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Once managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Nick Bockwinkel was one of the most dominant Superstars in AWA history, winning the AWA World and Tag Team Championships a total of nine times. He broke into sports-entertainment in the mid-1950s after ending his football career at the University of Oklahoma. Early in his sports-entertainment career, he was under the tutelage of his famous father, Warren, and wrestling legend Lou Thesz. Nick teamed with his father numerous times in the ring, competing in Georgia, Texas and the Pacific Northwest before moving on to the place he would find the most success: the American Wrestling Association. It was in the AWA that he formed a devastating tag team with Ray “The Crippler” Stevens. Managed by WWE Hall of Famer Bobby Heenan, Bockwinkel & Stevens would capture their first AWA World Tag Team Championship in 1972, and would go on to hold the titles a total of three times. After his successes as a tag team wrestler, Bockwinkel broke out into singles competition, ready to take AWA by storm. After working his way up the rankings, Bockwinkel shocked the world in 1975 when he defeated another WWE Hall of Famer, Verne Gagne, to become AWA World Champion. The win ended Gagne’s seven-year reign as AWA champion. Bockwinkel infuriated AWA fans for close to five years as the champion. He became one of, if not the most hated wrestlers of all-time. Bockwinkel often remarked, “I am the smartest wrestler alive.” However, his arrogance could not detract from the talent he displayed in the ring, as he took on all challengers. "The Devious One" from Japan, Mr. Fuji found plenty of success in WWE, both as a wrestler and a manager. During his in-ring days, Fuji established himself as one of the great rule-breakers in WWE. Known for keeping bags of salt well-hidden in his trunks, the talented Fuji made himself that much more dangerous by employing this secret weapon. Alongside partner Professor Toru Tanaka, Mr. Fuji was a World Tag Team Champion three times, as he and Tanaka reigned supreme in the tag division in the early ‘70s. On one occasion, Fuji & Tanaka held the titles for nearly a year, and during their second run as champions they held the gold for almost six months. After his partnership with Tanaka ended, Mr. Fuji would partner with Mr. Saito and capture the World Tag Team Championship two more times. Mr. Fuji was considered one of the toughest competitors throughout his career within the ring, and when he made the transition to managing other wrestlers, his toughness was seen in those he represented. Fuji himself had been managed by three of the greatest WWE managers during his career – The Grand Wizard, Classy Freddie Blassie and Captain Lou Albano - yet he looked to make his own mark in WWE. After moving from in-ring action to the outside, Fuji turned to another Hall of Famer to begin his managerial career – George “The Animal” Steele. The two had different ideals, however, and Fuji would move on to more “magnificent” pastures. His success as a tag team wrestler brought Mr. Fuji back full circle as a manager to the tag ranks. He first tried his hand with Don Muraco & Cowboy Bob Orton, who would team together at WrestleMania III in a losing effort. It was then that Fuji took control of the contracts of Demolition. At WrestleMania IV, Ax & Smash would defeat Strike Force to win the World Tag Team Championships.
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