During his days as a color commentator for the WWF, Jesse “The Body” Ventura noted that sometimes the most effective tag teams were made up of two very different individuals. By Ventura’s estimation, each partner complemented the other, bringing something different to the table that made them much stronger as a team. “The Man Who Tells It Like It Is” may have been referring to his own partnership with Adrian Adonis, a team that saw great success in the American Wrestling Association. Join me now as Tag Team Appreciation Month looks at the career of The East-West Connection.

The man who would become known as Adrian Adonis entered the world on September 15, 1954 as Keith Franke. The Buffalo, New York native trained with wrestling star Fred Atkins before leaving the Queen City to travel the country, developing his skills as a pro grappler. Initially working under his real name, Franke debuted in the squared circle in 1974, but eventually transformed into Adrian Adonis, a biker clad in leather with a penchant for pulverizing opponents. Adonis developed into one of the sport’s best workers and was brought into the AWA by its owner, Verne Gagne.

Minneapolis native James Janos was born on July 15, 1951 and like many men from his generation, found himself in the Vietnam Conflict. Janos worked in the Navy’s Underwater Demolition Team before he joined the Mongols motorcycle club. Janos eventually returned to Minnesota where he trained to become a professional wrestler, rechristening himself Jesse Ventura, Ventura being the name of a California highway (pop culture fans may recall the 1973 song “Ventura Highway” by the band America). Ventura started his career in the Pacific Northwest Territory before campaigning in the AWA. With his tie-dyed outfit and muscular physique, Ventura emulated tie-dyed muscleman “Superstar” Billy Graham, but eventually forged his own identity.