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Topics: 1097
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Post: #811349
PT: #1/24
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Which of the Cormier brothers was the best wrestler in your opinion?
Leo Burke
The Beast
Bobby Kay
Rudy Kay
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The Ayatollah Of Rock & Rolla!!!
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Post: #811463
PT: #2/24
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No contest....Leo Burke.
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| Inoki is greater than,or equal to Ichiban Backlund
"I just love seeing people beat with chains and whips" - Johnny Valentine
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Topics: 1097
Replies: 14299
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Post: #811493
PT: #3/24
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Although my experience with the Cormier brothers is limited I would tend to agree.
Leo Burke seemed to be the total package. He could wrestle, brawl, play face or heel and could talk.
The Beast seemed to me to be a poor man Mad Dog Vachon.
Bobby & Rudy Kay seemed to be mostly tag team guys, not singles.
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 fan70s |
November 06th, 2014 00:28 GMT |
 
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Topics: 30
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Post: #811663
PT: #5/24
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This message was edited by fan70s on November 06th, 2014 00:32 GMT
It would depend on the time period, 60's to mid 70's the Beast, beyond that Leo Burke.I would not dismiss the Kays too quickly.
Lets start with Bobby Kay(Romeo Cormier) - the most underrated, he had more singles success outside of the Maritimes, winning the Central States Heavyweight Title in 1975 and the Canadian Television champion (Tunny/Toronto) in 1982, his first tag title win was 'away' as well, winning the Central States North American Tag Team Title with Leo Burke while still a teenager in 1968. In 1969 he and Rudy Kay mainevented the first Eastern Sports Association cards against The Kangaroos, in 1970 he spent almost the entire year in the Mid-Atlantic area, where he was often in six man main events with partners George Becker & Johnny Weaver. In the winter of 72-3 he & Leo Burke often main-evented in Mid-Atlantic against the likes of the Andersons and Fred Sweetan & Mike Dubiois whom they often wrestled in the Maritimes. In 1975 he retired to take over from Rudy Kay as co-promoter of ESA, in 1977 after TransCanada Wrestling folded he returned to the Mat in Stampede and went to the finals in a tournament to crown a North American Champion, he then mainevented a few rematches against Don Gagne(Frenchy Martin), he also held the Stampede International tag Team Title with Leo Burke twice.
Rudy Kay was actually the first of the family to hold a title, beating Emile Dupre for his Maritime title in 1963, he was the top face for Len Hughes in 1965, in Stampede and Mid-Atlantic he was up and down the cards but he did mainevent in singles matches in both, challenging Lou Thesz in M-A and The Stomper in Stampede. He did not give himself the North American title while promoter, but after returning to the mat in 1975 he held both it and the tag title within a month. He was also the Taped Fist champion 76-7, actually he did not lose any of those titles, the International Tag title was replaced with the Maritime tag in 76, and story line stripped of the North American title because the season closed without warning, leaving him unable to defend before to 30 day limit, after beating MadDog Martel for the Taped Fist Trophy he held it until Trans Canada folded.
The Beast - The oldest of the four, got started in the business in 1961 by Emile Dupre. He started wrestling as Yvon The Timberjack, AKA Pierre LaBell. Jim Crockett Sr. named him The Beast (in Montreal he went as Beast Martin & Brute Martin).
The Beasts first title was the Stampede Canadian title in 1966
He held the ESA North American Heavyweight Title at least 5 times,
the International Tag Team Title (Maritimes) at least 6 times - once with the Stomper and at least once with each of his brothers.
The Stampede International Tag Team Title with Bob Sweetan in 1967
Western States Heavyweight Title (Amarillo, Tx) in 69-70,
Western States Tag Team title with Bull Ramos - defeated Terry Funk & Ricky Romero in 1970
Western States Tag Team title with Butcher Brower (Fred Sweetan) - beat The Gladiator & Mr Wrestling Jan 21/71
Western States Tag Team Title with Leo Burke in 1974 and 1976 (tournament win in 76).
and participated in numerous chain matches
The Beast wrestled seven different world champions and wrestled Giant Baba in Japan before 45,000 people. In the Maritimes, without a doubt The Beast was the most popular wrestler ever, in 1977 the Beast and his brothers split with Zinck and started(short lived) Trans-Canada Wrestling, later that year, after the demise of TCW, I attended an International Wrestling card, the crowd was chanting “we want the Beast”, a week later they announced the Beast would be on the next card, the Beast still made appearances as late as 1999 maybe even into the 21st Century.
Leo Burke - The most prominent of the Cormier wrestling Brothers, Leo’s finishing moves were the abdominal stretch and the sleeper.
Leo’s first title was the Central States Heavyweight Title(as Tommy Martin), he won the belt from Bob Brown on Oct.11/68 and lost it to Dusty Rhodes on Dec 13/68.
