Robert Bedard
Encyclopedia
Robert Bédard is a retired professional wrestler better known as the #1 Frenchman Rene Goulet. He began his career in Quebec City, QC in 1957 with his first match being against Gerard Dugas.
He spent the earlier part of his career traveling the territories, spending a significant amount of time in the AWA. His greatest fame was when he competed in the 1970s and 1980s with the World Wrestling Federation
where he won the WWF Tag Team Championship. He was famous for his "Iron Claw" finishing hold.
Robert Bedard was well-known as a very dependable wrestler who could always be trusted to have a good match. As a result, he was often selected to have matches with rookie wrestlers so he could carry the match. The list of wrestlers who had either had their first match or nearly their first match against Robert Bedard includes Ric Flair
, Chris Taylor
, The Iron Sheik, Jim Brunzell
, Greg Gagne
, and Ken Patera
.
Rene has a number of claims to fame:
He wrestled regularly until 1986, and he competed in a Legends Battle Royal in the Meadowlands in 1987. He worked as a road agent for the WWF until 1997 and could frequently be seen coming to the ring to maintain control when wrestlers got into fights outside of regulation matches. He is an avid golfer and regularly competes in celebrity/charity tournaments.
He spent the earlier part of his career traveling the territories, spending a significant amount of time in the AWA. His greatest fame was when he competed in the 1970s and 1980s with 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...
where he won the WWF Tag Team Championship. He was famous for his "Iron Claw" finishing hold.
Robert Bedard was well-known as a very dependable wrestler who could always be trusted to have a good match. As a result, he was often selected to have matches with rookie wrestlers so he could carry the match. The list of wrestlers who had either had their first match or nearly their first match against Robert Bedard includes Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
, Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor (wrestler)
Chris Taylor was an American freestyle wrestler who competed at 1972 Munich Olympics. At 412 pounds he was the heaviest Olympian ever until the appearance of judoka Ricardo Blas, Jr. in 2008...
, The Iron Sheik, Jim Brunzell
James Brunzell
James "Jumping Jim" Brunzell is a retired professional wrestler. Best known for his successful tag teams, Brunzell performed for various wrestling promotions during his 21 year career.-American Wrestling Association:...
, Greg Gagne
Greg Gagne (wrestler)
Gregory Alan "Greg" Gagne is a former professional wrestler and the son of Verne Gagne. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he achieved his biggest success as one half of the tag team The High Flyers with Jim Brunzell...
, and Ken Patera
Ken Patera
Ken Patera is a former professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and Strongman competitor.-Weightlifting/Strongman career:Patera is a former Olympic weightlifter and American powerlifter...
.
Rene has a number of claims to fame:
- He was the first person to defeat Ric Flair. It was Flair's second match. (Flair's first match, against George Gadaski [who later became a referee] ended in a draw.)
- He was the subject of a full-page photo in the third issue ever of People Magazine (March 11, 1974). The photo was taken of Robert Bedard in a bear hug from Chris Taylor in Taylor's first professional match.
- He was in the first WWF match ever televised on the USA Network. His opponent was Tito SantanaTito SantanaMerced Solis better known by his ring name Tito Santana, is an American professional wrestler whose heyday spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, though he continues to appear on the independent circuit. He is best known from his time in the World Wrestling Federation...
. - He had a recurring role in the classic wrestling show, TNT, as the host of Cafe Rene.
He wrestled regularly until 1986, and he competed in a Legends Battle Royal in the Meadowlands in 1987. He worked as a road agent for the WWF until 1997 and could frequently be seen coming to the ring to maintain control when wrestlers got into fights outside of regulation matches. He is an avid golfer and regularly competes in celebrity/charity tournaments.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Cloverleaf leg laced Boston crabSharpshooter (professional wrestling)The Sharpshooter, originally named Sasori-gatame, Scorpion Hold in English, is a professional wrestling submission hold. The move is also known by several other names: cloverleaf leg-lace Boston crab, standing reverse figure-four leglock, and, the most commonly known alternative, Scorpion Deathlock...
- Cloverleaf leg laced Boston crab
Championships and accomplishments
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (1 time)
- Georgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
- NWA Georgia Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Georgia Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship was the top tag team championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1968 to 1980, when it was replaced with the NWA National Tag Team Championship....
(1 time) - with Ole AndersonOle AndersonAlan Robert Rogowski , better known by his ring name of Ole Anderson, is a retired professional wrestler and a promoter. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with Gene Anderson, who was portrayed as his brother...
- New Japan Pro WrestlingNew Japan Pro Wrestlingis a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
- NJPW MSG Tag League (1981) - with André the GiantAndré the GiantAndré René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
- Pacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest WrestlingPacific Northwest Wrestling is the common name used to refer to several different professional wrestling companies, both past and present, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The first such company was founded by Herb Owen in 1925...
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling championship sanctioned by the National Wrestling Alliance and defended in its member promotion Pacific Northwest Wrestling, which promoted shows in the U.S...
(2 times) - with Pepper MartinPepper MartinJohnny Leonard Roosevelt "Pepper" Martin was an American professional baseball player and minor league manager. He was known as the Wild Horse of the Osage because of his daring, aggressive baserunning abilities. Martin played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman and an outfielder for the St...
and Shag ThomasShag ThomasShag Thomas was an American professional wrestler during the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the few African-American wrestlers of his day.-Career:...
- World Wrestling AssociationWorld Wrestling Association (Indianapolis)The World Wrestling Association was an Indianapolis-based pro wrestling promotion which was operated by Dick "The Bruiser" Afflis and his business partner Wilbur Snyder. The WWA was affiliated with the larger American Wrestling Association and recognized its champions, though the WWA also had its...
- WWA World Tag Team ChampionshipWWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWA World Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title in the Indianapolis-based World Wrestling Association from the promotion's formation in 1964 until the late 1980s when the promotion closed.-Title history:...
(2 times) - with Don Fargo and Zarinoff LebeoufZarinoff LebeoufPierre Lafleur is a former French Canadian professional wrestler who is best known for his appearances with World Wide Wrestling Federation under the ring name Yukon Pierre where he was the half of The Yukon Lumberjacks.-Career:...
- World Wide Wrestling Federation
- WWWF World Tag Team Champion (1 time) - with Karl GotchKarl IstazKarl Istaz was a professional wrestler and trainer born in Antwerp, Belgium, best known by his ring name Karl Gotch. The German suplex is named after Gotch....