Once again though the AWA tag team titles were returned to Bockwinkel and Stevens because Portz wasn't originally scheduled to be in the match.

Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens returned to action at the International Amphitheatre on October 31st, 1973 facing Billy Robinson and Red Bastien. Nick and Ray won the match by countout "injuring" Bastien in the process. Billy formed a dream team with Dick the Bruiser and together Robinson and Bruiser were signed to meet Bockwinkel and Stevens on the next Chicago card held on November 9th. The match was inconclusive as the teams battled each other to a double disqualification. The next Chicago card on November 30th saw Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens defending the AWA tag team titles against yet another dream team. This time the opposition for Bockwinkel and Stevens was the duo of Dick the Bruiser and Verne Gagne. After an extremely hard fought battle, Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens once again retained their AWA tag team titles.

During their televised interviews, Bockwinkel and Stevens often complained the AWA hierarchy was conspiring against them by making tem defend the AWA tag team titles against such outstanding opposition. The conspiracy theory cry by Nick and Ray would become a recurring theme in the AWA throughout the next several months. By this time, Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens had held the AWA tag team titles for nearly two years not counting the one week title reign of Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson. Bockwinkel and Stevens did whatever it took to retain their titles whether it be getting themselves deliberately counted out of the ring, getting themselves intentionally disqualified or using a foreign object such as brass knuckles or a steel chair to gain a victory. Nick and Ray did appear beatable because they used such chicanery and because they had retained their tag belts many times due to an unscheduled opponent taking part in a match or the wrong man being pinned. Fans hated Nick Bockwinkel and Ray Stevens so much they'd pay to see them get theirs tails kicked and felt it was only a matter of time before a team would defeat them for the AWA tag team titles.

Special thanks to wrestling historians George Schire and Jim Melby. Without the work of these gentlemen, columns like this one would not be possible.

Any comments, questions and corrections can be sent to JZ92264@webtv.net.

NEXT MONTH:

I'll cover Bobby Heenan becoming the manager of Bockwinkel and Stevens.