Ken Patera

[Ken Patera GALLERY]

[Heenan Family] [The Sheiks] [The Olympians]

Title History

•  NWA (Texas) American tag team titles w/ Tex McKenzie defeating Blackjack Mulligan and Blackjack Lanza (July 22, 1974);
• NWA (Tri State) United States tag team titles w/ Killer Karl Kox defeating Randy Tyler and Bob Sweetan (October 19, 1976);
• PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1977).
• NWA Mid Atlantic heavyweight title defeating Wahoo McDaniel (April 9, 1978);
• NWA Mid Atlantic heavyweight title defeating Tony Atlas (October 21, 1978);
• NWA Mid Atlantic tag team titles w/ John Studd defeating Ricky Steamboat and Paul Jones (January 1979);
• WWF Intercontinental heavyweight title defeating Pat Patterson (April 21, 1980);
• NWA Missouri heavyweight title defeating Kevin Von Erich (April 25, 1980);
• SCW Southwest Brass Knuckles title defeating Tank Patton (1981);
• NWA Georgia heavyweight title defeating Tommy Rich (June 12, 1981);
• NWA Missouri heavyweight title defeating Jack Brisco (October 23, 1981);
• PWI (Pro Wrestling Illustrated) Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (1981).
• CWA (Memphis) International heavyweight title defeating Jerry Lawler (May 16, 1983);
• AWA world tag team titles w/ Jerry Blackwell defeating Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell (June 26, 1983);
• CWA (Memphis) International heavyweight title defeating Jerry Lawler (August 15, 1983);
• AWA world tag team titles w/ Brad Rheingans defeating Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond (March 25, 1989);
• PWA (Pro Wrestling America) tag team titles w/ Baron Von Raschke defeating The Punishers (December 29, 1991);

Career Highlights

In The Beginning:

• Ken Patera grew up in Portland, Oregon and became a world class power-lifter.
• 1971: Ken Patera won four gold medals in power-lifting at the Pan American games.
• 1972: Ken Patera represented the United States of American in the Summer Olympics.

Getting into the Business:

• Ken Patera trained with Verne Gagne in Minneapolis and made his professional wrestling debut in 1973.

World Wrestling Federation + Other Territories:

• 1977: Ken Patera used his swinging full nelson to injure several wrestlers in the WWWF and was voted PWI’s “Most Hated Wrestler.”
• 1977: Ken Patera participated in several World’s Strongest Man competitions which are often shown on ESPN or TSN even today.
• 1977: Ken Patera challenged WWWF World Champion, Bruno Sammartino, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
• January 25, 1978: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ken Patera in the semi-main event at the Orange Bowl in Florida.
• 1978: Ken Patera defeated Wahoo McDaniel to capture the Mid-Atlantic heavyweight title.
• Ken Patera dropped and recaptured the Mid-Atlantic heavyweight title during a feud with Tony Atlas.
• 1978: Ken Patera challenged WWWF World Champion, Bob Backlund, on several live events.
• 1979: Ken Patera teamed with Big John Studd to capture the Mid-Atlantic tag team titles.
• April 1980: Ken Patera defeated Pat Patterson to capture the WWF Intercontinental title.
• April 1980: Ken Patera defeated Kevin von Erich for the NWA Missouri title four days later.
• Ken Patera held both titles for six months, splitting his time between the two promotions.
• 1980: Bob Backlund defeated Ken Patera in a “Texas Death Match” to retain the WWWF World title.
• 1981: Ken Patera defeated Tommy Rich and Jack Brisco to capture the Georgia and Missouri titles.
• 1981: Ken Patera won his second Pro Wrestling Illustrated “Most Hated Wrestler” award.

American Wrestling Association:

• 1982: Ken Patera returned to the American Wrestling Association to be managed by Bobby Heenan.
• 1983: Ken Patera jumped to Adnan Al-Kaissey’s stable and formed a tag team with Jerry Blackwell called The Sheiks.
• Ken Patera and Jerry Blackwell defeated The High Flyers (Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell) for the AWA World tag team titles.

