Ken Patera
Statistics
Ring name(s)
Billed height	6 ft 1¾ in (187 cm)
Billed weight	256 lb (116 kg)
Born	November 7, 1944
Resides	Portland, Oregon
Trained by	Verne Gagne
Debut	1973

Ken Patera is a former professional wrestler and weightlifter. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Nickname: Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: , Country United States State Oregon County Multnomah County Incorporated February 8, 1851 Government  - Mayor Tom Potter Area  - City 376. ... Verne Gagne (born May 10, 1926) is a former professional wrestler, trainer and wrestling promoter. ... Year 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. ... ...

Weightlifting career

Patera is a former Olympic Weightlifter and USA powerlifter. His greatest success was as an Olympic Weightlifter. He won several medals at the Pan American Games (including gold), and finished second in the 1971 World Weightlifting Championships. He was the first American to clean and jerk 500 lb (227 kg), which he achieved at the 1972 Senior Nationals in Detroit. He is also the only American to clean and press 500 lb (227 kg), and he was arguably the last American to excel at weightlifting on an international level. He was a serious competitor to the Soviet legend Vasily Alexeev at the 1972 Summer Olympics, but he failed to total and was not among the medal recipients. After the press (a lift Patera was disproportionately talented in) was eliminated from competition, Patera's weightlifting career was over. A weightlifter about to jerk 180 kg[1] Weightlifting, commonly referred to as lifting, is a sport in which competitors attempt to lift heavy weights mounted on steel bars called barbells, the execution of which is a combination of power, flexibility, technique, mental and physical strength. ... Vasily Alexeev (born January 27, 1942) is a former weightlifter from the Soviet Union whose career spanned the 1960s and 1970s. ... The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

Patera's career best lifts were all achieved in a meet in San Francisco on July 23, 1972 (Wilhelm, 1994): This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

• Snatch - 387½ pounds (175.7 kg)
• Clean and press - 505½ pounds (229.25 kg)
• Clean and jerk - 505½ pounds (229.25 kg)

When measured for the 1972 Olympics, he weighed 340 pounds at a height of 6'1¾" (Wilhelm, 1994).

Patera also competed in the first World's Strongest Man contest in 1977, finishing third behind Bruce Wilhelm and Bob Young. The official logo of Worlds Strongest Man The Met-Rx Worlds Strongest Man is the best-recognized annual international event in strength athletics. ... Bruce Wilhelm (born July 13, 1945) is a weightlifter and strongman from the United States. ... Robert Allen Young (born September 3, 1942 in Marshall, Texas) was a offensive guard who played 16 seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the St. ...

Wrestling career

Patera was one of the first "strongmen" in professional wrestling following his weightlifting career. He wrestled mainly as a heel for the WWF, NWA, and AWA during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1976 he challenged Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF Heavyweight Title. This was a huge draw around the northeast and Madison Square Garden. This was one of Bruno's last challenges before he lost the title to Superstar Billy Graham. Bruno never had a clean pinfall or submission over Patera during their run. When Bob Backlund won the title, Patera unsuccessfully challenged him. At the height of his career (in the early 1980s) he simultaneously held the WWF's Intercontinental Championship, and the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship - two of the most important non-World Championship titles of that era. He was also one of the top most hated villians in wrestling during this time. During that time, he used his Swinging Full Nelson to "injure" his opponents during matches (most notably Billy White Wolf in August 1977). The "Swinging Neckbreaker" was a simple full nelson applied with the opponent then swung in a circle so his feet would leave the ground. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... National Wrestling Alliance logo The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is the largest governing body for a group of independent professional wrestling promotions and sanctions various NWA championships. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino (born October 6, 1935), is a former professional wrestler, best known for being the longest-running champion of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), holding the title across two reigns for over 12 years in total, as well as the longest world championship reign in professional... World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE, is a professional wrestling organization. ... Eldridge Wayne Coleman, better known by his ring name, Superstar Billy Graham, is a retired American professional wrestler. ... Robert Louis Backlund (b. ... The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship. ... The NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship was a major title in the Central States area in the National Wrestling Alliance in the 1970s and 1980s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Adnan Bin Abdulkareem Ahmed Alkaissy El Farthie (born March 1, 1939) better known professionally as Adnan Al-Kaissie is a former professional wrestler and a manager best known as Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissy, Billy White Wolf or General Adnan. ...