Over the next 30 years, Leo Burke held an array of titles (they might not all be listed here):
the Central States North American Team Title with Terry Martin (brother Bobby) from Bob Brown and Bob Geigel on Oct.31/68, losing it to Dusty Rhodes and Dick Murdock on Nov.7/68, Tommy Martin also won a battle royal in St Joe, December 20/68.
Midwest tag Team Champion (as Tommy Martin) with The Viking 1970
At least 6 time ESA-North American champion , 1971-76 & 84
2X ESA-International tag champion (Maritimes), with Bobby Kay, 1972-73 & 74
2X ESA-International tag champion (Maritimes), with The Beast, 1970 & 1974
1 time North American champion (Trans-Canada Wrestling), 1977
At least 8 time North American champion (Stampede), 1978-83
2 time North American champion (Tunny/Toronto), 1982-84
* used old ESA Belt and defended this title (Zinck/Maritimes) after Tunny sold to WWF
ESA & TCW Maritime champion, 1976-77
TCW- Maritime Tag champion with Hubert Gallant, 1977
2X Western States Tag Team Champion, with the Beast 1974 & 76 (tournament win in 76)
2 time International tag champion (Stampede), with Keith Hart, 1977, 79
2 time International tag champion (Stampede), with Bobby Burke (Kay), 1977 & 80
British Commonwealth Heavyweight Title (New Zealand), 1979
Central States Champion (second time) 1981
International tag champion (Stampede), with Bret Hart, 1982
Television Title (Montreal Area),(tournament win) mid-80’s?
WWC Universal champion (Caribbean), 1989
WWC Caribbean champion, 1990
WWC Television Title, 1990
WWC Caribbean Tag Team Title with Chicky Starr March 28, 1990 San Juan, Puerto Rico
2 time United States Heavyweight champion (AGPW), 1983
At least 5 time International Heavyweight champion (AGPW), 1985-90
International tag champion (Stampede), with Ron Ritchie, 1986
North American Tag champion (AGPW) with Hubert Gallant, 1980
2 time North American Tag champion (AGPW) with Steven Pettipas, 1980 & 88
2 time North American Tag champion (AGPW) with Cuban Assassin, 1986 & 88
North American Tag champion (AGPW) with Bobby Kay, 1990
Maritime Championship tag w/. Stephen Pettitpas 1991 (2x)
Canadian Championship tag w/. Stephen Pettitpas 1992
Canadian Championship Heavyweight 1992
Leo challenged at least six World Champions:
1)Tuesday, February 24, 1970 Sedalia, Mo NWA World title: Dory Funk Jr. beat Tommy Martin, (won a Battle Royal the previous week)
2)Oct 28/1975 ESA; Halifax Form, Nova Scotia, Jack Brisco N. W. A. - best two out of three falls, Leo Burke wins the only fall off the match.
3) 1976 Maritime circuit (one week tour),Terry Funk N. W. A.. -
Sept 4, 1976 - ESA; The Stadium; New Glasgow, NS
NWA World Title: Terry Funk (Champion) vs. Leo Burke
Sept 5, 1976 - ESA; The Forum; North Sydney, NS
NWA World Title: Terry Funk (Champion) vs. Leo Burke
Sept 6, 1976 - ESA; Jean Louis Levesque Arena , Moncton, NB
NWA World Title: Terry Funk (Champion) vs. Leo Burke
Sept 7, 1976 -ESA The Forum; Halifax, NS attn “close to 4,000”
NWA World Title: Terry Funk (Champion) lost to Leo Burke by DQ 55:35
Sept 8, 1976 - ESA; St. John, NB
NWA World Title: Terry Funk (Champion) beat Leo Burke DQ
Sept 9, 1976 - ESA; Fredericton, NB
NWA World Title: Leo Burke beat Terry Funk (Champion) DQ
4) July 13, 1978 Regina, AB vs. Harley Race (NWA World champion)
July 14, 1978 Calgary, AB vs. Harley Race (NWA World champion)
July 15, 1978 Edmonton, AB vs. Harley Race (NWA World champion)
Mar. 21, 1980 Calgary, AB vs. Harley Race (NWA World champion)
Mar. 22, 1980 Regina, SK vs. Harley Race (NWA World champion)
5) April 22/83 Calgary, AB, Nick Bockwinkle A. W. A.- Leo Burke loses due to interference by David Schultz.
6) July 3, 1984 Halifax Form, Nova Scotia, Rick Martel A. W. A. - best two out of three falls, Leo Burke wins the only fall off the match.
