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JR's Blog: Verne Gagne RIP, Ross Report Podcast Tonight 9ET, Baltimore RINGSIDE Tkts Going Fast, NYC Gramercy Theater Event, WWEShop.com fully stocked with JR's Grill Worthy Products

JR's Blog: Verne Gagne RIP, Ross Report Podcast Tonight 9ET, Baltimore RINGSIDE Tkts Going Fast, NYC Gramercy Theater Event, WWEShop.com fully stocked with JR's Grill Worthy Products

Posted: Apr 29th 2015 By: Jim Ross

Sad hearing of the passing of the great Verne Gagne at the age of 89 Monday from the affects of dementia in an assisted living home where Verne required 24 hour care. The founder of the AWA and one of the first, national TV stars on the DuMont Network in the early 1950's, Gagne was a member of virtually every Hall of Fame imaginable including being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. Gagne was essentially the original Brock Lesnar, in many aspects, before there was a Brock Lesnar. He was the University of Minnesota National Wrestling Champion twice and then came a meteoric rise to stardom only a short time after breaking in the business.

Verne was my mentor, Cowboy Bill Watts, mentor and therefore Verne always considering himself my "Grandfather" in the wrestling biz. At an Independent TV convention in Vegas one year, Verne who had just attended cocktail hour when told me that he taught Cowboy all that Bill knew about the business which made Bill my "father in wrestling" which in turn made Verne my 'Grandfather" in the biz. Then Verne quickly snatched me in a very snug headlock just to prove he was still the alpha male that he had always been and to leave me something to remember him by. After relinquishing the headlock to the shock of many TV executive bystanders, Verne gave me a big hug and with a healthy laugh told me he loved my work and to "not let Watts ruin me" again a joke directed to Bill who Verne was very proud of with Cowboy's promotion doing so well based in Oklahoma.

Verne Gagne was a man's man who was a legit, two sport star at the University of Minnesota, football and wrestling, and will always be considered one of the most significant and influential men in the history of pro wrestling. He also trained many amazing stars and loved to utilize legit athletes with which to mold into pro mat stars much like Bill Watts, Eddie Graham and even myself did back in the day in WWE.

So many within the world of wrestling will forever be indebted to Verne Gagne for what he did for their careers and even though I never worked for Verne he helped me indirectly have the career that I've had the past 40 years. Men like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Ricky Steamboat, the Iron Sheik, Ken Patera, Sgt. Slaughter and countless others would say essentially the same thing.

My condolences to the Gagne family and Verne's many friends, associates, and all the people that he influenced over the years. Verne Gagne was true pioneer in the annals of the genre so many of us love and his contributions will never be forgotten.

Join Pro Wrestling Insider's Mike Johnson and me tonight at 9 ET for a new, Ross Repot Podcast that is FREE to listen to on podcastone.com and iTunes. Plus it will be up on the home page of this website as well. We talk Extreme Rules PPV, Billy Corgan in TNA, the future of Lucha Underground, Ronda Rousey in WWE, what's next for Samoa Joe and much more.

Less than 10 VIP tickets remain for our Saturday May 16 Baltimore RINGSIDE w/ Jim Ross Show at Rams Head Live but there are plenty of $22.50 General admission tickets available at ramsheadlive.com. WWE Payback is the next day in Baltimore so it shapes up to be a good, wrestling weekend in Baltimore that I hope many of you will enjoy.

Tickets for our Saturday August 22 Summer Slam Saturday night show in New York City at the Gramercy Theater are available now at ticketmaster.com starting at only $25. Meet/Greet/Photo Op tickets are available as well. Our Saturday night show is following the next day with WWE's Summer Slam.

WWEShop.com is fully stocked with JR's products at www.wweshop.com/jimross. Great grilling products and Fathers Day gifts as well.

Next week on the Ross Report Podcast I welcome Samoa Joe to our show of which I'm very excited as well as for the following week when Taz joins me. Subscribe for FREE at iTunes and you won't miss a show.

Working on some exciting projects this week of which I will watch you up on soon.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ

 

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Supplemental Information

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Spotlight in History

  • 2005 Phillip def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 2018 Joe Cuedo def. Brock Baker for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 2024 Daniel Aaron Michalles def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 2025 Billie the Kiid def. Dan Webber for the ASP Heavyweight Title

