- Just wanna say that "Iron" Mike Sharpe was the jobber of all jobbers. Everyweek me and my brothers would see him either get squashed or beaten after a very competitive match. He had a unique gimmick and that was his injury that never healed. He will forever be embedded into my memory for being a long lasting "enhancement worker" for so many year during my childhood. R.I.P. Mike Sharpe. -
(PWInsider) - We are sad to report that former WWF star "Iron" Mike Sharpe passed away over
the weekend in Hamilton, Ontario. Sharpe, 64, was said to have been found in
his apartment. We are told that he had been dealing with a number of health
issues in recent years.
Sharpe, a second generation talent, was best known for his long run with the
World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s, where he was billed as "Canada's
Greatest Athlete" and was a recurring performer for the company, losing TV and
undercard matches on live events. Working heel, Sharpe consistently wore a
leather band around his forearm, which he used to batter opponents and
occasionally, load and use as a foreign object to secure victories.
While he was most seen by the most eyeballs in this lower level role, Sharpe
had a long career after following his father Mike and Uncle Ben into the
business (where they were huge stars, especially in Japan) and was trained by
the late Dewey "Missing Link" Robertson.
After breaking in wrestling in his native Hamilton, Ontario, Sharpe began
making the rounds in the territory system of the day including Stampede, San
Francisco and several years in Mid-South Wrestling, where he held a number of
championships and a long run.
In 1983, Sharpe migrated to the WWF as the latest in a series of villains to
challenge then-champion Bob Backlund. Sharpe, managed by Lou Albano, was built
up the card beating babyfaces like Larry Sharpe, S.D. Jones, Johnny Rodz and
Tony Garea as a way to give him credibility. "The Canada's Greatest Athlete"
nickname was derived from Gene Kiniski often being described that way.
Sharpe was moved into the main event picture as a headliner for secondary
shows where he had a series of bouts against Backlund. Once that series had run
it's course, Sharpe settled into a mid-card role where he would win against
undercard talents to maintain credibility but would lose to up and coming
babyfaces to help build them up. Sharpe would batter them with forearms and
lock in his trademark bearhug before they would mount the comeback and score the
win.
Around the same time, Sharpe also toured New Japan Pro Wrestling, teaming
with Hulk Hogan, Bad News Allen and Jimmy Snuka against the New Japan stars of
that era, including Kengo Kimura, Antonio Inoki, Tatsimi Fujinami and Riki
Choshu.
Sharpe had a huge reputation within the business as a germaphobe and would
often spend long periods of time taking showers after matches. In his excellent
book
Bodyslams, Gary Michael Cappetta wrote of Sharpe once taking so
long to shower at an event, when he returned to the locker room and dressed, he
learned that not only had all the other wrestlers had left, but the venue had
the lights out and he had been locked in. Sharpe's reputation grew over the
years, to the point that the USA Network "Psych" made a random reference to it
once on an episode of the comedy.
Sharpe was also well known for other eccentricities in the business. He ran
on his time, not anyone else's and while dependable in the ring, was rarely
timely. He worked out for hours on end, doing all sorts of unique (for the
time) workout regimens. Gorilla Monsoon would often remark on camera about
Sharpe's attestment to fitness.
When WWF expanded nationally, Sharpe remained with WWF, used regularly
against the top babyfaces on TV to give them solid matches. He made appearances
for WWF TV through 1995. It is believed his last televised appearance was a
loss to the Smoking Gunns at a Raw taping that year.
Later in life, Sharpe opened up a training facility in Brick, New Jersey
(right outside Asbury Park), which broke a number of stars who later worked on
the national scene into the business including Chris "Crowbar" Ford, Mike "Simon
Dean" Bucci, the late Jerry "The Wall" Tuite and Mike "Ace Darling" Maraldo.
"At the young age of 16, by chance - I had learned that Mike would be opening
a wrestling school in Brick, NJ," said Chris Ford, best known to wrestling fans
as Crowbar. "I would inevitability end up being Mike's first student. Mike
enabled me and many aspiring young wrestlers to begin their journey and live out
their dream of stepping into a wrestling ring. I will always be grateful that he
opened that door for me and let me into this business that to this day I love
being a part of. Rest In Peace and God Bless You Mike."
Sharpe's influence was strongly felt over the next decade in the Northeast
independent as well as many wrestlers, bookers and promoters who populated the
1990s Northeast independent scene, including Don "Donnie B" Bucci, Rik Ratchet,
Lupus, Rowdy Bobby Piper, Big Bobby G, Helter Skelter, The Cannon, Matt Storm,
and many others came out of Sharpe's school. "Mike Sharpe undoubtedly changed my
life for the better from the second I walked in there in 1991," said Mike Bucci,
who Sharpe invited to join into training sessions after Bucci had been there
hanging out with friends who were already training under Sharpe. "I think that
would be true for everyone who went to his school."
Sharpe regularly worked the independent scene until the 1990s before retiring
and pretty much disappearing and quietly returning to Hamilton. Sharpe's
disappearance was one of the great mysteries of the last few decades within the
business as a number of people who had worked with him, both inside WWE and
outside, including his students, had tried in vain to discover where he was and
what he was up to. In the modern day wrestling convention scene, Sharpe, with
his cult undercard status, would have obviously been booked if anyone had been
able to contact him. Sharpe, who wasn't on the Internet, was pretty much
unaware.
In recent years, back and leg issues were said to have required Sharpe to use
a wheelchair for mobility. We are told he had been in and out of the hospital
for some time dealing with circulatory issues that had led him to be bed-ridden,
including the loss of a leg. He had been released from the hospital just a few
days ago.
Sharpe had been cared for in recent years by those working for a local church
in Hamilton and was well thought of in that community, often telling stories of
his time in the business and giving advice on working out and bodybuilding.
Sharpe's funeral services have not yet been finalized.
PWInsider.com wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family,
friends and fans of "Iron" Mike Sharpe, who will forever be known as "Canada's
Greatest Athlete."
