Tom Zenk's debut in AWA, 1984

tom zenk's debut year

AWA, 1984

Tom Zenk entered the AWA (American Wrestling Alliance) in 1984 as a young rookie with an amateur wrestling background. He had been introduced to pro-wrestling by former Minnesota wrestler, promoter, and referee, Eddie Sharkey. Sharkey ran a pro-wrestling school in Minnesota, and had helped train and begin the ring careers of The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal), Jesse Ventura, Bob Backlund, John Nord, and The Terminators, among others.

Eddie Sharkey (right) referees this early match.... featuring Tom Zenk

In early 1984, AWA was a thriving federation comprising much of wrestling's major talent. The major cities and promoters included Denver (Gene Reed), Milwaukee (Dennis Hilgart), Chicago (Verne Gagne), San Francisco (Leo Nomellini), Winnipeg (Don Brinton) and Minneapolis-St Paul (Wally Karbo). Cards were offered on a less regular basis in smaller centers, particularly in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. In the same year the WWA promotion based in Indianapolis, Indiana merged with the AWA.

Nick Bockwinkel was reigning AWA Champion (managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan). Bockwinkel had in recent times defeated Mr. Saito, Jesse Ventura and Rick Martel in title challenges but was coming to the end of his championship reign. On February 23, 1984 he lost the title to Jumbo Tsuruta in Tokyo. Tsuruta in turn lost the title to Rick Martel (St. Paul Civic Centre, Minnesota, May 13, 1984). Steve Regal was, at the time, AWA light heavyweight champion.

Also appearing on AWA circuits at this time were, Dick the Bruiser, Craig Carson, Scott Irwin, Sheik Adnan El Kaissey, Rick Gainer, Roger Kirby, "Steve O" [Steve Olsonoski], Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, Rick Renslow, Billy Robinson, Wilbur Snyder, Larry Hennig, Chris Markoff, Brad Rheingans, "Mad Dog" Vachon, Natcho Verrera, Baron von Raschke, Woody Wilson, "Rock'n'Roll" Buck Zumhoff and Larry Zbyszko.

In the mid America AWA rings "The Fabulous Ones" (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane ) were engaged in a wild vendetta with "The Zambuie Express" (managed by JJ Dillon). Jimmy Hart was managing Joe Le Duc, "Killer" Karl Krupp, Sabu and "The Bruise Brothers". Hart's newest protégé was Ric Rude (formerly Rick Rood) and his valet Angel. Also appearing in AWA's Mid America rings were The Rock'n' Roll Express (Robert Gibson and Rick Martin), Sabu, "The Jaguar", Randy Savage, Terry Taylor, "The A-Team", Art Crews, Terry Gibbs, Angelo Poffo, Tommy Gilbert and Eddie Gilbert - and the young Tom Zenk.

On the tag scene, the reigning Tag Champions at the time of Zenk's debut were "The Sheiks" (Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera) who were feuding with "The High Flyers" - Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell. The AWA tag scene also included The Road Warriors (Animal and Hawk) - who subsequently took the title from von Raschke and Blackwell (August 25, 1984), "The Fabulous Ones" (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane) and "The Freebirds" - various combinations of Buddy Roberts, Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy. A new tag team, "The East West Connection," (comprising Mr. Saito and Jesse Ventura) had formed to challenge "The Sheiks" for the tag title. Blackjack Mulligan had returned to the AWA and joined his old friend Blackjack Lanza ("The Black Jacks") to knock off the Sheiks.

Abdullah the Butcher and King Kong Brody were another new combination under the management of Sheik Adnan El Kaissey.

Nationally the "top twenty" wrestlers of Tom's debut year included Nick Bockwinkel (AWA Champion), Hulk Hogan (WWF Champion), Ric Flair (NWA World Champion), Carlos Colon (Universal Champion), Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes, Ted Dibiase, Paul Orndorff, Bob Backlund, Stan Hansen, Billy Jack Haynes, Kerry and Kevin Von Erich, Ken Patera, Curt Hennig, and Jack and Jerry Brisco.

Tom Zenk - as a young journeyman - was destined to spend most of 1984 gaining experience in preliminary bouts and working his way up the AWA card. Though he spent most of the year on the losing side (see cards below) - it was against top competition in the singles division including AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel and upcoming AWA champion Larry Zbyszko - and in tag action against the Road Warriors and Bockwinkel and Saito.