He was an integral part of the Heenan family in the AWA (1982-1984) and later with the WWF (1984-1985). While in the AWA, he feuded with Hulk Hogan and against Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell. Patera won the AWA World Tag Team Championship with Jerry Blackwell, defeating Gagne and Brunzell. Patera and Blackwell would later lose the titles to Baron Von Raschke and The Crusher. Terrence Gene Bollea (born on August 11, 1953) is an American actor and semi-retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan. ... Greg Gagne can refer to either of the following: Greg Gagne — a former major-league baseball player, most notably with the Minnesota Twins Greg Gagne — a former professional wrestler best-known for his work in the American Wrestling Association in the 1970s and 1980s This is a disambiguation page, a... December 28, 1972 - Moorhead: Dennis Stamp beat Jim Brunzell (AWA debut). ... The American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Tag Team Championship was the tag team title for the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991. ... Jerry Blackwell was a professional wrestler, better known by his stage name Crusher Jerry Blackwell. ... Baron Von Raschke James Donald Raschke (born 1940- in Omaha, Nebraska) was a professional wrestler best known as Baron Von Raschke. ... Reginald Lisowski was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, The Crusher. ...

In the WWF, Patera resumed his feud with Hogan and also assisted Big John Studd in his feud with André the Giant, most notably in assisting Studd in the cutting of Andre's hair after attacking him 2-on-1. John Minton (February 19, 1948 —- March 20, 1995) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. ... André the Giant was the stage name of André René Roussimoff, (May 19, 1946 – January 27, 1993) a French professional wrestler and actor. ...

Patera went back to college at Brigham Young University, where he received a Bachelor's degree. The WWF brought him back to the company in the spring of 1987, airing some vignettes and releasing a Coliseum Video cassette entitled "The Ken Patera Story" chronicling his career and his return. (In the video, they created an angle, based on the fact that Patera did time in a Wisconsin prison for breaking and entering at a McDonald's resturant that wouldn't serve him and he threw a large rock through the window.) To make Patera a babyface, they concocted a story that former manager Bobby Heenan had abandoned him and "sold him down the river" while in prison. Patera and Heenan held a debate to air their differences, which naturally turned into a physical confrontation between the two that culminated in Patera swinging Heenan with a belt around his neck, causing Heenan to appear on television with a neck brace for months. Patera began feuding with the Heenan family (at the time comprised of Paul Orndorff, Harley Race, King Kong Bundy, and Hercules Hernandez). Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah, is the flagship university of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church). ... Coliseum Video logo Coliseum Video was a video distribution company founded by Vince McMahon. ... Paul Orndorff (born October 29, 1949 in Brandon, Florida) is a former National Football League player and former professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1980s as Mr. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Chris Pallies (born November 7, 1957) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, King Kong Bundy. ... Hercules Ray Hercules Fernandez (1957–2004) was a professional wrestler who primarily wrestled in Florida and Texas. ...

Patera was in top physical condition when returned to the WWF but his appearance had changed; as he wore natural brown hair, rather than his previous bleached blonde look. Some wrestling publications even speculated that Patera would reunite with Heenan to face Hulk Hogan in the main event of WrestleMania IV. But his push was short lived. In less than a year, Patera was being used to put over younger and newer talent for the company and was also involved in tag team matches partnered with Billy Jack Haynes.

Patera would sign with the AWA in early 1989. He initially challenged new AWA World Champion Larry Zbyszko for the title, but ended up in a tag team with Brad Rheingans as "the Olympians". The team would defeat Badd Company for the tag team titles shortly thereafter. However, their reign would be brief. Fellow weightlifter turned wrestler, Wayne Bloom challenged Patera to a "car lifting challenge" in order to get a title shot. When it was Patera's turn to lift, Bloom, partner Mike Enos and manager Johnny Valiant attacked and injured Patera and Rheingans. This led to the AWA stripping Patera and Rheingans of the titles. Lawrence (Larry) Whistler (born December 5, 1953) is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Badd Company with Diamond Dallas Page Badd Company was a professional wrestling tag team in the American Wrestling Association in the late 1980s. ... Wayne Bloom Wayne Bloom was a professional wrestler who wrestled in World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation. ... Mean Mike Enos Mike Enos was a professional wrestler who wrestled in World Championship Wrestling, the American Wrestling Association and the World Wrestling Federation. ... Categories: American professional wrestlers | Professional wrestling stubs ...

Rheingans would leave wrestling for several months (in order to have a legitimate knee operation not related to the incident). Patera continued to feud with Bloom and Enos until he left the AWA. Upon returning to the AWA in early 1990, Rheingans would continue the feud until the AWA's demise.

Patera went on to wrestle for the PWA and on independent cards primarily in the Minnesota area well into the 1990s, sometimes even promoting his own events.

