Buddy Austin

Last updated: March 20, 2025

NWA (Florida) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Don Curtis (January 10, 1961);
NWA Central States Heavyweight title defeating ???????? (June 2, 1961);
NWA Central States Heavyweight title defeating Tarzan Tyler (November 10, 1961);
AJPW All Asia Tag Team titles w/Mike Sharpe defeating Toyonobori & Rikidozan (June 4, 1962);
WWWF United States Tag Team titles w/Great Scott defeating Johnny Barend & Buddy Rogers (March 7, 1963);
WWA (Los Angeles) World Tag Team titles w/El Mongol defeating Alberto Torres & Thunderbolt Patterson (April 18, 1966);
WWA (Los Angeles) World Heavyweight title defeating Pedro Morales (August 5, 1966);
WWA (Los Angeles) World Heavyweight title defeating Bobo Brazil (September 16, 1966);
WWA (Los Angeles) World Tag Team titles w/Fred Blassie defeating Victor Rivera & Pedro Morales (?????, 1967);
NWA Texas Heavyweight title defeating Paul DeMarco [Tournament] (May ??, 1967);
WWA (Los Angeles) World Heavyweight title defeating Mike DiBiase (August 25, 1967);
NWA Hawaii Tag Team titles w/Ripper Collins defeating Bobby Shane & Nick Bockwinkel (April 16, 1969);
IWA (Australia) World Tag Team titles w/Curtis Iaukea defeating Spiros Arion & Mario Milano (December 26, 1969);
NWA (Central States) North American Tag Team titles w/Bob Orton Sr. defeating ??????? (????, 1971);

Buddy Austin was born named Austin Rapes but legally changed it to Austin Wesley Rogers..
Buddy Austin (as Francis Gabor) teamed with Fritz Von Goering (as John Gabor) as The Gabor Brothers.
Late 1950s: Buddy Austin wrestled in the Al Haft promotion in Ohio (a company known for having wrestlers with weird names)..
~~~~~Buddy Austin sometimes teamed with Fritz Von Goering (John Gabor), but both used their respective ring names.
Buddy Austin claimed he was called “Killer” because he “killed a man with a piledriver” — which did not happen.
Buddy Austin was one of “Handsome” Harley Race’s trainers — Race of course had 8 NWA World title reigns..
1961: Buddy Austin held the NWA Central States Heavyweight title for five months and one day..
Buddy Austin had a major run in Japan in the 1960s..
Buddy Austin was a long-time partner with Fred Blassie before they turned on each other in California..
May 1967–(San Antonio): Buddy Austin beat Paul Demarco in Tournament Final to win Texas Heavyweight Title.
1968: Buddy Austin lost two infant daughters in a tragic pool drowning accident..
Buddy Austin worked as a minister in the last years of his life..
August 12, 1981: Buddy Austin died of a heart attack at the age of 51.
Thanks to Buddy Austin’s daughter, Monique Rogers, for information about her father.