What’s the story?
“Pretty Boy” Doug Somers, a former AWA Tag Team champion and a stalwart of the 1980s territory days, passed away today (May 16th). He was 65.
The background
Somers was born in Minneapolis, MN in 1951 and was trained by NWA Legend Harley Race. He began in the AWA in 1986, teaming with “Playboy” Buddy Rose, a tandem that would hold the AWA Tag Team Championship by defeating Scott Hall and Curt Hennig (interestingly enough, by count out).
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They would go on to lose the belts just a little under a year later to The Midnight Rockers (Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels). Somers would go on to hold titles in the NWA before retiring for good in 2012.
The heart of the matter
Somers’s death would be announced via social media by his niece, Julie Somerson. No cause of death was specified
Our tribute
Even some of our older readers won’t quite understand just how big the territories – and companies like the AWA – were before the tidal wave of the WWF swallowed them all up. Buys like Somers paved the way for future stars like Hennis, Hall, and Michaels.
Even up until early this decade, he was working at smaller companies, hoping to help out the stars of the future. All of us as Sportskeeda Wrestling sound out thoughts to Somers’ family, friends, and fans. He’ll be missed.
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