by Stephen Von Slagle
In a business filled with truly unique individuals, Jesse “The Body” Ventura is a persona like few others. While never considered a great worker in the ring, behind the microphone he was undoubtedly one of the best ever and one of wrestling’s biggest stars. Ultimately, he is a man driven by the will to succeed. Be it as a Navy Seal, a professional wrestler, a color commentator, an actor, talk show host, best-selling author or politician, once Ventura becomes focused on a goal, it seems nothing can stop him. The epitome of the phrase “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” on the surface this determined, multi-dimensional man is an unlikely hero. But, once you dig a little deeper into his personal history, it can be argued that a better role model could not be found.
Ventura created his first waves within the business while competing for the NWA’s Central States territory. In terms of the NWA’s hierarchy, the Kansas City-based promotion was not one of the sport’s major players, but it was one of the best training grounds for young, inexperienced wrestlers trying to learn and perfect their craft. Ventura openly admits that he initially modeled nearly every facet of his new persona after his favorite wrestler, the legendary “Superstar” Billy Graham, who was then at the height of his popularity and influence. With his new Graham-ish persona complete, Jesse Ventura emerged as a major force in Central States Wrestling. Right around the same time he started his successful run in Central States, the rookie Ventura also began wrestling in Portland’s Pacific Northwest Wrestling which, much like Central States, was another “training ground” type of promotion. And, like Central States, it produced a number of future superstars who were, at the time, unknown to the wrestling world at large.
Once in the AWA, Jesse was initially managed by Bobby Heenan and he wrestled both as a singles competitor (engaging in a “body building” feud with the equally young “Precious” Paul Ellering) and in tag teams with various Heenan Family members, such as “Big, Bad” Bobby Duncum. But when he was paired with another young superstar-in-the-making, Adrian Adonis, Ventura’s career advanced to the next level. On July 20, 1980, Ventura & Adonis, the East-West Connection, were awarded the AWA World Tag Team title when reigning champions Verne Gagne & “Mad Dog” Vachon no-showed a scheduled defense in Denver. Although the championship had been “given” to them, Ventura & Adonis gelled as a team and it quickly became obvious that the duo was something special. The East-West Connection reigned as AWA World Tag Team champions for nearly an entire year before losing their belts to The High Flyers, Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell, on June 14, 1981.
After dominating the American Wrestling Association, Ventura and Adonis ventured northeast to the World Wrestling Federation. With Freddie Blassie as their manager, The East-West Connection both set their sights on WWF Heavyweight champion Bob Backlund. Blassie promised fans that his one-two punch of Ventura and Adonis was sure to be the knockout blow that would topple Backlund off of his WWF throne. History proved that this was not to be the case, but Ventura’s first run in the WWF was nevertheless another career-booster. With fans in the midwest and the northeast having been exposed to Jesse “The Body” Ventura, he left the WWF and headed south to Memphis. During his stay in “the King’s court,” Ventura twice defeated Memphis legend Jerry “The King” Lawler for the prestigious Southern Heavyweight title in 1983. As part of Jimmy Hart’s First Family, Ventura occasionally teamed with the rugged Stan Hansen and the two battled Lawler and Austin Idol both in singles and tag team matches.
It was during his WCW tenure that Ventura became inspired to run in the mayoral elections of his hometown of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which he won. Ventura’s political victory made headlines across the country and once again solidified Jesse’s place in American pop (and now, political) culture. However, when his stay in WCW came to a somewhat bitter end, thanks initially to issues with then-WCW Vice President Bill Watts and, later, Hulk Hogan, Ventura left WCW and retired from professional wrestling. As had been the case some twenty years earlier, it was time for Jesse Ventura (who by this point had legally changed his name from Jim Janos) to look for new challenges.
In addition to his wrestling and political careers, Ventura authored no less than ten books, several of which made the N.Y. Times best-seller list. Additionally, Ventura has appeared in some fifteen different motion pictures, many of them being major box-office successes, as well as hosting several popular political television programs, including Conspiracy Theory and Off The Grid.
Jesse Ventura has received numerous awards, including the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Award for Best Color Commentator (1987, 1988, 1990), the Cauliflower Alley Club’s Iron Mike Mazurki Award (1999) the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Frank Gotch Award (2003) and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame (2004).