World Wrestling Federation:

• Ken Patera soon returned to the WWF and formed an alliance with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Big John Studd.
• Ken Patera and Big John Studd were involved in the infamous hair-cutting incident with the legendary Andre the Giant.
• April 6, 1984: Ken Patera and Mr. Saito threw a 30 pound boulder through the window of a McDonald’s in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
• ~~~Later that night, Ken Patera and Mr. Saito brawled with several police officers who were sent to arrest them.
• ~~~Sixteen months later, they were found guilty of battery on a police officer and sentenced to 2 years in prison.
• November 13, 1984: Big John Studd and Ken Patera defeated Andre The Giant and Special Delivery Jones in a tag team match.
• ~~~After the match, Studd and Patera shocked the wrestling world by cutting off pieces of Andre’s trademark hair!
• Andre The Giant first disposed of Ken Patera, easily beating him in an epic Madison Square Garden grudge match.
• 1985: Ken Patera was fired from the WWF after he was sentenced to two years in prison.

World Wrestling Federation:

• 1987: Ken Patera changed his life for the better and returned to the World Wrestling Federation – as a babyface.
• May 2, 1987 – Saturday Night Main Event: Hulk Hogan and Ken Patera defeated The Heenan Family (Andre The Giant and Hercules) in a dark match.
• May 16, 1987 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Hercules by disqualification.
• May 15-17, 1987 – House Show: Ken Patera defeated The Honky Tonk Man.
• May 23, 1987 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated The Gladiator.
• May 30, 1987 – House Show: Ken Patera defeated Killer Khan.
• May 31, 1987 – Wrestling Challenge: Ken Patera defeated Tim Patterson.
• June 6, 1987 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Jimmy Jack Funk.
• June 21, 1987 – Wrestling Challenge: Ken Patera defeated Rick Renslow.
• June 27, 1987 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Frankie Lane.
• July 11, 1987 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Iron Mike Sharpe.
• July 25-26, 1987 – House Show: Ken Patera defeated Paul Orndorff.
• July 26, 1987 – Wrestling Challenge: Ken Patera defeated Al Navarro.
• August 1, 1987 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Terry Gibbs.
• August 22, 1987 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Tom Stone.
• October 24, 1987 – House Show: Ken Patera defeated Boris Zhukov.
• November 7, 1987 – Superstars: Billy Jack Haynes and Ken Patera defeated Ray Miller and Terry Gibbs.
• November 15, 1987 – Wrestling Challenge: Billy Jack Haynes and Ken Patera defeated Dave Wagner and Gino Carabello.
• November 26, 1987 – Survivor Series: Andre The Giant, Butch Reed, King Kong Bundy, Rick Rude and The One Man Gang defeated Bam Bam Bigelow, Don Muraco, Hulk Hogan, Ken Patera and Paul Orndorff in a tag team elimination match.
• November 29, 1987 – Wrestling Challenge: Billy Jack Haynes and Ken Patera defeated Dave Wagner and Rick Renslow.
• January 23, 1988 – Superstars: Billy Jack Haynes and Ken Patera defeated Iron Mike Sharpe and Joe Mirto.
• February 13, 1988 – House Show: Ken Patera, The Crusher and The Junkyard Dog defeated Demolition (Ax & Smash) and Mr. Fuji.
• February 15, 1988 – House Show: Ken Patera and The Junkyard Dog defeated Los Conquistadores (Conquistador Dos and Conquistador Uno).
• February 27, 1988 – House Show: Ken Patera defeated Smash.
• March 12, 1988 – Saturday Night Main Event: The One Man Gang defeated Ken Patera.
• March 19, 1988 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Tom Stone in a dark match.
• March 27, 1988 – WrestleMania IV: Ken Patera was in the battle royal won by Bad News Brown.
• April 3, 1988 – Wrestling Challenge: Ken Patera defeated Jose Luis Rivera.
• April 30, 1988 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Scott Colontonio in a dark match.
• May 21, 1988 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Dino Bravo by disqualification in a dark match.
• May 27, 1988 – MSG Network: Dino Bravo defeated Ken Patera.
• June 5, 1988 – Wrestling Challenge: Ken Patera defeated Barry Horowitz.
• June 11, 1988 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Larry Sampson.
• June 18, 1988 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Steve Lombardi in a dark match.
• June 19, 1988 – Wrestling Challenge: Ken Patera defeated Iron Mike Sharpe.
• July 30, 1988 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Tom Stone in a dark match.
• July 31, 1988 – WrestleFest: Dino Bravo defeated Ken Patera.
• July 31, 1988 – Wrestling Challenge: Ken Patera defeated Chris Curtis.
• August 29, 1988 – SummerSlam: Bad News Brown defeated Ken Patera.
• September 17, 1988 – Superstars: Ken Patera defeated Bob Emory.
• September 25, 1988 – Wrestling Challenge: Ken Patera defeated Chris Duffy.
• October 16, 1988 – King of The Ring: Ken Patera defeated Nikolai Volkoff in the 1st round. Ted DiBiase defeated Ken Patera in the quarter-finals.
• October 29, 1988 – Saturday Night Main Event: Dino Bravo defeated Ken Patera.
• November 13, 1988 – Wrestling Challenge: Rick Rude defeated Ken Patera in a dark match.
• November 24, 1988 – Survivor Series: Andre The Giant, Dino Bravo, Harley Race, Mr. Perfect and Rick Rude defeated Jake Roberts, Jim Duggan, Ken Patera, Scott Casey and Tito Santana in a tag team elimination match.
• December 3, 1988 – Superstars: Ron Bass defeated Ken Patera in a dark match.
• Ken Patera began a mid-card feud with The Heenan Family and occasionally teamed with Billy Jack Haynes.
• Ken Patera suffered an arm injury and was out of action for five months, and returned to very little success.