Leo Burke worked in Japan five times
11/19-12/09/76 AJPW as Leo Burk
01/05-01/29/79 IWE as The Atomic(a masked wrestler)
07/23-07/24/84 UWF as Leo Burke
07/02-07/31/88 AJPW as Leo Burke
01/02-01/28/89 AJPW as Leo Burke
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| carny |
November 10th, 2014 13:24 GMT |
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Topics: 26
Replies: 338
Member
Post: #818290
PT: #7/24
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Just watched the recent Kayfabe Commentaries video of Rick Martel where he relates talking to Roddy Piper while watching another wrestler cutting a promo.
This was in the Hawaiian territory and the wrestler was holding a beer in his hand. Piper and Martel are wondering what he's going to do with the beer, is he going to drink it in celebration after ranting about what he's going to do to his opponent?
The wrestler raises the bottle and then proceeds to smash himself in the forehead and continues ranting and bleeding (more impressive that it is mixed with the foam) and freaking out Martel and Piper.
Martel and Piper are so impressed by this that later (at night) in their apartment parking lot (after a few pops) they decide to try it. After deciding it wasn't as bad as they thought, Piper later decides to perform the stunt.
Martel also has it in the back of his mind and he repeats the stunt later in Montreal to great effect.
Who was that wrestler who so impressed and influenced those two great young talents that day in Hawaii?
It was, of course, the one and only, Maritime legend...The BEAST.
Piper breaks a beer bottle on his head!! (Portland)
Roddy Piper proves he can make a bottle of beer disappear the fastest! (Vancouver)
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| fan70s |
January 17th, 2015 22:14 GMT |
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Topics: 26
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Post: #818640
PT: #10/24
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This message was edited by Abe the Newsboy on January 19th, 2015 21:00 GMT
Quoted from: fan70s, January 17th, 2015 22:14 GMTJust to clarify, Martel made it clear to whom he was referring when he said the Beast was from Nova Scotia (not to be confused with John Yachetti).
I'm not sure why so many wrestlers make this mistake when referring to the area and Martel as a Canadian should have known better. After all, Rick was good enough to return to the Cormier brother's reunion in Memramcook NB.
I always wonder why it is so often mentioned as a Nova Scotia territory when (aside from Halifax) the big venues were in NB and most of the wrestlers lived in Moncton.
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| fan70s |
January 20th, 2015 22:41 GMT |
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Topics: 30
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Post: #818745
PT: #11/24
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This message was edited by fan70s on January 20th, 2015 22:48 GMT
Martel should have known the Cormiers were from NB, but territory wise when Martel worked for International Wrestling in 73 they worked four nights a week in NS plus a TV taping,
Sat New Glasgow, NS
Sun North Sydney, NS
Mon Moncton, NB
Tue Halifax, NS
Wed am TV taping Halifax
Wed & Thur (I think) Fredericton & St John, NB
Fri Bridgewater, NS
even his one AWA title defense was in Halifax.
Dupre on the other hand was more New Brunswick based.
There's also been people who consider Montreal & The Maritimes one territory.
Of course my peeve is calling Toronto EASTERN Canada!
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Topics: 26
Replies: 338
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Post: #818796
PT: #12/24
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Quoted from: fan70s, January 20th, 2015 22:41 GMTOf course my peeve is calling Toronto EASTERN Canada! Moi aussi
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Topics: 299
Replies: 2403
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Post: #818805
PT: #13/24
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I get Bobby & Terry Kay in MACW confused wasn't terry bobby or something like that?
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| I created you El Mongol and I can destroy you: Dandy Jack Crawford
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| fan70s |
January 22nd, 2015 08:12 GMT |
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Topics: 1097
Replies: 14299
Member
Post: #823261
PT: #15/24
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Quoted from: Abe the Newsboy, January 15th, 2015 10:30 GMTJust watched the recent Kayfabe Commentaries video of Rick Martel where he relates talking to Roddy Piper while watching another wrestler cutting a promo.
This was in the Hawaiian territory and the wrestler was holding a beer in his hand. Piper and Martel are wondering what he's going to do with the beer, is he going to drink it in celebration after ranting about what he's going to do to his opponent?
The wrestler raises the bottle and then proceeds to smash himself in the forehead and continues ranting and bleeding (more impressive that it is mixed with the foam) and freaking out Martel and Piper.
Martel and Piper are so impressed by this that later (at night) in their apartment parking lot (after a few pops) they decide to try it. After deciding it wasn't as bad as they thought, Piper later decides to perform the stunt.
Martel also has it in the back of his mind and he repeats the stunt later in Montreal to great effect.
Who was that wrestler who so impressed and influenced those two great young talents that day in Hawaii?
It was, of course, the one and only, Maritime legend...The BEAST.
Piper breaks a beer bottle on his head!! (Portland)
Roddy Piper proves he can make a bottle of beer disappear the fastest! (Vancouver)
Is there footage of this available out there somewhere?
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