Michael Hayes is about to post Tom Zenk, 1984	Zenk is thrown from the ring by Steve Regal



Tom Zenk headlocks Steve Regal

	Mr Saito slaps a bear hug on Tom Zenk

Jimmy Garvin corner posts Zenk

Tom Zenk resists Butch Reed's sleeper-hold



	Victory over Steve Regal

It was also during this time at AWA that Tom Zenk and Rick Martel's paths crossed for the first time. Martel was settling into a sustained period as AWA Heavyweight Champion and a friendship developed that was to take Martel and Zenk to Canada (IWA), then to Japan and the WWF as the Can-Am Connection - and finally dissolution of their friendship and tag team in mid 1987.

Despite his relative inexperience in the professional ring, Wrestling Observer Newsletter recognized Tom's early talent, awarding both Zenk and Keiichi Yamada (Jushin "Thunder" Liger of New Japan Pro Wrestling) the 1984 "Rookie of the Year" Award. (Interestingly both Yamada and Zenk share the same birthday, November 30).

The AWA was characterized by a particular style of no-nonsense wrestling that Zenk imbued early on. The AWA style is perhaps best described as "scientific wrestling" in the Lou Thesz tradition, specializing in sustained bouts, often hour long matches, using an extraordinary range of holds (before McMahon and WWF this was the norm).

In 1987, the AWA began to fade under the impact of the WWF and NWA.

In 1988 Tom returned to the AWA for a short tour before moving to the NWA which had recently been purchased by Ted Turner's TBS and was rising to challenge WWF.

For that short period Tom had returned to his roots in "the Fenway park, the Wrigley Field of wrestling - home teams [such as the AWA] rarely win the accolades of the nation, but they are timeless entities who merit respect". The same might be said of former AWA wrestlers with the style and endurance of Tom Zenk.

AWA Souvenir Program, 1984 Introducing 'Rookie Tom Zenk'

