Five wrestlers you didn't know were Canadian

By Jason Agnew

From Stu Hart, Whipper Billy Watson and The Vachon Brothers to the modern era of Bret Hart, Edge and Chris Jericho, Canada has always been well represented in the world of professional wrestling.

However, there are a few names that are often forgotten when talking about Canadians in the squared circle. Whether due to a convincing persona or being billed from another location, many people don’t realize that these fantastic five can trace their roots back to the Great White North.

So, here's our Canada Day tribute to their former pro wrestling heroes.

LANNY POFFO

He’s known to 1980s WWF fans as the man who recited poetry and threw Frisbees out to the crowd before reinventing himself as “The Genius” when managing Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig.

Lanny Poffo is also the younger brother of the Macho Man Randy Savage, and the son of professional wrestler Angelo Poffo. Although he lived most of his life in the United States, Lanny was born in Calgary on Dec. 28, 1954, while his dad was working for Stu Hart in the Stampede Wrestling territory.

ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER

One of the most sadistic and vicious performers in the history of professional wrestling, Abdullah the Butcher was known for his brawling style and matches that would undoubtedly end in a bloodbath.

Although he’s known as “The Madman from Sudan,” Abdullah was born Lawrence Robert Shreve in Windsor, Ont., on Jan. 11, 1941. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.

KILLER KOWALSKI

Edward Władysław Spulnik was born in Windsor, Ont., on Oct. 13, 1926. The son of Polish immigrants, he towered at 6-foot-4 by the age of 14 and was drawn to the world of professional wrestling in hopes of making some extra money while he was attending college.

Kowalski would go on to be one of the most feared bad guys of his generation. Known for the dreaded Iron Claw, he earned the nickname of “Killer” after a 1954 cage match at the Montreal Forum where he accidentally ripped off the ear of his opponent Yukon Eric.

Kowalski was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996.

ROWDY RODDY PIPER

Although many may be under the impression that this kilt-wearing, showboating trash talker was from Glasgow, in actuality Roderick Toombs was born in Saskatoon on April 17, 1954.

He started his career as a boxer before switching to professional wrestling, and rose to prominence with stints in several NWA territories in the United States. He became one of the most recognizable stars of the 1980s as the ultimate trash-talking bad guy opposite Hulk Hogan in the WWF.

Piper was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. He died at the age of 61 on July 31 last year.

DWAYNE “THE ROCK” JOHNSON

Yes, it’s true. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a Canadian citizen!

Although he was born in Hayward, Calif., in 1972, his father (former professional wrestler Rocky Johnson) was born in Amherst, N.S. Thus The Rock inherited his Canadian citizenship.

Johnson also has ties to Canada with a brief run playing for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League in 1995. He was cut two months into the season - which, in hindsight, was probably for the best … he’s done pretty well.