Week of Sun 06-21 to Sat: 06-27

  • 06-21 1982 Junkyard Dog def. Bob Roop for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 1987 Al Perez def. The Dingo Warrior for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2003 Kitty def. Manservant for the TPW Womens Title
  • 06-21 2008 Tim Rockwell def. El Super Colibri for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-21 2008 Li'l Joe def. Xavior for the GPCW Cruiserweight Title
  • 06-21 2014 Buster Cherry def. Havoc for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 06-21 2024 Big Sed def. Sam Adonis for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
  • 06-21 2025 Dan Webber became the LCW Lionheart Champion
  • 06-22 2005 Phillip def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-22 2018 Joe Cuedo def. Brock Baker for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-22 2024 Pastor Brent def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-22 2024 Daniel Aaron Michalles def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-22 2025 Billie the Kiid def. Dan Webber for the ASP Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1972 Billy Red Lyons def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1980 Mr. Hito & Mr. Sakurada def. Jose Lothario & Tiger Conway Jr. for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 1982 Ted DiBiase def. Junkyard Dog for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 06-23 1984 Gino Hernandez became the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 1989 The Stud Stable (Robert Fuller & Brian Lee) def. Jeff Jarrett & Mil Mascaras for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-23 2001 Big Daddy Moore def. Adam Lacroix for the OPW Oklahoma Television Title
  • 06-23 2001 Grenade became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-23 2009 Joshua Michael & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-23 2023 Dustin Tibbs def. Thrash for the WFC Prime Title
  • 06-24 1972 Stan Stasiak def. Red Bastien for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 1974 Bull Ramos def. Rip Tyler for the TSW North American Title
  • 06-24 1977 John Studd became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 06-24 1985 The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2000 Great Bolo [2nd] def. Ichiban [2nd] for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-24 2000 Ichiban [2nd] became the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2005 Spoiler 2000 became the NWA-U Television Champion
  • 06-24 2006 Prophet SteVens became the AACW Television Champion
  • 06-24 2007 Matt Garza became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 06-24 2016 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2016 Seth Angel def. Steven Cruze for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 06-24 2016 Adrian Dell def. Nathan Estrada for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 06-24 2017 Drake Gallows became the ASP Heavyweight Champion
  • 06-24 2017 Excellence Personified (Duke Swellington & Dustin Heritage) def. Shawn Hendrix & Aaron Anders (substituting for Anthony Andrews) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2017 Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) def. Big Smooth & Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Tag Team Titles
  • 06-24 2018 Shawn Sanders def. Chaz Sharpe for the ASP Inter-County Title
  • 06-24 2018 Canadian Red Devil def. Adam Patrick for the ASP Mid-American Title
  • 06-24 2020 Warren Powers def. Giganto for the BPW 365 Title
  • 06-24 2023 Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) became the BCW Tag Team Champions
  • 06-24 2023 C. M. Burnham def. Lunchador for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-24 2023 Lunchador def. C. M. Burnham for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 06-25 2011 Sam Stackhouse def. Shane Morbid for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2011 The Sons of Ireland (Devan Scott & Shane Scott) def. The New Age Syndicate (Scott Sanders & Shawn Sanders) for the BYEW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2011 Chris Chaos became the BYEW Caution Champion
  • 06-25 2011 The Future Hall of Famers (John O'Malley & Brad Michaels) def. Bernie D & Aaron Neil (subbing for Max McGuirk) for the IZW Tag Team Titles
  • 06-25 2016 Brian Breaker def. Zakk Sinizter for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 06-25 2017 The Cub Scouts (Grizzly Gates & Brock Landers) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 06-26 1961 The Bolos (Great Bolo 1st & Mighty Bolo) became the TSW Southwestern Tag Team Champions
  • 06-26 1987 Frankie Lancaster & Eric Embry def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the WCCW World Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 1999 Tarantula def. Original Renegade for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2005 Li'l Joe def. Phillip for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 06-26 2009 Brandon Groom def. The Handsome Spoiler for the TOPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 06-26 2009 Kevin James Sanchez def. Bobby Starr for the BYEW Entertainment Title
  • 06-26 2021 Most Wanted (Dan Webber & Reese) def. Los Loco Moscas (Elijah Sparks & El Greengo Loco) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 06-26 2025 Microman def. Mini Abismo Negro for the EDW Heavyweight Title
  • 06-27 1969 Wahoo McDaniel & Thunderbolt Patterson became the WCCW American Tag Team Champions
  • 06-27 1971 Johnny Valentine def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 1976 Jose Lothario def. The Mongolian Stomper for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 06-27 2009 Randy Price def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Title
  • 06-27 2009 Martin Justice became the OECW Southwestern Champion
06-22
  • Athena Jun 23rd
  • Juan Sebastian Jun 24th
  • Gabe Wilder Jun 24th
  • Don Kent Jun 24th
  • Kody Lane Jun 25th
  • X-Storms Jun 25th
  • Jax Samuel Jun 26th
  • D. K. Bradley Jun 26th
  • Paul Rodriguez Jun 26th
  • Sylvia Richmond Jun 26th
  • Kuda Jun 27th
  • Dan Barnhart Jun 27th
  • Jason Kirby Jun 27th
  • Reckless Jun 27th
  • Ignition Jun 27th
  • Malico Jun 28th
  • Kenny Mack Jun 28th
  • Damian Kincaid Jun 28th
  • J. J. Blake Jun 28th
  • John Tidwell Jun 28th
  • Doc Hearon Jun 28th
  • Claire Jun 28th
  • Boris Malenko Jun 28th
  • Bill Dromo Jun 28th
  • Barbara Galento Jun 29th
  • Voltio Santiago Jun 29th
  • Ed Lewis Jun 30th
  • Kenneth Caine Jun 30th
  • Terry Funk Jun 30th
  • Li'l Joe Jul 1st
  • Sung Yung Kang Jul 1st
  • Jake Hollister Jul 1st
  • Tim WarCloud Jul 1st
  • Rex Andrews Jul 2nd
  • Dalton Smith Jul 2nd
  • Crowson D. Calhoun Jul 2nd
  • Wrangler Rhett Jul 2nd
  • Ray the Bae Jul 3rd
  • Arman Hussein Jul 3rd
  • Joe Sloan Jul 3rd
  • Rachael Starz Jul 3rd
  • Greatest American Bolo Jul 4th
  • Bree Ann Jul 4th
  • Blake Wilson Jul 4th
  • Bob Sweetan Jul 4th
  • Barry Windham Jul 4th
  • Roland Kirchmeyer Jul 5th
  • Richard Pierce Jul 5th
  • Little Tokyo Jul 5th
  • Terry Kage Jul 5th

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