Tom Zenk in the IWA, Montreal, 1986

TOM ZENK in International Wrestling Alliance, Montreal

Summer/Fall, 1986

TOM ZENK IN IWA, 1986

1986 was a busy year for Tom Zenk - starting the year in Don Owen's Pacific North West promotion, he went back to back to Minneapolis in the Spring, then north to Montreal with Rick Martel for Summer and the Fall in IWA, before debuting in WWF (again with Martel) as the Can-Am Connection, November, 1986 and finally a tour of Japan to try out their new tag partnership in the All Japan Tag Tournament.

The International Wrestling Alliance (IWA), where Zenk spent the Summer and Fall of 1986, was a Montreal promotion managed by Gino Brito. Brito immediately recognized the enormous appeal of Tom Zenk, actively promoting him as "Tom Terrific" and a "future world champion".

IWA had a television show, with Milt Avruskin as announcer and Gino Brito as color commentator. Some of the bigger feuds of the period involved Martel versus Steve Strong/DeSalvo, Dino Bravo versus Abdullah the Butcher and later versus "The Great" Samu and Tom Zenk and Dan Kroffat versus The Long Riders (Bill and Scott Irwin).

During his short tour with IWA, Tom Zenk saw both singles and tag action - demonstrating new confidence and aggression - even juicing, memorably, in one televised match (see Special Events).


Tom Zenk practices a wrestler's bridge ....	and other neck strengthening exercises	.... with Rick Martel and Dino Bravo.

Tom Zenk in interview with Milt Avruskin ..... Thanks to Scotty for these rare IWA imagh access to other IWA tapes or info please contact us for rewards.

.... and in singles action against Scott "Hog" Irwin

August, 12, 1986 Tom Zenk and Phil Lafon win the IWA Canadian Tag Team Championship

Much of Zenk's time in IWA was caught up in a feud which pitted Zenk and Dan Kroffat (Phil Lafon) against "The Long Riders", Bill Irwin and Scott "Hog" Irwin. Zenk, for his period with IWA, effectively stepped into a long running feud between Kroffat (previously partnered by Alofa) and The Long Riders.

The Long Riders had previously been stripped of the tag titles after a controversial decision. The titles had been returned to them following an appeal. In their first new defence of the belts, on August, 12, 1986, The Long Riders were defeated by Zenk and Kroffat, the two young men becoming the new Canadian International Tag Team Champions.

October 13, 1986 - Immediately prior to Zenk's departure, with Martel, to the World Wrestling Federation, Zenk and Kroffat drop the belts to The Long Riders.

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