The Professional Wrestling Legend Verne Gagne Quiz

Answer: two

Verne Gagne competed as an amateur wrestler at the University of Minnesota in 1943, 1948 and 1949. Gagne won the National Collegiate Athletic Association individual wrestling national championship in 1948 and 1949.

Answer: Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears selected Verne Gagne in the sixteenth round of the 1947 National Football League Draft. Verne Gagne chose not to play for the Bears because team owner discouraged his players from both playing football and being a professional wrestler. Verne Gagne played for the National Football League's Green Bay Packers for less than a season.

Eventually, Verne Gagne decided to pursue a career in professional wrestling over football due to a potential better salary as a professional wrestler.

Answer: Freestyle Wrestling

Verne Gagne was an alternate on the 1948 United States Olympics freestyle wrestling team. Gagne wasn't allowed to compete in the 1948 Olympics because his coaches had learned that Gagne had been paid money winning after a wrestling match at a carnival. This payment put Gagne's status as an amateur in question.

Answer: Tony Stecher and Joe Pazandak

After leaving the National Football League behind, Gagne officially started the career path as a professional wrestler. Gagne was trained Tony Stecher and Joe Pazandak. On May 10, 1948 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Verne Gagne made his professional wrestling debut defeating Abe "King Kong" Kashey.

Answer: no

Édouard Carpentier defeated National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz on June 14, 1957. The match ended when Lou Thesz could not continue due to a back injury. Lou Thesz defeated Édouard Carpentier by disqualification in the rematch on July 24, 1957. Neither match ended in a pin or submission. Thus the National Wrestling Alliance territories were split over who the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion should be.

Verne Gagne defeated Édouard Carpentier on August 9, 1958 for Carpentier's disputed version of the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship. At the time of the victory, some National Wrestling Alliance territories still recognized Lou Thesz as the National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion.

Answer: 1960

The American Wrestling Alliance was officially formed in 1960 and folded in 1991. This wrestling promotion ran shows in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Omaha, Winnipeg, Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Phoenix.

Verne Gagne was frustrated about not getting the opportunity to become the undisputed National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion. Thus he formed the American Wrestling Alliance. The American Wrestling Alliance challenged the then-undisputed National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion Pat O'Connor to defend his championship in their territory.

Answer: ten

Verne Gagne held the American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship ten times between 1960 and 1980. He held the title for four thousand, six hundred and seventy-seven days.

Answer: The Sleeper Hold

When defeating an opponent, Verne Gagne usually used his finishing maneuver, the sleeper hold. Roddy Piper and Brutus Beefcake also used the sleeper hold as their finishing maneuver.

Answer: Curt Hennig

Curt Hennig was trained by Vern Gagne to be a pro wrestler in 1980. Curt Hennig won the American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship in 1987. Curt Hennig won the World Wrestling Entertainment Intercontinental Championship twice between 1990 and 1991. Curt Hennig never won the World Wrestling Entertainment World Heavyweight Championship during his career.

Ric Flair, Sergeant Slaughter and the Iron Shiek trained under Vern Gagne to become a professional wrestlers in 1972. The Iron Shiek won the the World Wrestling Entertainment World Heavyweight Championship in 1983. Sergeant Slaughter won the World Wrestling Entertainment World Heavyweight Championship in 1991. Ric Flair won the World Wrestling Entertainment World Heavyweight Championship twice in 1992.

Answer: The American Wrestling Association Hall of Fame

The American Wrestling Association had no Hall of Fame in which Verne Gagne could be inducted.

Verne Gagne was inducted into the World Championship Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993, into the "Wrestling Observer Newsletter" Hall of Fame in 1996, into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2006, and into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in 2004. Verne Gagne was awarded "Lou Thesz Award" in 2006 by the Cauliflower Alley Club. Verne Gagne was awarded the "Pro Wrestling Illustrated" magazine "Stanley Weston Award" in 1986.