George Gordienko
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George Gordienko | |
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Statistics | |
Ring name(s) | George Gordienko |
Billed weight | 260 lb (120 kg/19 st) |
Born | January 7, 1928 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
Died | May 13, 2002 (aged 74) Campbell River, British Columbia |
Trained by | Joe Pazandak |
Debut | 1946 |
Retired | 1976 |
George Gordienko (January 7, 1928 - May 13, 2002) was a Canadian professional wrestler.
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[edit] Career
He wrestled professionally from 1946 to 1976. He started as a weightlifter as a teenager. Joe Pazandak was his training partner in wrestling early in his career and Tony Stecher of Minneapolis was his manager in the very beginning. He mostly wrestled as Stu Hart's tag team partner after returning to wrestling in 1953. He fought Lou Thesz for the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1953 in Canada and wrestled Thesz again to a 90-minute draw in Edmonton in 1955.
George Gordienko won the Alberta Golden Jubilee tournament in 1955, defeating Adrien Baillargeon in the final. He then settled in UK. He was ranked the top heavyweight wrestler in the Great Britain in 1963. In 1970, George won the annual Royal Albert Hall tournament in London. And then triumphed in the British Commonwealth heavyweight title.
George Gordienko wrestled all over the world and retired in 1976 at age forty-eight after having his ankle broken by Roland Bock in Germany. After his retirement he became an artist. Gordienko died in 2002.
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- Regional
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- Stampede International Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Super Hawk[4]
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame[5]
- Other titles
[edit] References
- ^ N.W.A. Canadian Heavyweight Title. Puroresu Dojo (2003).
- ^ N.W.A. Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title. Puroresu Dojo (2003).
- ^ N.W.A. Canadian Tag Team Title. Puroresu Dojo (2003).
- ^ Stampede International Tag Team Title. Puroresu Dojo (2003).
- ^ Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948-1990). Puroresu Dojo (2003).
- ^ British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title. Puroresu Dojo (2003).
- ^ British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title (New Zealand). Puroresu Dojo (2003).
[edit] External links
- Profile at Online World of Wrestling
- HouseofDeception.com - autobiography, photos, representative artworks.
- More information
- Yesterday's News blog: 2007 interview with his son, Peter
- Article from SLAM! sports
- Article from Winchester Gallery
- Images of Gordienko's surrealist work
- Canadian Pro Wrestling Page of Fame: Gordienko