Maurice Vachon was better known as “Mad Dog” Vachon.  He was a two-time AWA World
Heavyweight Champion and from an extensive wrestling family.  Maurice teamed with his
brother Paul to win two AWA World Tag Team Championships.

Vachon beat Verne Gagne on October 20, 1964 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to capture his
first AWA World Title.  He held on to the belt for almost a year despite an in-flux of
challengers ranging from Crusher to Dick the Bruiser to Wilbur Snyder.  He was beaten by
the Crusher in St. Paul on August 21, 1965.  Vachon got his title rematch from Denver
Promoter, Gene Reed, on November 12, 1965 at the Auditorium Arena and made the best of
it.  He won the first fall in 9:22.  The second went to Crusher at the 2:30 mark and many of
the 4,000 fans thought it was over.  But Vachon pulled a rabbit from his hat and won the final
fall in 6:06.  The title changed hands and the “Mad Dog” controlled the belt.

Reed gave Vachon a rematch,  and he was set on giving the Crusher one also.  The two
were paired again on Thursday, December 9th in Denver.  Maurice won the initial contest in 9:
57 and was even at 2:18 of the second when Crusher rebounded.  The latter participant
grabbed a chair in the third and final fall, hitting the World Champion on the head in 6:07.  
The assigned referee disqualified Crusher before an estimated 3,500 fans.  A high profile
card was set for December 27, 1965 in Denver.  Vachon was to appear and defend the title
against Bob Ellis in a two-of-three-falls affair.  When Ellis was unable to appear, Vachon
ended up defending his belt against Wilbur Snyder.  37 seconds was all the champion
needed to beat Snyder in the first fall.

Snyder captured the second in 18:06, but the third was what got the fans murmuring.  In 3-
minutes and 33 seconds, Vachon decided that it was time to stomp and gouge the challenger
repeatedly.  When the referee thought it was enough, he disqualified the champion and thus,
the title was retained.  More then 7,000 fans witnessed the bout.  This wasn’t going to be the
last time Vachon faced Snyder’s challenge.

Vachon retained the belt until February 26, 1967.  Gagne beat Vachon in St. Paul and
captured his seventh AWA Title.  After the loss, Vachon took to the tag team scene.  He
formed a partnership with his brother, Paul and the two skyrocketed to the top of the
rankings.  They became the number one tag team in the world with a victory over Dick the
Bruiser and Crusher on August 30, 1969 in Chicago.  A controversial match in Denver nearly
cost them the tag straps against Crusher and Edouard Carpentier on February 23, 1970.  
Crusher teamed with Gagne on April 24th in Denver and again, the Vachons almost lost their
belts.  Two very close calls in Denver.

A rematch between the two teams was held on July 10th and the Vachons were able to get
the win.  Finally, lost the belts to Crusher and Bad Boy Bullinski at the Auditorium Arena on
November 27th.  Maurice was pinned by Crusher to gain the final and deciding fall before an
estimated 7,500-plus fans.  Pepper Gomez was involved in the end of the bout and cost them
the belts.  They won the rematch in Denver on December 29th with two-of-three-falls.  The
Vachon Brothers were once again at the top of the heap.  They went to Milwaukee to defend
the championship against Red Bastien and Hercules Cortez and lost the belts on May 15,
1971.

Vachon held numerous championships through many American and Canadian Territories.  
He was a legend of the sport and will be remembered forever for the work he did in the
professional wrestling ring.





Research by Tim Hornbaker
Maurice Vachon Wrestling History
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