Sweet Daddy Siki, American Canadian wrestling star who pushed limits of the sport, dies at 91

Sweet Daddy Siki, an American Canadian professional wrestler who pushed the limits of the sport and helped to train world champions, has died in Toronto at the age of 91.

Elkin James, born in Texas, died on Dec. 31, 2024, at Humber River Hospital after living with dementia for many years. Siki moved to Toronto in 1961 and made a name for himself in Canada as a pro-wrestler and a country musician from the 1960s to the 1980s.

According to wrestling historian Greg Oliver, Siki married Anne, a Canadian woman, in Buffalo in 1964. The two went on to have two sons, Reg and Justin, and Siki "carved out a whole new life" for himself as a professional wrestler with blond hair, sequined robes and big sunglasses. He was also a recording artist with a country and western band, the Irresistibles.

Siki would preen in the ring and called himself "the ladies' pet and the men's regret."

"The guy was a true superstar," Oliver said in an interview with CBC Toronto on Friday. "Pro wrestling is about standing out and Siki always stood out."

'One of a kind'

His signature moves included The Airplane Spin, the Coco-butt and the Neck Breaker, according to a 2013 CBC Radio report.

"From his base in Toronto, he toured across North America. From St. John's to Chicago, Calgary to Cleveland, Madison Gardens to Maple Leaf Gardens, Sweet Daddy Siki wrestled with the best of them," the report said.

The homepage of a 2017 documentary on Sweet Daddy Siki. Wrestling historian Greg Oliver was the writer for the documentary. (CBC Gem)

Oliver said Siki was somebody that everybody knew, but he was also a private person.

"He was a really friendly guy. He loved to talk to people. He was a good listener. But he didn't reveal a lot. So it took a lot to get Siki's trust through the years," Oliver added.

Oliver noted that Siki mentored Toronto wrestler Rocky Johnson, father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Oliver, who worked with Siki and his family for a CBC documentary about his life, said Siki's two All Elite Wrestling proteges were Adam Copeland, best known as Edge, and Christian Cage.

Copeland, in an interview with CBC Radio's Fresh Air, said Siki broke down racial barriers in professional wrestling.

"Talk about one of a kind. You're talking about a man who helped integrate this industry," Copeland said.

'One of the Jackie Robinsons of our industry'

In his later years, up until the COVID-19 pandemic, Siki ran a karaoke night at The Duke tavern on Queen Street East in Leslieville.

He was also well known for driving around the city in his converted purple hearse.

Copeland said Siki was "one of the Jackie Robinsons of our industry." Robinson was a U.S. professional baseball player who was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the 20th century.

"He did so much. But it happened at a time when it wasn't either celebrated or recognized. But sometimes it takes after the fact for people to fully realize," Copeland added.

"Siki was also a private man. And so I feel like he wasn't going to be the one to walk around shouting from the rooftops what he's done and the differences he made."