Shane Bower (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Shayne Bower better known by his ring name
Biff Wellington, was a Canadian professional wrestler born in Calgary, Alberta
and died in Calgary.
and Owen Hart
), but he mainly trained with Mr. Hito and Hiroshi Hase. He debuted in December 1986. He started his career as Biff Wellington in Stampede Wrestling
as a villain
, but then transitioned to a fan favorite
, which he was for the remainder of his time there. In Stampede, Wellington frequently tagged with Chris Benoit
. In 1989, Wellington and Benoit beat Makhan Singh
and Vokhan Singh
to become Stampede Wrestling
's International Tag Team Champions.
After Stampede Wrestling shut down in December 1989, Wellington worked in various promotions in Canada, such as Canadian National Wrestling Alliance (CNWA) and Canadian Rocky Mountain Wrestling (CRMW).
Wellington had a tryout for the World Wrestling Federation in 1991. Wellington had a match in Calgary, Alberta
at the Olympic Saddledome during a house show on July 8. Wellington defeated an unknown jobber
. The next night on July 9 at Northlands Coliseum
in Edmonton, Alberta
, Wellington beat Hugh Thomas with a Tombstone Piledriver (kneeling belly-to-belly piledriver).
In June 1992, Wellington and Benoit appeared in World Championship Wrestling
at Clash of the Champions XIX, representing Canada
in the NWA World Tag Team Championship
tournament; they were defeated by Brian Pillman
and Jushin Liger
in the first round. Later on in 1992, Wellington was recognized as the first CRMW North American Heavyweight Champion.
Between 1988 and 1994, Wellington worked on 28 consecutive tours with New Japan Pro Wrestling
. In Japan, he feuded with Jushin Liger
and continued to team with Benoit, who was known in Japan as The Pegasus Kid or Wild Pegasus. He also worked in the Maritimes as Buddy Hart, and in Mexico.
Wellington had a brief stint in Extreme Championship Wrestling
between 1995 and 1996. He sustained an eye injury in an accident during a match against Taz in May 1996. Wellington then became dependent on prescription medication to prevent nerves in his eye from dying. He retired from active competition after the incident, although he occasionally wrestled in promotions near his hometown such as Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling.
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:...
Biff Wellington, was a Canadian professional wrestler born in Calgary, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and died in Calgary.
Professional wrestling career
Shayne Bower trained with the Hart Brothers (BretBret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
and Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
), but he mainly trained with Mr. Hito and Hiroshi Hase. He debuted in December 1986. He started his career as Biff Wellington in 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...
as a villain
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
, but then transitioned to a fan favorite
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
, which he was for the remainder of his time there. In Stampede, Wellington frequently tagged with Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
. In 1989, Wellington and Benoit beat Makhan Singh
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...
and Vokhan Singh
Gary Albright
Gary Albright was an American professional wrestler who performed mainly in Stampede Wrestling in Canada and with UWF International and All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan. Albright was a member through marriage of the famous Anoa'i wrestling family, including Afa and Sika, Yokozuna, Rikishi, and The...
to become 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...
's International Tag Team Champions.
After Stampede Wrestling shut down in December 1989, Wellington worked in various promotions in Canada, such as Canadian National Wrestling Alliance (CNWA) and Canadian Rocky Mountain Wrestling (CRMW).
Wellington had a tryout for the World Wrestling Federation in 1991. Wellington had a match in Calgary, Alberta
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...
at the Olympic Saddledome during a house show on July 8. Wellington defeated an unknown jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
. The next night on July 9 at Northlands Coliseum
Rexall Place
Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands. It is currently the home to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL...
in Edmonton, Alberta
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...
, Wellington beat Hugh Thomas with a Tombstone Piledriver (kneeling belly-to-belly piledriver).
In June 1992, Wellington and Benoit appeared in 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...
at Clash of the Champions XIX, representing Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the NWA World Tag Team Championship
NWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
tournament; they were defeated by Brian Pillman
Brian Pillman
Brian William Pillman was an American football player and professional wrestler best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling....
and Jushin Liger
Jushin Liger
, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...
in the first round. Later on in 1992, Wellington was recognized as the first CRMW North American Heavyweight Champion.
Between 1988 and 1994, Wellington worked on 28 consecutive tours with New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is 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...
. In Japan, he feuded with Jushin Liger
Jushin Liger
, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...
and continued to team with Benoit, who was known in Japan as The Pegasus Kid or Wild Pegasus. He also worked in the Maritimes as Buddy Hart, and in Mexico.
Wellington had a brief stint in Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
between 1995 and 1996. He sustained an eye injury in an accident during a match against Taz in May 1996. Wellington then became dependent on prescription medication to prevent nerves in his eye from dying. He retired from active competition after the incident, although he occasionally wrestled in promotions near his hometown such as Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling.
Personal life
His parents found his body at his home in bed on June 24, 2007, as they were concerned because they had not heard from him since June 20. Medical officials examining the body believe he had been dead for a few days, believed initially to be due to a heart attack, as he had suffered numerous strokes in 2006.Championships and accomplishments
- Canadian Rocky Mountain Wrestling
- CRMW North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time, first)
- 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...
- Stampede International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Chris BenoitChris BenoitChristopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
External links
- Biff Wellington at Online World of Wrestling