Mad Dog Vachon vs. Jerry Blackwell: AWA, May 22, 1983WWE Hall of Famer Mad Dog Vachon clashes with Jerry "Crusher" Blackwell in a wild brawl.11/06/2013 - 14:48
Verne Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon vs. Jesse Ventura & Adrian Adonis - AWA Tag Team Championship Match: March 22, 1980Jesse Ventura & Adrian Adonis try to take the AWA Tag Team Titles away from the legendary duo of Verne Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon.04/27/2012 - 14:54
Mad Dog Vachon vs. Moondog Rex: July 20, 1984It's a war between roughnecks when Mad Dog Vachon takes on Moondog Rex at the Kiel Auditorium on July 20, 1984. It's even suggested that the winner gets a can of Alpo.02/06/2012 - 10:41
Rick McGraw vs. Mad Dog Vachon: October 22, 1984The veteran Mad Dog Vachon shows his experience as he dominates Rick McGraw with multiple choke holds and quickness at Madison Square Garden on October 22, 1984.02/06/2012 - 11:06
Shane Douglas vs. Tazz: Wrestlepalooza 1997 - ECW World Television Championship MatchA fired-up Tazz calls out ECW World Television Champion Shane Douglas and vows to make him tap in three minutes at Wrestlepalooza on June 7, 1997.03/06/2012 - 02:58
Chris Jericho vs. Dean Malenko - Cruiserweight Championship Match: Slamboree 1998Dean Malenko uses the Texas Cloverleaf to vanquish Chris Jericho and win the Cruiserweight Championship.09/10/2012 - 19:26
Saturn vs. Raven - Raven's Rules Match: Fall Brawl 1998Saturn has his hands full with The Flock during his match against Raven at Fall Brawl 1998.05/08/2013 - 16:54
Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck vs. The FBI - ECW Tag Team Championship Match: ECW on TNN, Sept. 8, 2000Newly crowned ECW Tag Team Champions defend their titles against Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke.05/10/2013 - 19:03
Ron Garvin vs. Ric Flair: World Championship Wrestling, September 26, 1987Ron Garvin captures the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Ric Flair.10/17/2012 - 15:10
Ray Stevens vs. Curt Hennig: Championship Wrestling, Nov. 20, 1982Ray Stevens battles a young pre-Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig on Championship Wrestling taped in Allentown, Penn.11/06/2013 - 09:47
Dynamite Kid vs. Butch Moffat: Stampede Wrestling, May 11, 1984Dynamite Kid displays his impressive move set against Butch Moffat at Stampede Wrestling in 1984.03/28/2013 - 18:43
Jim Ross Appreciation Night - Part 3: WWE.com Exclusive, Oct. 1, 2012Oklahoma legend Danny Hodge honors J.R. on Jim Ross Appreciation Night.10/02/2012 - 01:15
Curt Hennig & Scott Hall vs. The Long Riders - AWA Tag Team Championship Match: April 20, 1986The rough and tough Long Riders try to take the AWA Tag Titles away from Scott Hall & Curt Hennig.04/27/2012 - 16:07
The Rockers vs. The Nasty Boys - AWA Tag Team Championship Match: March 13, 1988Before battling in the WWE, The Rockers and The Nasty Boys competed for the AWA World Tag Team Titles.04/27/2012 - 16:40
The Road Warriors vs. The Fabulous Freebirds - AWA Tag Team Championship: September 28, 1985The Road Warriors must avoid the cheating way of The Fabulous Freebirds to keep their AWA Tag Team Titles.04/27/2012 - 15:48
The Rockers vs. Super Ninja & Ninja Go - AWA Tag Team Championship Match: June 12, 1987The Ninjas try to take the Tag Team Titles away from The Rockers.04/27/2012 - 16:31
Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell vs. Ken Patera & Bobby Duncum - AWA Tag Team Championship Match: January 30, 1983The rough team of Ken Patera & Bobby Duncum try to wrestle the AWA Tag Team Titles from the High Flyers.04/27/2012 - 15:12
Curt Hennig, Larry Hennig & The Crusher vs. The Road Warriors & Paul Ellering: January 13, 1985The Hennig Family join forces with The Crusher to take down the legendary Road Warriors.04/27/2012 - 15:23
Mad Dog Vachon vs. Jerry Blackwell: AWA, May 22, 1983WWE Hall of Famer Mad Dog Vachon clashes with Jerry "Crusher" Blackwell in a wild brawl.11/06/2013 - 14:48
AWA World Heavyweight Champion; AWA World Tag Team Championship; 2010 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee
Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon: Bio
One of the most unorthodox characters in sports-entertainment history, Mad Dog Vachon terrorized opponents, officials and fans for four decades and made a lasting mark as a brutal competitor and a true original.
Born in a working class district of Montreal in 1929, Maurice Vachon was a standout grappler from a very young age. His considerable talents earned him many national championships and a trip to the 1948 Olympic Games where he finished 7th overall. From there, Vachon transitioned naturally into the world of professional wrestling, but his early career was uneventful. It wasn't until Maurice shaved his head, grew a beard and took on the name "Mad Dog" that his career took off.
With his intimidating look and ferocious attitude, the bloodthirsty Vachon left Olympic-style mat wrestling behind and became the most feared brawler in Minnesota's American Wrestling Association. Grappling with local legends like Verne Gagne and The Crusher, Mad Dog captured the AWA World Heavyweight Championship five times during the 1960s and brought in some of the biggest box offices the territory had ever seen.
In a time long before the dawn of "hardcore wrestling," Vachon was an uncommonly cruel and brutal competitor. While he wasn't the biggest man in the ring, Mad Dog used everything that wasn't nailed down to batter his opponents. He filed his fingernails until they were razor sharp, gnawed on foreheads and built caskets for his next victims. The pit bull-like mauler was so destructive in the ring, he was banned from competing in three states. Still, Mad Dog's particular brand of mayhem drew legions of fans, including his future wife, Kathy Joe. As the story goes, Vachon and the young beauty locked eyes after he hit her with a foreign object he tossed into the crowd. It was love at first sight.
At the end of the '60s, Mad Dog's viciousness doubled when he formed a team with his brother, The Butcher. The siblings dominated the AWA's tag division, defeating The Crusher & The Bruiser for the tag titles in 1969 and successfully defending them for more than two years. Their sister, Vivian, would join the AWA soon after, winning the promotion's women's title in 1971.
Vachon continued to terrorize the AWA until 1984 when he joined WWE — 34 years into his wrestling career — before retiring in 1986. At this point, Mad Dog had become such an enduring figure in sports-entertainment that his insanity now drew cheers from the audience.
After wrecking havoc in the ring for decades, Vachon settled down in Omaha, Nebr., where he enjoyed a quiet life with his family. In later years, Mad Dog's legacy was carried on by his niece, the memorably twisted Luna Vachon, and notable brawlers who adopted Vachon's wild ring style like Bruiser Brody and George "The Animal" Steele. His considerable influence would also inspire renegade promotions like Extreme Championship Wrestling and, in many ways, WWE's "Attitude Era."
It is this unique influence, longevity and originality that earned Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon a much deserved spot in WWE's Hall of Fame.