Neil Guay

Neil Guay
Born (1942-07-21) July 21, 1942 (age 82)
Matane, Quebec, Canada
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Neil Guay
The Hangman
Le Bourreau
Super Destroyer III
J.P. Durelle
The Towering Inferno
Big John the Quebec Lumberjack
Jean Louie
Jean Pierre LaSalle[1]
Billed height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Billed weight290 lb (130 kg; 21 st)
Trained byPat Gerard
Debut1964[2]
Retired1987

Neil Guay (born July 21, 1942) is a retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known by his ring name The Hangman (Le Bourreau) who spent his career in Calgary, Japan, New York, Montreal, Minnesota and Tennessee.[3]

Career

[edit]

Guay worked as a policeman who was skilled in judo. He gave wrestling a shot and worked in Montreal and the Maritimes.[4]

In 1975, he made his debut in Japan for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He also worked in Los Angeles where he became The Hangman and in Calgary for Stampede Wrestling.[5]

In 1978, he made his debut in Memphis as Jean Louie winning the tag team titles with Jos Leduc. In 1979, he made his debut for the American Wrestling Association in Minnesota and became the Super Destroyer Mark III teaming with Super Destroyer Mark II and managed by Lord Alfred Hayes.[6]

In 1980, he made his debut in the World Wrestling Federation being managed by Freddie Blassie.[7] He defeated Rene Goulet at Showdown at Shea event.[8] Hangman feuded with WWF Champion Bob Backlund, Andre the Giant, Pedro Morales and Bruno Sammartino.[9] He left the WWF in 1981.[10]

After WWF, he worked in Montreal for Lutte Internationale where he was a major star until the promotions shut its doors down in 1987.[11] He retired from wrestling afterward.

Personal life

[edit]

In 1991, he was in a car accident that left him with a broken neck.[12]

He appeared in the documentary Mad Dog and the Butcher released in 2019.

Championships and accomplishments

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Hangman « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
  2. ^ "the top ranked pro wrestlers by rookie year 1964".
  3. ^ "Profile". Wrestlingdata. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  4. ^ "Québec Wrestling History: 1960s".
  5. ^ Pat Laprade; Bertrand Hébert (2013). Mad Dogs, Midgets and Screw Jobs: The Untold Story of How Montreal Shaped the World of Wrestling. ECW Press. pp. 34, 42. ISBN 978-1-77090-296-1.
  6. ^ "American Wrestling Association".
  7. ^ Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2012). WWE Encyclopedia: Updated & Expanded. DK. p. 118. ISBN 978-0-7566-9159-2.
  8. ^ Cawthon, Graham (2013). The History of Professional Wrestling: The Results WWF 1963–1989. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p. 309. ISBN 978-1-4928-2597-5.
  9. ^ Cawthon, Graham (19 December 2023). "Yearly Results: 1980". TheHistoryOfWWE.com.
  10. ^ Cawthon, Graham (19 December 2023). "Yearly Results: 1981". TheHistoryOfWWE.com.
  11. ^ "Québec Wrestling History: 1980s".
  12. ^ Oliver, Greg (30 June 1999). "Neil Guay succeeded outside Quebec, from Japan to WWWF". SLAM! Wrestling. Canoe.com. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  13. ^ Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006) [2000.]. "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welsch & Nick Gulas, Jerry Jarrett from 1977]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, Ontario: Archeus Communications. pp. 185–189. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  14. ^ "Southern Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  15. ^ "International Wrestling International Tag Team Title (Montreal)". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved 2009-01-16.

General

[edit]