In wrestling

• Finishing Moves
  • Swinging Full Nelson
  • Bearhug to one or two people

• Managers
  • Adnan El Kassey
  • Bobby Heenan

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Adnan Al-Kaissy is a former professional wrestler and a manager best known as Billy White Wolf or General Adnan. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Championships and accomplishments

• American Wrestling Association

• AWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Brad Rheingans (1) and Jerry Blackwell (1)

• Big Time Wrestling

• NWA American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Continental Wrestling Association

• CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• Georgia Championship Wrestling

• NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

• NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
• NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with John Studd

• NWA Tri-State

• NWA Tri-State Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time)
• NWA United States Tag Team Championship Tri-State Version (1 time) – with Killer Karl Kox

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• PWI ranked him # 127 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003
• PWI ranked him # 75 of the best tag teams of the "PWI Years" – with Jerry Blackwell

• Southwest Championship Wrestling

• SWCW Southwest Brass Knuckles Championship (1 time)

• St. Louis Wrestling Club

• NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• World Wrestling Federation

• WWF Intercontinental Championship (1 time)

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• Match of the Year award in 1980 – vs. Bob Backlund (Texas Death Match, May 19, 1980, New York City, New York)

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Tag Team Championship was the tag team title for the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991. ... This is the title history of the AWA World Tag Team Championship See also American Wrestling Association Categories: Professional wrestling championships | Lists of sportspersons ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Jerry Blackwell was a professional wrestler, better known by his stage name Crusher Jerry Blackwell. ... World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), also called the World Class Wrestling Association (WCWA), was a popular regional professional wrestling promotion run out of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. ... The World Class Heavyweight Championship was the major title in World Class Championship Wrestling. ... The World Class Heavyweight Championship was the major title in World Class Championship Wrestling. ... It is proposed that this article be deleted, because of the following concern: Non notable wrestling promotion, no third party sources, fails WP:CORP If you can address this concern by improving, copyediting, sourcing, renaming or merging the page, please edit this page and do so. ... The CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Championship was a major professional wrestling title defended in the Continental Wrestling Association. ... The AWA International Heavyweight Championship, originally known as the CWA/AWA International Heavyweight Championship (also identified in Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine as the Mid-Southern International Championship and the AWA International Championship) was a major professional wrestling title defended in the Continental Wrestling Association. ... Georgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on U.S. cable channel TBS (Turner Broadcasting System). ... NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship The NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Georgia Championship Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. ... NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship The NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship was the major title in the Georgia Championship Wrestling professional wrestling promotion. ... Jim Crockett Promotions was the name of a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. ... The NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship started out as the NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship in 1970. ... The NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship started out as the NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Championship in 1970. ... The NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship is the tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliances Mid-Atlantic territory. ... The NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship is the tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliances Mid-Atlantic territory. ... John Minton (February 19, 1948 —- March 20, 1995) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. ... National Wrestling Alliance logo The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is the largest governing body for a group of independent professional wrestling promotions and sanctions various NWA championships. ... Herb Gerwig , in Baltimore, Maryland is a professional wrestler that is better known by his stage name of Killer Karl Kox. ... Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) is a professional wrestling magazine. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Southwest Championship Wrestling (SWCW) was a professional wrestling promotion that was owned by Joseph Blanchard and based in San Antonio, Texas, from 1978 to 1985, when it was purchased by Texas All-Star Wrestling and absorbed into that company. ... The SWCW Southwest Brass Knuckles Championship was a short-lived secondary title in Southwest Championship Wrestling. ... The SWCW Southwest Brass Knuckles Championship was a short-lived secondary title in Southwest Championship Wrestling. ... St. ... The NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship was a major title in the Central States area in the National Wrestling Alliance in the 1970s and 1980s. ... The NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship was a major title in the Central States area in the National Wrestling Alliance in the 1970s and 1980s. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship. ... The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling title. ... David Allen Meltzer (born October 24, 1961) is the editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), a newsletter for the world of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Robert Louis Backlund (b. ... is the 139th day of the year (140th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Trivia

• Patera is the younger brother of Jack Patera, who coached the NFL's Seattle Seahawks from 1976 to 1982.
• Patera is mentioned in the GZA song "Shadowboxing":

I slayed MC's back in the rec room era/My style broke motherfuckin backs like Ken Patera

John Arlen Jack Patera (born August 1, 1933) is a former American Football player and coach in the National Football League. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... City Seattle, Washington Team colors Pacific Blue, Navy Blue, Neon Green, White Head Coach Mike Holmgren Owner Paul Allen General manager Tim Ruskell Mascot Blitz, and Taima the augur hawk League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1976–present) American Football Conference (1977-2001) AFC West (1977-2001) National Football Conference... GZA (pronounced The Jizza, aka The Genius, Maxi Million, Justice, born Gary Grice August 22, 1966 in Staten Island, New York) is an American rapper and member of The Wu-Tang Clan. ...

Reference

• Wilhelm, Bruce, "Ken Patera: Titan of Strength", Milo, July, 1994.

Bruce Wilhelm (born July 13, 1945) is a weightlifter and strongman from the United States. ... MILO is a quarterly magazine dedicated to strength sports, published by IronMind. ...

External links

• Ken Patera - Hall of Fame at Weightlifting Exchange