In the early 80’s Al Tomko wrestled as a fan favorite battling the Destroyer in early 1981, he also formed a popular tag team with Klondike Mike Shaw. The two stars held the Canadian tag titles for several months before Tomko did the heel turn and put himself into a feud with Terry Adonis. Tomko put the talented Adonis over in a cage match August 10/81 and went back to tag team competition with new partner Igor Volkoff. As Master Sgt. Tomko he came to the ring in fatigues and referred to his stable of wrestlers as his army. This army was a revolving door for almost every rulebreaker who entered the territory in the 1980’s. He eventually tasted Canadian tag team gold with Volkoff before getting into a heated feud with Moondog Morretti. Tomko and Morretti battled in all kinds of specialty matches including cage and stretcher matches. Their battles were not for the faint of heart as the two pounded each other into a bloody pulp night in and night out.

Sgt Master Tomko eventually split with Volkoff building him up as a perfect babyface. By 1982 he was embroiled in feuds with Volkoff and the goldenboy of the territory Sonny Myers. Tomko also feuded with another area legend in Bulldog Bob Brown, these two slugged it out up and down the coast in strap matches and cage matches. Tomko put the Canadian title on himself with a win over Silvano Sousa May 31/82 and he had a set of great matches versus West Coast legend John Tolos. He carved Tolos up with his foreign object which Tomko always had hidden out of the referree’s sight deep in his trunks. Sgt Tomko relied very little on scientific wrestling holds and opted for the more effective brass knuckles, closed fists and the odd sleeper hold. He even had a battle of the sleeper holds with Dean Ho in which Ho managed to leave Tomko in a neck brace. 

On interviews Tomko would get the crowd going by bragging about his physique and even went as far as to demand the fans call him Mighty Al Tomko at one point in his career. The 242 lb veteran was a far cry from the muscular stars that ruled the wrestling world in the 80’s, but there was no denying his ability on the mic. The Sgt. referred to himself as 242 lb’s of twisted steel and sex appeal. 

Tomko often teamed with another West Coast legend Moose Morrowski. The two held the Canadian tag team gold in 1983 until being stripped of the title by special NWA representative Jack Windsor. They had a great feud with Bulldog Bob Brown and Buzz Tyler. Tomko never to be out done pulled off an incredible face turn. The Memphis Mafia top heels in the territory attacked Al’s son Rick Davis who was just about to break into wrestling as a referee at the time. Al Tomko came into the ring to make the save and after being beaten to a bloody pulp the fans actually cheered him as he promised revenge in the post match interview. Tomko buried the hatchet with Bulldog Brown and together they battled the Honky Tonk Man, Tim Flowers and Rick Patterson. 

Tomko took Al Star Wrestling on tour of the middle east in the fall of 1983. He teamed with Big John Baker battling the Flowers brothers Tim and Peter as well as their cousin Sir Joseph Cagle. Al Tomko beat Peter Flowers in a hair vs. hair match back in Vancouver November 14/83. 

Tomko would revert to his old ways in 1984 battling Volkoff and Moondog Morretti in 1984. He won the Canadian title April 16/84 beating Morretti in Vancouver. Mr. Tomko had some great feuds with the Warrior wrestling in lumberjack, steel fence and other specialty matches throughout the West coast. Again Tomko put over one of the other budding superstars in Wojo the BC Hulk in the Hulk’s hometown of Abbotsford BC. Tomko dropped the Canadian title to Wojo May 16/84. In 1984 Tomko was again reunited with Moose Morrowski calling himself Mighty Al Tomko. 

In early 1985 Tomko turned face for the umpteenth time. He battled ET Stanton in February and with his old nemesis Moondog Morretti the two teamed to battle the Jackal and Stanton. Started using his son Rick Davis in the top spot giving him a tremendous push in the territory during the mid 80’s. Feuded with the returning Sonny Myers in 1985 as well as his old partner Moose Morrowski. Tomko was able to unmask the Super Destroyer revealing ET Stanton 12/21/85 in Cloverdale. 

As his wrestling appearances slowed down ironically so did the promotion. The company had switched from the NWA to the UWA and Tomko was completely dependent upon the homegrown talent to sell his shows. All Stars’ run came to an end in the late 80’s and marked the end of a real era for a lot of Canadian mat fans. 

Special thanks on this column and full credit for the research to the Canadian Pro Wrestling Page of Fame by Gary Will, Slam Wrestling’s Canadian Hall of Fame, Mike Rodgers match results and Vern Siebert’s excellent video collection which all helped to compile the nuts and bolt’s of this month’s column.

NEXT MONTH:

A spotlight on Diamond Timothy Flowers