American Wrestling Association:

• 1989: Ken Patera returned to the AWA again, to form a tag team with fellow Olympian Brad Rheingans as The Olympians.
• March 25, 1989: The Olympians defeated Badd Company (Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond) for the AWA World tag team titles.
• Ken Patera and Brad Rheingans vacated the AWA World Tag team titles when Patera was “injured” by the Destruction Crew.

Ken Patera – Retirement:

• Ken Patera then went into semi-retirement working off and on in various independent promotions across the U.S.A..
• Ken Patera will be remembered as one of the most effective heels in the history of professional wrestling.
• April 1, 1989 – WCW: Steven Regal defeated Ken Patera to retain the world heavyweight title.
• April 13, 22, 1989 – AWA: Larry Zbyszko defeated Ken Patera to retain the world heavyweight title.
• May 20, 1989 – AWA: Ken Patera and Tommy Jammer defeated The Badd Company (Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond).
• May 21, 1989 – TWWF: Ken Patera defeated The Cheetah Kid.
• October 29, 1989 – AWA: Ken Patera defeated Nikolai Volkoff.
• May 3, 1991 – TWWF: Ken Patera defeated Samu.
• December 21, 1991 – CWA: Rambo defeated Ken Patera to retain the world heavyweight title.
• July 24, 1993 – WOW: Baron von Raschke and Ken Patera defeated Chris Markoff and Sheik Adnan Al-Kassie.
• May 11, 1996 – WCW: Ken Patera defeated Blackjack Bennett.
• May 31, 1997 – PWA: Ken Patera defeated Wayne Bloom.
• March 14, 1998 – NSWA: King Kong Bundy defeated Ken Patera.
• 2002: A band called “The Swinging Neckbreakers” claim to have taken then name from watching Ken Patera wrestle when they were growing up.
• September 15, 2007 – South-Eastern Championship Wrestling: Ken Patera defeated Mr. America..
• May 3, 2008 – National Wrestling Superstars: Chris Mordetzky defeated Lamar Braxton Porter (Ken Patera was referee).
• August 12, 2011 – JCW: Bob Backlund defeated Ken Patera.