  ("Win some, lose some.")
Throughout January, February and the early part of March, 1986, Tom continued to work  throughout the North West in high schools, armories and arenas with a work rate of at least four out of every seven days - rising to as much as six or seven days a week.  ("This is is definitely a great place to gain experience. There is a lot of great talent here in this territory and a lot of wrestling, six or seven nights a week and that also is a great opportunity for me.")

Tom's schedule included eventing in Portland, Eugene, Salem, Medford,Tacoma, Hepner, Fort Lewis, Findley, Pembleton, Centralia, Montessano, Tumwater and Seattle. This was mid-winter and winter coats, pullovers, scarves and gloves would have been out in an probably hopeless effort to keep warm.

Among the wrestlers he toured with were fellow 'faces'  Billy Jack Haynes, Brady Boone, Scott Doring, Steve Pardi, Terry Bradshaw, Jerry "Hercules" Samson and  Billy Two Eagles. To complement them were the 'heels' - Bobby Jaggers, Rip Oliver, "Mean" Mike Miller, Moondog Moretti, Mega Maharishi (Ed Wiskoski), Karl Steiner and others. 

On March 9 , 1986, in anticipation of his move  to Canada,  Zenk dropped the single title to Jaggers in Findley, Washington -  ("He's a dirty wrestler.")

 
 

Zenk and Martel spent the spring and fall of 1986 based in Montreal with Gino Brito's Canadian International Wrestling Alliance (IWA). During this period Zenk and tag partner Dan Kroffat (Phil Lafon) picked up the Canadian International Tag Team Title, defeating Scott and Bill Irwin (August, 12, 1986). 

In November 1985, Martel and Zenk moved to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and the Can-Am Connection. 

 
 
Date Place 
Match-up
10/19/85 Portland Tom Zenk beat Tim Flowers 
10/22/85 Ft. Lewis Tom Zenk beat Chris Colt
10/31/85 Salem  Tom Zenk beat Ed Wiskoski
11/1/85 Eugene Tom Zenk beat Moondog Moretti
11/2/85  Portland Tom Zenk and Ricky Vaughn drew against Mike Miller and Moondog Moretti 
11/7/85  Salem Tom Zenk and Ricky Vaughn beat Mike Miller and Bobby Jaggers 
11/8/85  Eugene  Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers 
11/9/85  Portland Tom Zenk beat Moondog Moretti 
11/11/85 Yacoma
JMPerry Tech		 no results  available
11/15/85 Tom Zenk beat Mike Miller
11/16/85  Portland  Tom Zenk, Ole Olson and Steve Pardi beat Mike Miller,  Moondog Moretti and Karl Steiner,  Also Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers. 
11/22/85  Eugene Tom Zenk beat Moondog Moretti
11/23/85  Portland Tom Zenk beat Moondog Moretti 
11/27/85  Medford Tom Zenk beat Ed Wiskoski 
11/29/85  Eugene  Tom Zenk beat Chris Colt 
11/30/85  Portland Tom Zenk beat Ed Wiskoski 
12/3/85 Seattle Centre Arena Tom Zenk versus Bobby Jaggers 
no result available
12/5/85  Salem  Tom Zenk beat Chris Colt 
12/7/85   Portland Tom Zenk beat Tim Flowers
12/10/85  Portland Tom Zenk beat Moondog Moretti 
12/12/85  Salem  Tom Zenk beat Tim Flowers 
12/14/85  Portland

Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Moondog Moretti and  Mike Miller  to win PNW tag titles.  

12/20/85  Eugene  Tom Zenk beat Mike Miller 
12/21/85  Portland
 

Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Mike Miller and Moondog Moretti
 

