Man Mountain Mike
Encyclopedia
Gary Fletcher, best known by his ring name
Man Mountain Mike, was an American professional wrestler who wrestled mostly on the west coast.
. Lovelock trained Fletcher as a wrestler, and Fletcher made his wrestling debut in 1968.
He wrestled as a tag team
with Haystacks Calhoun, who also weighed over 600 pounds. Their combined weight was over 1200 pounds in the ring.
Mike was wrestling with "Iron" Mike DiBiase on July 2, 1969 in Amarillo, Texas
, when DiBiase suffered a fatal heart attack in the ring during the match. DiBiase was pronounced dead at the hospital. DiBiase's death was not related to professional wrestling; he died as a result of high cholesterol.
Mike later wrestled in British Columbia
, where he had a series of matches against Don Leo Jonathan
in 1970 and 1971. Mike wrestled for Championship Wrestling from Florida in the early 1970s. He participated in many battles royal
and, because of his size, was difficult for opponents to throw over the top rope and eliminate. As a result, the promotion
billed him as "the acknowledged king of battles royal" and promoted many of these matches as "featuring Man Mountain Mike". On one occasion in 1972, his participation led to a feud
with Buddy Colt, as Colt caused Mike to be eliminated from a battle royal.
While competing for NWA Hollywood Wrestling
, Mike won the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship
with tag team partner Butcher Brannigan on August 31, 1974 at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. At that time, Brannigan was feuding with Porkchop Cash
, Cash teamed up with Victor Rivera
to face the champions, who dropped the title belts to the challengers.
Man Mountain Mike toured Japan as a wrestler in 1975. He had a series of matches against Antonio Inoki
. Mike was unable to defeat Inoki in singles matches or in tag team competitions. He later wrestled for the World Wide Wrestling Federation
. He competed in both singles and tag team matches, which included teaming with Crusher Blackwell
on February 20, 1976 in a loss to WWWF Tag Team Champions Louis Cerdan
and Tony Parisi
.
After retiring from the ring, Mike opened Man Mountain Mike's Drycleaners, as well as a taxi
service; he also drove a school bus
. He developed blood clots due in part to diabetes and died in 1988.
The ring name Man Mountain Mike was later used in the Canadian Maritimes
by Mike Shaw
, who also competed for the World Wrestling Federation
and World Championship Wrestling
as Bastion Booger and Norman the Lunatic, respectively.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Man Mountain Mike, was an American professional wrestler who wrestled mostly on the west coast.
Career
Fletcher was discovered by Al Lovelock, who wrestled as The Great BoloThe Great Bolo
The Great Bolo was the ring name of professional wrestler Al Lovelock, who wore a mask when he wrestled as the Great Bolo. Lovelock was active in the 1950s and 1960s and was primarily known for his work in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida...
. Lovelock trained Fletcher as a wrestler, and Fletcher made his wrestling debut in 1968.
He wrestled as a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
with Haystacks Calhoun, who also weighed over 600 pounds. Their combined weight was over 1200 pounds in the ring.
Mike was wrestling with "Iron" Mike DiBiase on July 2, 1969 in Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
, when DiBiase suffered a fatal heart attack in the ring during the match. DiBiase was pronounced dead at the hospital. DiBiase's death was not related to professional wrestling; he died as a result of high cholesterol.
Mike later wrestled in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, where he had a series of matches against Don Leo Jonathan
Don Leo Jonathan
Don Heaton , also known as Don Leo Jonathan, is an American former professional wrestler.-Professional wrestling career:...
in 1970 and 1971. Mike wrestled for Championship Wrestling from Florida in the early 1970s. He participated in many battles royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
and, because of his size, was difficult for opponents to throw over the top rope and eliminate. As a result, the promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
billed him as "the acknowledged king of battles royal" and promoted many of these matches as "featuring Man Mountain Mike". On one occasion in 1972, his participation led to a feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with Buddy Colt, as Colt caused Mike to be eliminated from a battle royal.
While competing for NWA Hollywood Wrestling
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...
, Mike won the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship
NWA Americas Tag Team Championship
The NWA Americas Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA Hollywood Wrestling based out of Los Angeles, California....
with tag team partner Butcher Brannigan on August 31, 1974 at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. At that time, Brannigan was feuding with Porkchop Cash
Porkchop Cash
Bobby Cash is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He competed primarily in promotions operated by the National Wrestling Alliance...
, Cash teamed up with Victor Rivera
Victor Rivera
Víctor Rivera is a volleyball player from Puerto Rico, who was a member of the Men's National Team that ended up in sixth place at the 2007 FIVB Men's World Cup in Japan. In the same year the wing-spiker was named Best Spiker at the NORCECA Championship in Anaheim...
to face the champions, who dropped the title belts to the challengers.
Man Mountain Mike toured Japan as a wrestler in 1975. He had a series of matches against Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
. Mike was unable to defeat Inoki in singles matches or in tag team competitions. He later wrestled for the World Wide Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
. He competed in both singles and tag team matches, which included teaming with Crusher Blackwell
Jerry Blackwell
Jerry Blackwell was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "Crusher" Jerry Blackwell. Blackwell competed in the 1979 World's Strongest Man contest, but withdrew early in the competition due to an injury...
on February 20, 1976 in a loss to WWWF Tag Team Champions Louis Cerdan
Gino Brito
Louis Gino Acocella , better known by his ring name Gino Brito is a Canadian professional wrestler. He was a popular wrestler in Montreal, and was one of the promoters in the city in the 1980s...
and Tony Parisi
Antonio Pugliese
Antonio Pugliese , born in Cosenza, Italy, was a professional wrestler. He is better known by his ring name Tony Parisi. Pugliese was primarily a tag team wrestler, and he won tag team titles in several organizations, including the National Wrestling Alliance , World Wide Wrestling Federation , and...
.
After retiring from the ring, Mike opened Man Mountain Mike's Drycleaners, as well as a taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
service; he also drove a school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
. He developed blood clots due in part to diabetes and died in 1988.
The ring name Man Mountain Mike was later used in the Canadian Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
by Mike Shaw
Mike Shaw
Mike Shaw was a professional wrestler who was best known for his stint in World Championship Wrestling as Norman The Lunatic, and as Bastion Booger in the World Wrestling Federation...
, who also competed for the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
as Bastion Booger and Norman the Lunatic, respectively.
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA Hollywood WrestlingNational Wrestling AllianceThe 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 Americas Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA Hollywood Wrestling based out of Los Angeles, California....
(1 Time) - with Butcher Brannigan