Shaun Koen
Encyclopedia
Shaun Koen is a South Africa
n professional wrestler
. He is the owner and promoter of the Africa Wrestling Alliance
and is the promotion's current African Heavyweight Champion
. Koen is a second-generation
professional wrestler; his father Jackie Koen competed in the professional wrestling industry.
, the son of promoter and multi-time All-Africa Heavyweight Champion
Jackie Koen. He made his debut at the age of sixteen in 1987 for his father's promotion, Ring Promotions, losing to veteran Jumbo Swart in Port Elizabeth. In his second-ever match the next night, he lost to Leon Venter at the Good Hope Centre
in Cape Town
. On March 8, 1989, he defeated John Powers. On June 12, 1989, he defeated Gary Albright
. On November 15, 1989 in a big eight-man tag team match at the Good Hope Centre, he teamed with Danie Brits, Kalahari Boerboel and Tolla The Animal to beat the kayfabe foreign invading team of Tojo Yamamoto, Akam Singh, The Mexican Phantom and Mr India. On November 29, 1989, Koen beat Greg Bragg;
in Germany
and Austria
. His experiences wrestling in Europe would greatly influence his style and future training methods. Upon returning to South Africa, he lost to South African Heavyweight Champion Danie Brits on October 22, 1990. On February 27, 1991, Koen defeated Oscar Strongbow. On June 29, 1991, he lost to champion Danie Brits
in a match for the South African Heavyweight Title. He lost in a subsequent rematch on July 10, 1991. In 1992, he won the All-Africa Heavyweight Championship
from the Zimbabwe
an Big Mike Zuma in Cape Town
, his first major title victory. On January 23, 1992, he defeated German rival Ulf Herman at the Good Hope Centre. On March 13, 1992, Koen beat Mad Mike in Port Elizabeth. On April 22, 1992, he defeated Steve Regal. On May 6, 1992, he teamed with Danie Brits to defeat Jason The Terrible and Steve Regal. On April 19, 1993, he lost to The Barbarian at Good Hope Centre in Cape Town
. On September 8, 1994, Koen teamed with Gama Singh to defeat Bad News Brown and Tim Flowers. In 1994, his father passed away.
. Koen would train over thirty of Cape Town's wrestlers in the forthcoming years. The All-Africa Heavyweight Title, which had historic roots in Namibia
and had been held by his father, was established as the main championship in the AWF. Upon its founding, the promotion became renowned in regions such as Pretoria and Cape Town, and remained regional until expanding several years later. On February 4, 1995 at an All Stars Wrestling event, he lost to champion Giant Warrior in an EWU Super Heavyweight Title match. On April 26, 1995, he defeated The German Avalanche at the Good Hope Centre. On October 19, 1995, he defeated Bad News Brown.
In 1996 during a tour of Kenya
, Koen lost the title to King Jacob, but regained it three weeks later in a no-holds barred challenge. He defended the championship many times against Big Bad Bruce, his arch-rival in the 1990s. In 1999, he formed a dream team with Tornado II
, who was on par with Koen in popularity.
. In June that year, Koen lost the title to Terry Middoux, who ended Koen's reign at 3042 days, the longest reign in the title's history. On December 11, 2004, he defeated Middoux on the final episode of the AWF's show AWF on E Slam Series Final to win his record-breaking third All-Africa Heavyweight Title.
, who promised to wager all three of his legitimate kickboxing titles against Koen's All-Africa Heavyweight Title in a future match. In August, 2010, the Sanlam
-operated online brand SmartAboutWhat.co.za, which focuses on proving whether or not several popular beliefs and myths are real, held a filmed exhibition entitled Is Wrestling Real? at Shaun Koen's training centre in Pinelands
, pitting one of their staff writers against Koen and concluding in the end that "wrestling is indeed real".
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. He is the owner and promoter of the Africa Wrestling Alliance
Africa Wrestling Alliance
Africa Wrestling Alliance, formerly known as Africa Wrestling Federation, is a South African professional wrestling promotion founded in 1995 . The regionally-based company is owned by Shaun Koen and Koos Rossouw, and is a traditionally-styled promotion influenced by the international wrestling...
and is the promotion's current African Heavyweight Champion
AWA African Heavyweight Championship
The AWA African Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Africa Wrestling Alliance promotion. It was created in January 1990.-Title history:...
. Koen is a second-generation
Generation
Generation , also known as procreation in biological sciences, is the act of producing offspring....
professional wrestler; his father Jackie Koen competed in the professional wrestling industry.
