Mad Dog Pro Wrestling. Old school wrestling is back!
Starlight Foundation Fundraising
Be a part of the most exciting fundraising initiative to ever hit the West Island.
For the first time ever, monthly pro wrestling events will be presented at the John Abbott College sports complex beginning in September 2024 and benefitting the Starlight Foundation.
Dedicated to promoting classic, retro style family events, Mad Dog Pro Wrestling promises to be the talk of the West Island and beyond. By partnering with MDPW, your business will be able to increase its exposure, generate traffic and create brand loyalty while helping the community at the same time.
One of our marketing and promotions specialists will be happy to meet with you in order to best understand your company’s needs and create the best possible partnership plan designed to yield the results you are looking for…
The History
Since the 1950’s professional wrestling in Montreal has been a highly popular and exciting form of sport and entertainment. Well-known names such as Edouard Carpentier, Killer Kowalski, Abdullah The Butcher. Andre The Giant. Dino Bravo and of course, Mad Dog Vachon were just some of the stars that shaped the landscape of the local wrestling scene.
Their popularity and fame grew enormously and even rivaled the most popular Montreal Canadiens players of the era.
Since 1993, I have organized highly entertaining pro wrestling events (under the name of WAW) designed to raise funds for various community groups. These family friendly events represent a style of wrestling reminiscent of the ” Glory Days”.
Born in Montreal, Maurice ” Mad Dog ” Vachon became one of the most well-known pro wrestlers around the world. A villain most of his career, Mad Dog ended his career as a beloved fan favorite in Montreal.
In the same spirit as the Montreal Canadiens who named their team in Laval the “Rocket” after Maurice Richard, WAW, now known as Mad Dog Pro Wrestling is a way to symbolize the return of the “Glory Days” while honoring the legacy of one of the greatest stars of all time.
Despite his wild character in the ring, Mad Dog had a caring and compassionate side outside of the ring. He often helped community organizations and would make special appearances at functions and telethons.
Target audience
Traditionally Professional wrestling served as a vehicle to bridge those from different ethnic, socio-economic, age, gender, cultural groups, etc.
As such, Mad Dog Pro Wrestling appeals to those from all walks of life, It is quite unique in its fan base and appeal compared to all other forms of sports and entertainment.
The Founder. Andy Ellison.
From a very early age, Mad Dog Pro Wrestling founder Andy Ellison has been passionate about wrestling. Early memories include watching wrestling on TV with family and attending live tapings at CFCF studios and the Paul Sauve arena. Years later, Ellison would find himself in the ring against many of the stars he watched growing up like Abdullah The Butcher, King Kong Bundy, The Bushwhackers, George “The Animal” Steele just to name a few.
With a solid reputation as a wrestler and promoter, Ellison received honorable mention in the book, MAD DOGS, MIDGETS AND SCREW JOBS: THE UNTOLD STORY OF HOW MONTREAL SHAPED THE WRESTLING WORLD by Pat Laprade and Bertrand Hebert, ECW PRESS.
With close ties to the Vachon family, Ellison has received the approval and endorsement of the Vachon family, notably Mile Vachon, son of Mad Dog and Paul “The Butcher Vachon”. They expressed being honored to have their family name and legacy extended to new generations of wrestling fans.
MAURICE “MAD DOG” VACHON
One of the most unorthodox characters in sports-entertainment history, Mad Dog Vachon terrorized opponents, officials and fans for four decades and made a lasting mark as a brutal competitor and a true original.
Born in a working class district of Montreal in 1929, Maurice Vachon was a standout grappler from a very young age. His considerable talents earned him many national championships and a trip to the 1948 Olympic Games where he finished 7th overall. From there, Vachon transitioned naturally into the world of professional wrestling, but his early career was uneventful. It wasn’t until Maurice shaved his head, grew a beard and took on the name “Mad Dog” that his career took off.
With his intimidating look and ferocious attitude, the bloodthirsty Vachon left Olympic-style mat wrestling behind and became the most feared brawler in Minnesota’s American Wrestling Association. Grappling with local legends like Verne Gagne and The Crusher, Mad Dog captured the AWA World Heavyweight Championship five times during the 1960s and brought in some of the biggest box offices the territory had ever seen.
In a time long before the dawn of “hardcore wrestling,” Vachon was an uncommonly cruel and brutal competitor. While he wasn’t the biggest man in the ring, Mad Dog used everything that wasn’t nailed down to batter his opponents. He filed his fingernails until they were razor sharp, gnawed on foreheads and built caskets for his next victims. The pit bull-like mauler was so destructive in the ring, he was banned from competing in three states. Still, Mad Dog’s particular brand of mayhem drew legions of fans, including his future wife, Kathy Joe. As the story goes, Vachon and the young beauty locked eyes after he hit her with a foreign object he tossed into the crowd. It was love at first sight.
At the end of the ’60s, Mad Dog’s viciousness doubled when he formed a team with his brother, The Butcher. The siblings dominated the AWA’s tag division, defeating The Crusher & The Bruiser for the tag titles in 1969 and successfully defending them for more than two years. Their sister, Vivian, would join the AWA soon after, winning the promotion’s women’s title in 1971.
Vachon continued to terrorize the AWA until 1984 when he joined WWE — 34 years into his wrestling career — before retiring in 1986. At this point, Mad Dog had become such an enduring figure in sports-entertainment that his insanity now drew cheers from the audience.
After wrecking havoc in the ring for decades, Vachon settled down in Omaha, Nebr., where he enjoyed a quiet life with his family until his death in November 2013. His memories and spirit live on as Mad Dog’s legacy is now carried on by Andy Ellison’s Montreal based Mad Dog ProWrestling.