10 Wrestlers Who Became Successful Bookers

Minnesotan Verne Gagne was an all-rounder in just about every sport growing up, but it was wrestling where he truly excelled.

After failing to make the US Olympics team when it leaked he'd took payment for a match at a carnival, Gagne decided to make wrestling professionally his full time vocation. He quickly rose through the ranks; just a year after making his debut, Gagne claimed the NWA Junior Heavyweight Title, and four years later was handpicked by Fred Kohler to become the inaugural holder of Chicago's NWA US Title.

Afforded widespread exposure during the golden era of television wrestling, Gagne's incredible technical prowess soon established him as one of the industry's most popular - and well remunerated - stars. With money in the bank, he gradually stepped away from the ring to focus on promoting his own promotion.

Gagne's American Wrestling Association established itself as one of North America's most successful territories, expanding out beyond its Minneapolis base as it provided a home for present and future industry stars such as Nick Bockwinkel, Bob Backlund, Curt Hennig, Bobby Heenan, Gene Okerlund, The Rockers, and Scott Hall.

Perhaps Verne's biggest contribution to the wrestling industry was the discovery of Hulk Hogan. A disagreement over merchandise reprisals prevented Hogan from ever winning AWA's top title, and he soon accepted an offer from rival promoter Vincent K. McMahon. We all know what happened next.

AWA's decline is a familiar story. Vince Jr.'s rapid national expansion in the mid-'80s gradually stripped the promotion of its top talent, and it soon fell into irrelevance. The company finally died in 1990, but without Verne's group - and the bulk of his talent - it's possible the WWF sports entertainment juggernaut would have never have taken off.