**TOM ZENK** **TELEVISION AND ARENA MATCH HISTORY** **AWA 1984**
Date	Place	Card results
July 22, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV):	Curt Hennig beat Mike Richards Mr. Saito and Bobby Heenan beat Rick Gainer and Tom Zenk (Atlanta tape) The Road Warriors beat Mike Jackson and Randy Barber Tony Atlas beat Tom Stone Billy Robinson beat Jake Milamen
August 12, 1984	St. Paul, Minnesota	The Crusher and Baron von Raschke vs The Road Warriors (NC) Jim Brunzell and Tony Atlas beat King Kong Brody (DQ) Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito beat Blackjack Lanza and Stan Lane Curt Hennig drew with Billy Robinson Brad Rheingans beat Larry Zbyszko Steve Regal beat Tom Zenk
August 19, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV):	King Kong Brody beat Jimmy Doo The Road Warriors beat Iron Duke and Martine Escobella Tony Atlas beat Woody Wilson Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito beat Tom Zenk and Natcho Verrera Curt Hennig beat Rick Renslow
September 2, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Curt Hennig beat Bruce Dean (tape, 9/25/83) Brad Rheingans drew with Nick Bockwinkel Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito beat Tom Zenk and Woody Wilson Tony Atlas beat Iron Duke The Road Warriors beat Jimmy Doo and Rick Renslow
September 9, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV):	Tony Atlas beat Bruce Dean Curt Hennig and Steve Olsonoski beat Rick Renslow and Jimmy Doo The Road Warriors beat Tom Zenk and Van Patrick ... (Las Vegas tape) The Road Warriors beat The Crusher and Baron von Raschke Jim Brunzell beat Iron Duke
September 9, 1984	St. Paul, Minnesota:	Rick Martel drew with Brad Rheingans Steve Keirn and Stan Lane and Blackjack Lanza beat Nick Bockwinkel, Mr. Saito and Bobby Heenan The Road Warriors beat Jim Brunzell and Steve Olsonoski Curt Hennig beat Harley Race (DQ) Billy Robinson beat Steve Regal Larry Zbyszko beat Tom Zenk
September 30, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV):	Baron von Raschke beat Rick Renslow Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito beat Tom Zenk and Craig Carson Rick Martel beat Ernie Kirkland (tape, 6/10) King Kong Brody beat Steve Olsonoski The Road Warriors beat Bruce Dean and Jimmy Doo
October 7, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Nick Bockwinkel beat Brian Lucas Curt Hennig and Steve Olsonoski beat Iron Duke and Jimmy Doo Steve Regal drew with Tom Zenk The Road Warriors beat Bruce Dean and Dave Petro Tony Atlas beat Rick Renslow
October 14, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Tony Atlas beat Bruce Dean Nick Bockwinkel beat Tom Zenk Jim Brunzell beat Jimmy Doo The Road Warriors beat Brian Lucas and Rick Renslow (tape, 9/30) King Kong Brody vs Jerry Blackwell
October 21, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Baron von Raschke beat Rick Renslow Nick Bockwinkel beat Bruce Dean Curt Hennig and Steve Olsonoski beat Brian Lucas and Tom Scott Tony Atlas beat Iron Duke The Road Warriors beat Tom Zenk and Jimmy Doo
October 21, 1984	St. Paul, Minnesota	*(Tag Team Battle Royal) Winners: Jerry Blackwell and Boom Boom Bundy Jerry Blackwell beat King Kong Brody Steve Keirn and Stan Lane vs The Road Warriors (NC) Baron von Raschke beat Ellering Curt Hennig drew with Nick Bockwinkel Tony Atlas beat Mr. Saito (DQ) Jim Garvin beat Tom Zenk** (*also in Tag Team Battle Royal - Steve Olsonoski and Brad Rheingans, Jim Brunzell and Tony Atlas, Billy Robinson and Larry Zbyszko, The Crusher and Baron von Raschke, Jim Garvin and Steve Regal, Steve Keirn and Stan Lane, The Road Warriors, Larry and Curt Hennig, Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito)
October 28, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Tony Atlas beat Tom Scott Mr. Saito beat Brian Jewell Steve Keirn and Stan Lane beat Chris Pepper and Rick Renslow The Road Warriors beat Tom Zenk and Jimmy Doo Rick Martel beat Ricky Jones
November 11, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Nick Bockwinkel beat Tom Zenk Steve Keirn and Stan Lane beat Ricky Jones and Jimmy Doo Steve Regal beat Brian Jewell Tony Atlas and Jim Brunzell beat Rick Renslow and Chris Markoff Mr. Saito beat Chris Pepper
November 25, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Jim Garvin beat Terry Ellis Mr. Saito beat Rocky King The Road Warriors beat Tom Zenk and Paul Garner Billy Robinson beat Jason Walker Rick Martel vs Rick Renslow (never started - Jim Garvin interfered)
December 9, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Mr. Saito beat Stan Lane Tony Atlas and Jim Brunzell beat Jim Mitchell and Rick Renslow Jim Garvin beat Tom Zenk Baron von Raschke beat Larry Zbyszko (DQ) The Road Warriors beat Brian Jewell and Ricky Jones
December 16, 1984	Minneapolis, Minnesota (TV)	Baron von Raschke beat Ricky Jones The Road Warriors beat Tom Zenk and Stan Lane Jim Garvin beat Chris Pepper (tape, 11/22) Greg Gagne vs Sheik Adnan El Kaissey Steve Keirn and Stan Lane beat Steve Regal and Larry Zbyszko (DQ)
	n	card information generously supplied by Scott Teal "Whatever Happened to ...?" http://www.oocities.org/Colosseum/Field/9099 'The publication that everyone's talking about!"

Tom Zenk and Desire, AWA 1984 (Paul Ellering)

"One thing you can say about Zenk ... he has desire. If desire means anything, every time he gets into the ring I can see that he gives a hundred percent. But this is not the era in which desire alone, tenacity and an 'I don't care attitude' (will be enough) to become as great as the Legion of Doom."

Precious Paul Ellering, manager of the Legion of Doom a.k.a. The Road Warriors - extract from his commentary on an early AWA match between Zenk and Craig Carson vs Nick Bockwinkel and Akio Saito.

Results from Tom Zenk's 1984 AWA matches in Manitoba, Canada can be found here If you can add to or disagree with anything above -or have additional information on match results from 1984 - please email me from here.

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