Arn Anderson: "The Enforcer" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Martin Lunde

The wrestler known as Arn Anderson was born Martin Lunde in Georgia in 1958 to a teenage mother and an absent father. Raised solely by his maternal grandparents, his grandfather was the town barber, Lunde became a wrestling fan at a very early age. In the early 1980s while attending a wrestling event Lunde approached Ted Allen and asked him how someone gets started in the business. Allen offered to train the passionate Lunde and in 1982 he made his professional debut.

Answer: Manny Fernandez and Thunderbolt Patterson

In January 1985, Ole Anderson and Thunderbolt Patterson, both sage veterans, were the reigning National Tag Team Champions. More and more Ole began to focus on his "nephew" Arn and Thunderbolt felt neglected which eventually led to a violent breakup. The Titles were held up and each man, Ole and Patterson, were allowed to pick a partner and whichever duo won the match, won the belts. Patterson picked Manny Fernandez and Ole picked his "nephew" Arn, The Andersons won the match and the titles.

Answer: Buzz Sawyer and Dick Slater

On July 6, 1985, the NWA presented the very first "Great American Bash" as a single card, it eventually morphed into a one month tour and then back to a single card. On that very first card in July 1985 Ole and Arn Anderson successfully defended the NWA National Tag Team Titles against the late "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer and Dick Slater.

Answer: Wahoo McDaniel

On January 4, 1986 in Greensboro, North Carolina Arn Anderson won an eight man tournament to win his very first NWA/WCW Television Title. Anderson had a very tough night as he defeated Jimmy Valiant, Ron Garvin and finally Wahoo McDaniel in the final match to win the vacant strap.

In reality Billy Jack Haynes had been booked to win the belt but had a physical confrontation with both Jim Crockett and Dusty Rhodes shortly before and was terminated.

Answer: The Rock and Roll Express

On September 29, 1987, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, one of the finest tag teams in wrestling history, defeated The Rock and Roll Express for the NWA Tag Team Titles. Many people contended that the match should never have taken place as Ricky Morton was viciously attacked by The Midnight Express shortly before and suffered an injured shoulder. Robert Gibson chose to defend the belts alone but Morton eventually came to his rescue.

Although brave, Morton's efforts were in vain as he was in no shape to compete and Gibson eventually stopped the match.

Answer: The Brain Busters

Upon learning from Jim Crockett that a sale to Ted Turner was imminent both Arn Anderson and his partner Tully Blanchard promptly left the NWA in September 1988. The following month they made their debut in the WWF where they were managed by Bobby Heenan and dubbed "The Brain Busters". During their one year stay in the WWF Arn and Tully were used exclusively as a tag team and won the WWF Tag Team Titles in July 1989.

Answer: Strike Force

On April 2, 1989, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard made their "Wrestlemania" debut by defeating the former WWF Tag Team Champions Rick Martel and Tito Santana aka Strike Force. During the match Santana mistakenly hit Martel who later abandoned his partner thus making his infamous heel turn. Left alone the gallant Santana was no match for The Busters and was quickly defeated.

Answer: Bobby Eaton

On May 19, 1991, Arn Anderson lost the WCW Television Title to "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton in one of the cards featured matches. Eaton had been a longtime member of the famed 1980s tag team "The Midnight Express", first with Dennis Condrey and later Stan Lane.

In November 1990, The Express parted ways and soon after Eaton received a mild singles push which culminated in his winning the WCW Televsion Title. His reign did not last long as he lost the belt several weeks later to a rising star named Steve Austin.

Answer: The York Foundation

Although the incomparable Ric Flair was always regarded as the centerpiece of the famed "Four Horsemen" it was "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson who was the backbone of that group. In reality it was Arn in a January 1986 interview who accidentally dubbed the group with its famous moniker.

In mid 1991 Arn joined Paul E Dangerously's "Dangerous Alliance" which also included Rick Rude, Bobby Eaton, Madusa, Steve Austin and Larry Zbyszko. In 1994 Anderson became a member of Colonel Robert Parker's "Stud Stable" which also included Steve Austin, Meng, Bunkhouse Buck and Terry Funk.

However by early 1995 Anderson had found his way back to the group which has made him famous, "The Four Horsemen".

Answer: Lex Luger

On October 27, 1996 Arn Anderson wrestled and lost at "Halloween Havoc '96" against his former "Four Horsemen" colleague Lex Luger. Luger won the contest by submission with his famed "Torture Rack" backbreaker which aggravated an old neck injury in Anderson.

After competing injured for several months Arn had extensive medical tests which revealed he had actually broken several vertebrae in his back. Although he briefly trained for a return it quickly became evident that his career was over. In August 1997 in one of the most emotional "Nitros" ever, Arn announced his retirement from the sport.