1987–1989
Shaun Koen was born into a family of athletes in Port Elizabeth, South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the son of promoter and multi-time All-Africa Heavyweight Champion
AWA African Heavyweight Championship
The AWA African Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Africa Wrestling Alliance promotion. It was created in January 1990.-Title history:...
Jackie Koen. He made his debut at the age of sixteen in 1987 for his father's promotion, Ring Promotions, losing to veteran Jumbo Swart in Port Elizabeth. In his second-ever match the next night, he lost to Leon Venter at the Good Hope Centre
Good Hope Centre
The Good Hope Centre in Cape Town, South Africa by Pier Luigi Nervi, is an exhibition hall and conference centre, with the exhibition hall comprising an arch with tie-beam on each of the four vertical facades and two diagonal arches supporting two intersecting barrel-like roofs which in turn were...
in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. On March 8, 1989, he defeated John Powers. On June 12, 1989, he defeated Gary Albright
Gary Albright
Gary Albright was an American professional wrestler who performed mainly in Stampede Wrestling in Canada and with UWF International and All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan. Albright was a member through marriage of the famous Anoa'i wrestling family, including Afa and Sika, Yokozuna, Rikishi, and The...
. On November 15, 1989 in a big eight-man tag team match at the Good Hope Centre, he teamed with Danie Brits, Kalahari Boerboel and Tolla The Animal to beat the kayfabe foreign invading team of Tojo Yamamoto, Akam Singh, The Mexican Phantom and Mr India. On November 29, 1989, Koen beat Greg Bragg;
1990–1994
In 1990, he toured the Catch Wrestling AssociationCatch Wrestling Association
The Catch Wrestling Association was a professional wrestling organization based in Austria and Germany and was founded in 1973. It was formerly run by famous AWA champion Otto Wanz. The CWA featured a traditional brand of mat wrestling mixed with various “Strong Man” competitions...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. His experiences wrestling in Europe would greatly influence his style and future training methods. Upon returning to South Africa, he lost to South African Heavyweight Champion Danie Brits on October 22, 1990. On February 27, 1991, Koen defeated Oscar Strongbow. On June 29, 1991, he lost to champion Danie Brits
Danie Brits
Danie Brits is a retired South African professional wrestler and former South African Heavyweight Champion, known for his work in many of South Africa's major promotions in the past and for his 1980s stint as The Masked Tornado.-Early career:...
in a match for the South African Heavyweight Title. He lost in a subsequent rematch on July 10, 1991. In 1992, he won the All-Africa Heavyweight Championship
AWA African Heavyweight Championship
The AWA African Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Africa Wrestling Alliance promotion. It was created in January 1990.-Title history:...
from the Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an Big Mike Zuma in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, his first major title victory. On January 23, 1992, he defeated German rival Ulf Herman at the Good Hope Centre. On March 13, 1992, Koen beat Mad Mike in Port Elizabeth. On April 22, 1992, he defeated Steve Regal. On May 6, 1992, he teamed with Danie Brits to defeat Jason The Terrible and Steve Regal. On April 19, 1993, he lost to The Barbarian at Good Hope Centre in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. On September 8, 1994, Koen teamed with Gama Singh to defeat Bad News Brown and Tim Flowers. In 1994, his father passed away.
1995–1999
In 1995, he formed the Africa Wrestling FederationAfrica Wrestling Alliance
Africa Wrestling Alliance, formerly known as Africa Wrestling Federation, is a South African professional wrestling promotion founded in 1995 . The regionally-based company is owned by Shaun Koen and Koos Rossouw, and is a traditionally-styled promotion influenced by the international wrestling...
. Koen would train over thirty of Cape Town's wrestlers in the forthcoming years. The All-Africa Heavyweight Title, which had historic roots in Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
and had been held by his father, was established as the main championship in the AWF. Upon its founding, the promotion became renowned in regions such as Pretoria and Cape Town, and remained regional until expanding several years later. On February 4, 1995 at an All Stars Wrestling event, he lost to champion Giant Warrior in an EWU Super Heavyweight Title match. On April 26, 1995, he defeated The German Avalanche at the Good Hope Centre. On October 19, 1995, he defeated Bad News Brown.
In 1996 during a tour of Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Koen lost the title to King Jacob, but regained it three weeks later in a no-holds barred challenge. He defended the championship many times against Big Bad Bruce, his arch-rival in the 1990s. In 1999, he formed a dream team with Tornado II
Steve Debbes
Steve Debbes, better known by his ring name Tornado, is a South African professional wrestler performing for World Wrestling Professionals. He is the current 2-time WWP Heavyweight World Champion and the longest-reigning title holder in the championship's history.-Early life:Steve Debbes was a...
