George Gordienko
Encyclopedia
George Gordienko was a Canadian professional wrestler and artist. Born of first generation Ukrainian and Cossack-Canadian
parents in North Winnipeg, Manitoba, by age 17 Gordienko had received numerous awards for his physical prowess. He wrestled from 1946 to 1976 and was, according to Lou Thesz
and other experts, one of the top legitimate wrestlers in the world. He was rated the best heavyweight wrestler in the UK in 1963, and in 1970, won the annual Royal Albert Hall tournament in London. After his retirement he became a successful artist.
's tag team partner after returning to wrestling in 1953. He fought Lou Thesz
for the National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA)'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. He then triumphed in winning the British Commonwealth
heavyweight title. He also won New Zealand's version of the British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship in 1968. The majority of Gordienko's title wins took place in Western Canada, as he won several NWA titles in British Columbia and Alberta. Competing in Calgary
in 1956, he won the city's version of the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship
. In 1974, he competed in British Columbia and won Vancouver
's version of the NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship and the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship
. He also competed for Stampede Wrestling
, where he won the promotion's International Tag Team Championship and was later inducted into the company's hall of fame.
George Gordienko wrestled all over the world, including the Middle East
, Australia, India, and South Africa. He competed under a variety of ring names, including Firpo Zyzbsko in India and Flash Gordon in British Columbia. He retired in 1976 at age forty-eight after having his ankle broken by Roland Bock in Germany.
, Manitoba
in 1928, Gordienko moved to the United States to pursue studies to enter a medical career. He was briefly associated with a communist
party. He was arrested for distributing communist literature, which caused him to be deported and sent back to Canada. He settled in Sidney, British Columbia
, where he worked in the logging industry.
After his retirement, Gordienko became an artist. His favorite artist was Pablo Picasso
, and he met Picasso at one point. From 1976 to 1990, he lived in Italy with a Greek woman named Christina Tassou. Gordienko died of melanoma
in 2002.
Ukrainian Canadian
A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons residing in Canada of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group; and giving Canada the world's third-largest...
parents in North Winnipeg, Manitoba, by age 17 Gordienko had received numerous awards for his physical prowess. He wrestled from 1946 to 1976 and was, according to Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
and other experts, one of the top legitimate wrestlers in the world. He was rated the best heavyweight wrestler in the UK in 1963, and in 1970, won the annual Royal Albert Hall tournament in London. After his retirement he became a successful artist.
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 HartStu Hart
Stewart Edward "Stu" Hart, CM was a Canadian amateur wrestler, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer. Hart founded Stampede Wrestling, a promotion based in Calgary, Alberta, and was the father of famous wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart...
's tag team partner after returning to wrestling in 1953. He fought Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
for the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
(NWA)'s NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
in 1953 in Canada and wrestled Thesz again to a 90-minute draw in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
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
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in 1963. In 1970, George won the annual Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
tournament in London. He then triumphed in winning the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
heavyweight title. He also won New Zealand's version of the British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship in 1968. The majority of Gordienko's title wins took place in Western Canada, as he won several NWA titles in British Columbia and Alberta. Competing in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
in 1956, he won the city's version of the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship
NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version)
The Calgary version of the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship was established in 1946, and became the top championship in Stampede Wrestling when that promotion opened in 1948; it held that status until 1972, when the title was vacated and later abandoned after the last champion, Dave Ruhl, was...
. In 1974, he competed in British Columbia and won Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
's version of the NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship and the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship
NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)
The Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1962 as the top tag team title in NWA All-Star Wrestling. The title held that status until late summer 1985, when the title was renamed the UWA Tag Team Championship upon All-Star Wrestling's departure as a member of...
. He also competed for Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling
Stampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
, where he won the promotion's International Tag Team Championship and was later inducted into the company's hall of fame.
George Gordienko wrestled all over the world, including the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Australia, India, and South Africa. He competed under a variety of ring names, including Firpo Zyzbsko in India and Flash Gordon in British Columbia. He retired in 1976 at age forty-eight after having his ankle broken by Roland Bock in Germany.
Personal life
Born in WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
in 1928, Gordienko moved to the United States to pursue studies to enter a medical career. He was briefly associated with a communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
party. He was arrested for distributing communist literature, which caused him to be deported and sent back to Canada. He settled in Sidney, British Columbia
Sidney, British Columbia
Sidney is a town located at the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula, on Vancouver Island in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is one of the 13 Greater Victoria municipalities. It has a population of approximately 11,300. Sidney is located just east of Victoria International Airport,...
, where he worked in the logging industry.
After his retirement, Gordienko became an artist. His favorite artist was Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
, and he met Picasso at one point. From 1976 to 1990, he lived in Italy with a Greek woman named Christina Tassou. Gordienko died of melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
in 2002.
Championships and accomplishments
- Joint Promotions
- British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA All-Star Wrestling
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)The Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1962 as the top tag team title in NWA All-Star Wrestling. The title held that status until late summer 1985, when the title was renamed the UWA Tag Team Championship upon All-Star Wrestling's departure as a member of...
(1 time) - with Leo Madril - NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship (Vancouver version) (1 time)
- NWA New Zealand
- British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship (New Zealand version)NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship (New Zealand version)The New Zealand version of the NWA British Empire/Commonwealth Championship was a professional wrestling heavyweight championship defended in the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Dominion Wrestling Union from 1929 to 1953 and in All Star Pro Wrestling from 1968 to 1990...
(1 time)
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version)NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version)The Calgary version of the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship was established in 1946, and became the top championship in Stampede Wrestling when that promotion opened in 1948; it held that status until 1972, when the title was vacated and later abandoned after the last champion, Dave Ruhl, was...
(1 time) - NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (1 time) - with Super Hawk
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame
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: George Gordienko