George Gordienko

Infobox Wrestler
name=George Gordienko

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img_capt=
names=George Gordienko
height=
weight= convert|260|lb|kg st|abbr=on|lk=on
birth_date = birth date|1928|1|7
death_date = death date and age|2002|5|13|1928|1|7
birth_place = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
death_place = Campbell River, British Columbia
resides=
billed=
trainer=Joe Pazandak
debut=1946
retired=1976
website=|

George Gordienko (January 7 1928 - May 13 2002) was a Canadian professional wrestler.

Career

He wrestled professionally from 1946 to 1976. He started as a weightlifter as a teenager. Joe Pazandak was his training partner in wrestling early in his career and Tony Stecher of Minneapolis was his manager in the very beginning. He mostly wrestled as Stu Hart's tag team partner after returning to wrestling in 1953. He fought Lou Thesz for the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1953 in Canada and wrestled Thesz again to a 90-minute draw in Edmonton in 1955.

George Gordienko won the Alberta Golden Jubilee tournament in 1955, defeating Adrien Baillargeon in the final. He then settled in UK. He was ranked the top heavyweight wrestler in the Great Britain in 1963. In 1970, George won the annual Royal Albert Hall tournament in London. And then triumphed in the British Commonwealth heavyweight title.

George Gordienko wrestled all over the world and retired in 1976 at age forty-eight after having his ankle broken by Roland Bock in Germany. After his retirement he became an artist. Gordienko died in 2002.

Championships and accomplishments

*National Wrestling Alliance:Regional:*NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version) (1 time) [cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/ab-can-h.html |title=N.W.A. Canadian Heavyweight Title|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo] :*NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship (Vancouver version) (1 time) [cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/bc/nwa/bc-pc-h.html |title=N.W.A. Pacific Coast Heavyweight Title|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo] :*NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) (1 time) [cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/bc/nwa/bc-can-t.html |title=N.W.A. Canadian Tag Team Title|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo]

*Stampede Wrestling:*Stampede International Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Super Hawk [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/calg-t.html |title=Stampede International Tag Team Title|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo] :*Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame [ cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/hof.html |title=Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948-1990)|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo]

*Other titles:*British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/europe/uk/bec-h.html |title=British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo] :*British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship (New Zealand version) (1 time) [cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nz/nz-be-h.html |title=British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title (New Zealand)|year=2003|publisher=Puroresu Dojo]

References

External links

* [http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/g/george-gordienko.html Profile] at Online World of Wrestling
* [http://houseofdeception.com/George_Gordienko.html HouseofDeception.com] - autobiography, photos, representative artworks.
* [http://www.garywill.com/wrestling/canada/gordienk.htm More information]
* [http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/oldnews/archives/162 Yesterday's News blog:] 2007 interview with his son, Peter
* [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2004/05/10/454165.html Article from SLAM! sports]
* [http://www.winchestergalleriesltd.com/GallArt/gordienko/gordienko-essay.htm Article from Winchester Gallery]
* [http://www.winchestergalleriesltd.com/GallArt/gordienko/GG1/index.htm Images of Gordienko's surrealist work]
* [http://www.garywill.com/wrestling/canada/gordienk.htm Canadian Pro Wrestling Page of Fame: Gordienko]