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Johnny Powers (wrestler)

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Johnny Powers
Birth nameDennis Waters
Born(1943-03-20)March 20, 1943
Hamilton, Ontario,Canada
DiedDecember 30, 2022(2022-12-30)(aged 79)
Smithville, Ontario,Canada
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Johnny Powers
Lord Anthony Lansdowne
Billed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[1]
Billed weight265 lb (120 kg)[1]
Trained byJack Wentworth
Johnny Valentine
Lou Thesz
Toots Mondt
Pedro Martínez
Debut1960
Retired1982

Johnny Powers(bornDennis Waters;March 20, 1943 – December 30, 2022) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He competed in several North American and International promotions includingNational Wrestling Alliance(NWA),American Wrestling Association(AWA),Maple Leaf Wrestling,National Wrestling Federation,International Wrestling Associationand theWorld Wide Wrestling Federationfeuding with thenWWWF World Heavyweight ChampionBruno Sammartinoduring the early 1960s NWA's Lou Thesz, Gene Kiniski and AWA's Verne Gagne.

As a sports event promoter and television producer since 1967, he has presented over 3,500 livewrestlingand sports events fromSingaporetoNew York CitytoTrinidad.He co-founded theNational Wrestling Federation(NWF), which he sold toJapaneseinterests in 1973. Powers was the first major international syndicator of television wrestling with programs in over 27 countries.

Professional wrestling career

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Dennis Waters was born inHamilton, Ontario.At 15, he started training under the tutelage of Canadian light heavyweight wrestling champion Jack Wentworth. Powers had his first professional match in 1960 in Detroit at age 17 while attendingMcMaster Universityin Hamilton. He left university and became a professional wrestler, formally turning professional at age 20 in Detroit as Lord Anthony Lansdowne.

Johnny Powers, 1964

Powers wrestled Larry Chene many times, who then mentored Powers. Powers dyed his hair blond and wrestled as Johnny Powers, the Golden Adonis, in the Northeast United States and Canada in 1964. Powers wrestled six times for theWWWF Heavyweight ChampionshipagainstBruno Sammartinoin Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Powers turned heel and was managed by Bobby Davis. He foughtWhipper Billy Watsonmany times acrossCanadaand was main event for two years in Canada's Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. Powers foughtNWA World ChampionsLou Theszoutdoors in Hamilton ballpark and St Louis Kiel Auditorium andGene KiniskiinTorontoballpark and theHamilton Forum.Powers dominated Cleveland Ohio with great battles againstJohnny Valentine,The Sheik,Ernie LaddandAbdullah the Butcher.In 1973, Powers wrestled Ladd in a match, during which wrestlerOx Bakerturned on Ladd to side with Powers.[2]As a result, angry fans stormed the ring—an incident known as "The Cleveland Riot" and one of the most dangerous riots in professional wrestling history.[2]

Lord Anthony Lansdowne, 1963

Powers was tutored as awrestlingpromoter andtelevisionproducer by international old school wrestler, booker and classic promoter Pedro Martínez. Martinez coached and mentored Powers for 20 years from the age of 22 in the art of creative event marketing of pro wrestling. Martínez and Powers founded National Sports TV on an existing "WrestlingfromBuffaloAuditorium "library of black and white films. Thislibraryhad been funded by one of pro wrestling first big money sponsors, Dow beer.

Johnny Powers, North American Champion, 1973

Powers co-founded theNational Wrestling Federationand sold it three years later in 1973 toNew Japan Pro-Wrestling.He was theNWF World Heavyweight Championand was the star of "Championship Wrestling with Johnny Powers". He was NWF North American Champion seven times and NWF world champion three times (same title).

Powers sold television wrestling shows and films to Japan, Mexico, the Armed Forces Network and eventually to 27 countries creating the first and largest international professional wrestling television distribution network. Martinez and Powers owned the largest professional wrestling library in the world at that time with acquisition of most of the other key US wrestling territories television libraries. Powers also, as executive producer and on-air commentator, promoted and produced over 300 new hours of televised wrestling.

Johnny Powers, USA, 1979

Powers held the first barbed wire top rope wrapped match and paid a record athletic commission fine. After watching a Barnum and Bailey circus, he produced and promoted the only three rings at a time Cleveland Stadium Super Card with 50 global stars. Powers was defeated byAntonio Inokifor the NWF World Heavyweight Championship December 10, 1973, inTokyo.Powers, a seven time North American Open champion, defended his title in the New Japan promotion.

Powers andPat Pattersonfought asNWF North American Tag Team Championsin California and Japan. In the Los Angeles title match, Joe Louis was referee.

Powers withPedro Martínezacquired control of theInternational Wrestling Association(IWA) in 1975 and Powers later bought out the Martinez interest for 100% ownership in 1976.

Powers retired from wrestling in 1982. He was honored in Yokohama, Japan, before a sellout crowd on September 30, 1991, that was televised nationally, as one of 18 greatest fighters to have appeared in Japanese rings, along withKarl GotchandMuhammad Ali.He was inducted into theCanadian Professional Wrestling Hall of Famein 2003.

Other business ventures

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As a sports merchandiser, Powers was physical fitness adviser on a National Sports Advisory Council in Canada, withBobby Hulland Otto and Maria Jelinek. At the age of 22, as a principal in Pro Management Inc, a sports celebrity management firm, he developed and took sports fitness equipment nationally on a major retail store promotion campaign all the while actively competing internationally as Canadian Heavyweight Champion.

Powers was CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Vision Resource Group, Inc., a pay-per-view company.

Powers helped to sponsor the Canadian pankration team and was strength coach to the World PankrationChampionshipsinLamia, Greecewhere they won eight gold metals and the overall World title.

Powers also had a film project, in development, entitledThe Man They Could Not Kill.

Personal life

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Powers, underwent knee and hip replacement surgery in May 2009.[citation needed]

Powers died at his home inSmithville, Ontarioon December 30, 2022, at the age of 79.[3]

Championships and accomplishments

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Footnotes

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  1. ^abShields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009).WWE Encyclopedia.DK.p.161.ISBN978-0-7566-4190-0.
  2. ^abMooneyham, Mike (April 22, 2013)."The amazing journey of Johnny Powers: From pro wrestling superstar to promoter, pioneer, entrepreneur".The Post and Courier.RetrievedJanuary 20,2016.
  3. ^Rose, Bryan (7 January 2023)."Former NWF promoter Johnny Powers passes away at 79 years old".F4W Online.Retrieved8 January2023.

References

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  • Powers gives MMA a try.[usurped]
  • Buffalo Courier Express, Buffalo, NY, Friday November 8, 1970, "Wrestling Films are Big Business"
  • Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, Tuesday March 30, 1971, "Just Don't Make Fun of Wrestling Pro Powers", author Mandi Harris
  • The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunday August 8, 1971, "11,794 See Arena Wrestling Card"
  • Ring Wrestling (magazine),July 1972, "Powers: Portrait in Determination", author Jaqueline Napolitano
  • The Sun, Port O' Spain, Trinidad, June 15, 1981, "Powers' Day"
  • The Straits Times, Singapore, January 29, 1982, "International Pro Wrestling Battle Texas Style"
  • The Malay Mail, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday January 30, 1982, "International Professional Wrestling"
  • New Nigerian, Lagos, Nigeria, Monday August 2, 1982, "Bulldog Brower beaten"
  • Daily Times, Trinidad, Tuesday, August 3, 1982, "Johnny Powers, debut"
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