Ivan Radočaj

Ivan Radočaj (1964 - Rural Municipality of Armstrong, Inwood, September 17 2007) was a former Canadian pro wrestler and MMA fighter of Croat origin.

Biography

Before wrestling, he played football for St. John's High School. But, he came from a family of wrestling fans (father Josip, mother Darlene, sister Barb), and he was a big fan of wrestling himself. In his home was believed that Ivan could thanks to his size (over 6 feet and more than 110 kilograms) make it in the wrestling.

He made his wresting career in Winnipeg.

His debut was June 24, 1981, in New Brand Wrestling. Besides that wrestling event, he was also cooperating with Central Canadian Pro Wrestling.

He was known as the Croatian Giant and Ivan the Giant.

After pro wrestling, he also got into sumo and mixed martial arts. At that he was competing under the name "Big John Radocaj".

After New Brand Wrestling folded in 1984, he wasn't the present a lot in the ring.

Radočaj wasn't too ambitious to pursue it to the top, so he left wrestling and by the end of 1980's he was forgotten.

He had problems to keep his weight, so over the time, audience called him "Lumpy", because of his getting overweight. His overweight problems (he reached almost 310 kilograms) forced him to go to gastric surgery. Some time after that operation, Radočaj returned to his weight from the beginning of 1980's, about 95 kilograms.

Later in life, his health was once more seriously endangered, because of car accident, that left him with injured neck.

September 17, 2007 he was found slain in his rural home in Rural Municipality of Armstrong near Inwood in Manitoba, Canada. According to Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Ivan died of blunt force trauma or - beaten to death.

Successes

*1985 - first champion of Walter Shefchyk's North American Sumo Wrestling (sumo champion of Manitoba)

External links

* [http://baez44.tripod.com/rcw/id106.html River City Wrestling (since 1980)] October 1985
* [http://baez44.tripod.com/rcw/id107.html River City Wrestling (since 1980)] November 1985
* [http://baez44.tripod.com/rcw/id110.html River City Wrestling (since 1980)] January 1986
* [http://baez44.tripod.com/rcw/id111.html River City Wrestling (since 1980)] February 1986
* [http://baez44.tripod.com/rcw/id112.html River City Wrestling (since 1980)] March 1986

* [http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/TopStories/ContentPosting.aspx?feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V2&showbyline=True&newsitemid=CTVNews%2F20070918%2Fwinnipeg_wrestler_070918 News Sympatico - MSN] Slain Manitoba pro wrestler feared for safety
* [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070918/winnipeg_wrestler_070918/20070918?hub=TopStories CTV_ca] Slain Manitoba pro wrestler feared for safety
* [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2007/09/17/4503353.html CANOE -- SLAM!] Sports - Wrestling - Former Winnipeg wrestler Radocaj's death ruled a homicide
* [http://winnipegsun.com/News/Manitoba/2007/09/17/4503886.html winnipegsun_com - Manitoba] Former wrestler's death a homicide
* [http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/story/4040482p-4649547c.html The Winnipeg Free Press Online Edition] Former wrestler's struggles recounted

* http://tgcts.blogspot.com/2007/09/former-winnipeg-wrestler-found-murdered.html

* Big John may also refer to John Boner the farther of the Patrol