 
12/25/85  Portland Tom Zenk and Jerry Sampson drew Mike Miller and  Moondog Moretti.
12/26/85  Salem  Tom Zenk beat Moondog Moretti 
12/27/85  Eugene Tom Zenk beat Karl Steiner 
12/28/85  Portland  Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Mike Miller and Moondog Moretti 
12/29/85  Seaside  Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers DQ
1/2/86  Salem  Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Moondog Moretti and Tim Flowers 
1/3/86  Eugene Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers 
1/4/86  Portland Tom Zenk and  Billy Jack Haynes beat Rip Oliver and  Bobby Jaggers DQ
1/6/86  Tacoma Tom Zenk and Billy Jack Haynes beat Rip Oliver and Bobby Jaggers DQ
1/8/86  Seattle Tom Zenk won Battle Royal, Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers 
1/9/86  Salem  Billy Jack Haynes and Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers and Rip Oliver DQ
1/10/86  Eugene Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers DQ
1/11/86  Portland  Billy Jack Haynes and Tom Zenk beat Rip Oliver and Bobby Jaggers DQ
1/16/86  Salem  Tom Zenk and Billy Jack Haynes drew Rip Oliver and Bobby Jaggers 
1/17/86  Eugene  Billy Jack Haynes and Tom Zenk beat Rip Oliver and Bobby Jaggers 
1/18/86  Portland  Tom Zenk, BIlly Jack Haynes and Brady Boone beat Bobby Jaggers, Rip Oliver and Moondog Moretti. 

1/21/86 
Portland 
"Superstar Extravaganza"  at the Portland Memorial Colosseum

Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers to win PNW heavyweight singles title (after his victory Zenk is double teamed by Jaggers and Rip Oliver and beaten unconscious - a feud develops with Bobby Jaggers). The card that night included Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes and the Road Warriors and Magnum TA vs Ivan and Nikita Koloff and Diamond Timothy Flowers.

1/23/86  Salem  Rip Oliver and Bobby Jaggers beat Scott Doring and Tom Zenk to win tag titles
1/24/86 (or  
1/26/86)		 Eugene Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Rip Oliver and Bobby Jaggers
1/25/86  Portland  Tom Zenk beat Karl Steiner
1/30/86  Salem Tom Zenk beat Rip Oliver dq
1/31/86  Eugene  Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Bobby Jaggers and Moondog Moretti 
2/1/86  Portland Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Bobby Jaggers and Moondog Moretti 
2/2/86 Yacama

no details available
 2/3/86 Hepner

no details available
2/4/86  Seaside Tom Zenk won Battle Royal, Tom Zenk beat Karl Steiner
2/5/86  Ft. Lewis, WA  Tom Zenk and Little Mr. T won Battle Royal; Billy Jack Haynes and Tom Zenk beat Rip Oliver and Bobby Jaggers 
2/6/86  Salem Tom Zenk won Battle Royal, Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers DQ 
2/7/86  Eugene Tom Zenk beat Karl Steiner 
2/8/86  Portland Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Bobby Jaggers and Ed Wiskoski 
 2/9/86  Findley no details available 
2/12/86 Seattle Colosseum no details available
2/13/86  Salem  Tom Zenk and Brady Boone drew Bobby Jaggers and Rip Oliver
2/14/86  Eugene Tom Zenk and Brady Boone beat Bobby Jaggers and Moondog Moretti 
2/15/86  Portland Tom Zenk drew Bobby Jaggers 
2/16/86 Pembleton Armory  no details available
2/18/86  Centralia WA Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Moondog Moretti and Bobby Jaggers. 
2/19/86 Medford Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers DQ 
2/20/86  Salem Tom Zenk beat Bobby Jaggers DQ 
2/22/86  Portland Tom Zenk drew Bobby Jaggers 
2/23/86  Montessano WA Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Bobby Jaggers and Mike Miller DQ 
2/25/86  Portland Tom Zenk, Brady Boone and Coco Samoa beat Rip Oliver, Bobby Jaggers and Mike Miller DQ
3/1/86  Portland  Rip Oliver beat Tom Zenk 
3/5/86  Tumwater WA Tom Zenk beat Rip Oliver
3/6/86  Salem Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Bobby Jaggers and Rip Oliver 
3/7/86  Eugene Tom Zenk and Coco Samoa beat Bobby Jaggers and Rip Oliver 
3/9/86 Findley, WA Zenk lost his single title to Jaggers in Findley, Washington in anticipation of moving to Canada and IWA
3/14/86  Eugene Bobby Jaggers and Rip Oliver beat Tom Zenk and Coco Samoa  DQ
3/15/86  Portland Tom Zenk and Scott Doring beat Assassin and Mike Miller DQ 
3/26/86 
Seattle Colosseum
 no details available
card information generously provided by Mike Rodgers of "Ring Around the North West," Oregon
 

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