Welcome to the Toronto section here at Kayfabe Memories. For the first article I will give you all a quick introduction to the Toronto territory’s history. The city of Toronto has got a rich pro wrestling history, and probably the richest outside of I’d say New York City. In fact the second event to ever take place at Maple Leaf Gardens was a wrestling event (the first was a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game) Many historic events took place in the city of Toronto. From Harley Race winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Terry Funk at the Maple Leaf Gardens, WrestleMania VI and WrestleMania X-8 at SkyDome. 

Many of the legends of our great sport have passed through the Toronto territory when it was ruled (in the ring) by one of pro wrestling’s most famous villains… The Sheik. In fact during his first North American tour Andre the Giant fought the Sheik at the Maple Leaf Gardens and lost because he was unable to continue after the Sheik threw on of his trademark fireballs into the Andre’s eyes. 

In the 1960’s Frank Tunney ruled the Toronto territory and brought in many famous names. He promoted matches featuring Bruno Sammartino, Andre the Giant, The Sheik, Buddy Rogers and many, many more straight from the Maple Leaf Gardens, the building which the Tunney’s owned all pro wrestling rights to. Frank died in 1983 and the Toronto territory was turned over to Frank’s nephew Jack, who later became the on-air president of the World Wrestling Federation. With Jack’s close working relation with Vince McMahon he set out to make Toronto the most powerful wrestling city in Canada (which it had always been). 

With Jack Tunney leading the show it was not uncommon for two world titles to be defended on one show. Many time the World Wrestling Federation Champion would be defending his championship on the same show as the AWA World Heavyweight Champion. 

Many of today’s legends who fought in the Toronto circuit ended up in the opening matches. Names like Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, all used to fight in the OPENING MATCH and many Maple Leaf Garden shows. 

The Toronto territory owes thanks to many people. The Sheik is on the top of people it needs to thank. Back in the sixties, seventies and early eighties when wrestlers were able to keep their mouths shut about what goes on behind the scenes of an event everybody hated the Sheik. He would do anything to win a match and the fans hated him for it. As such whenever he was on the card people would buy a ticket just to see if someone would kill the Sheik. Another main fixture of Toronto wrestling was the Whipper Billy Watson. The Whip as he was called was the holder of the Canadian Heavyweight Champion on five separate occasions. Abdullah the Butcher also made frequent trips to Toronto to battle the likes of The Sheik, and Tiger Jeet Singh. In both men’s early careers in pro wrestling Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant had many matches in the Maple Leaf Gardens. To think that the match that drew over 93,000 fans to the Pontiac Silver dome for WrestleMania III was seen by only 20,000 at the Maple Leaf Gardens. 

In 1995 Jack Tunney left the WWF as its head promoter in Canada. This was the end of the Tunney line of Toronto wrestling promoters. Since Jack left the company he took with him the exclusive rights to wrestling at the Maple Leaf Gardens. In 1999 the Gardens shut its doors forever. Fortunately unlike many other old arenas it was designated a national historic monument by the Canadian government. So now fans everywhere can look at that old building and remember the good times. 

NEXT MONTH: 

We will have the complete history of wrestling at the Maple Leaf Gardens from 1931 right up until the end in 1995.