, who was on par with Koen in popularity.
2000–2004
In 2001, he suffered a severe arm injury that forced him out of action for almost a year. In 2004 at the height of the AWF's popularity, Shaun Koen and AWF signed their first television contract with nationally-broadcast network e.TVE.tv
e.tv is the fifth terrestrial television channel in South Africa, following three channels operated by the state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation and the privately owned subscription-funded M-Net, operated by Multichoice...
. In June that year, Koen lost the title to Terry Middoux, who ended Koen's reign at 3042 days, the longest reign in the title's history. On December 11, 2004, he defeated Middoux on the final episode of the AWF's show AWF on E Slam Series Final to win his record-breaking third All-Africa Heavyweight Title.
2005–2009
In 2005, the Africa Wrestling Federation was renamed the Africa Wrestling Alliance. In December, 2006 at the Parow Civic Centre, he defended the title against rival Missing Link in a match that would be hailed as the most violent in Koen's career, winning after Missing Link was thrown through a table engulfed in fire. Koen would go on to defend the title successfully until April 30, 2008, when he was defeated by Missing Link in a four-way match also involving BDX-Treme and African Warrior. On December 9, 2009 at the Night of Champions event, Koen defeated Missing Link to win his fourth All-Africa Heavyweight Title, breaking his previous record of three reigns in the process.2010
On March 30, 2010 at the USA vs. RSA show, Koen wrestled Giant Warrior to a double disqualification in his first title defense since reclaiming the All-Africa Heavyweight Title. On June 9, 2010, Koen defended his title successfully against Boerseun. Following the match, he was challenged by professional kickboxer and mixed martial arts star Jan NortjeJan Nortje
Johannes "Jan" Nortje is a South African kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and undefeated pro boxer who has fought for Strikeforce, DREAM, K-1, PRIDE Fighting Championship, and New Japan Pro Wrestling....
, who promised to wager all three of his legitimate kickboxing titles against Koen's All-Africa Heavyweight Title in a future match. In August, 2010, the Sanlam
Sanlam
Sanlam Limited is a financial services group in South Africa with its head office in Bellville in the Western Cape. Established in 1918, the Group demutualised in 1998 and Sanlam Limited then listed on the JSE Limited in Johannesburg and the Namibian Stock Exchange. The Sanlam Group conducts its...
-operated online brand SmartAboutWhat.co.za, which focuses on proving whether or not several popular beliefs and myths are real, held a filmed exhibition entitled Is Wrestling Real? at Shaun Koen's training centre in Pinelands
Pinelands
Pinelands can refer to the following things:* Pine Barrens * New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve* Pinelands Regional School District, a school district in Tuckerton, New Jersey, USA...
, pitting one of their staff writers against Koen and concluding in the end that "wrestling is indeed real".
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Lion's Claw (Shoulder clawhold)
- Signature moves
- Diving leg drop
- Enzuigiri
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "The Lion of Africa"
Wrestlers trained by Koen
- Johnny PalazzioJohnny PalazzioJean Paul Whittacker, better known by his ring name Johnny Palazzio, is a South African professional wrestler currently performing for Africa Wrestling Alliance...
- Nick Fury
- Revyv
- Vinnie Vegas
- William McQueen
- Missing Link
- BDX-Treme
- The African Warrior
Championships and accomplishments
- Africa Wrestling Federation / Africa Wrestling AllianceAfrica Wrestling AllianceAfrica Wrestling Alliance, formerly known as Africa Wrestling Federation, is a South African professional wrestling promotion founded in 1995 . The regionally-based company is owned by Shaun Koen and Koos Rossouw, and is a traditionally-styled promotion influenced by the international wrestling...
- AWF/A African Heavyweight ChampionshipAWA African Heavyweight ChampionshipThe AWA African Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling heavyweight championship owned by the Africa Wrestling Alliance promotion. It was created in January 1990.-Title history:...
(4 times) - AWF Royal Rumble ChampionshipAWA Royal Rumble ChampionshipThe AWA Royal Rumble Championshipis a professional wrestling championship in the South African professional wrestling promotion Africa Wrestling Alliance, contested in an over-the-top-rope battle royal style match held every December at AWA's Coca-Cola Royal Rumble show, usually involving up to 21...
(2 times)
- AWF/A African Heavyweight Championship
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #342 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2007