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Paul Vachon

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Paul Vachon
Vachon in 2013
Born(1937-10-07)October 7, 1937
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DiedFebruary 29, 2024(2024-02-29) (aged 86)
Spouse(s)
Rebecca Pierce
​
(m. 1966)​
Children6
FamilyVachon
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Nikita Zolotoff
Paul "Butcher" Vachon
Billed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight280 lb (130 kg; 20 st)
Billed fromMontreal, Quebec, Canada
Debut1957
Retired1985

Paul Vachon (October 7, 1937 – February 29, 2024) was a Canadian professional wrestler. He was a member of the Vachon wrestling family. He is perhaps best known by his ring name Butcher Vachon.[1]

Professional wrestling career

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Paul Vachon grew up as one of thirteen children of Ferdinand Vachon, a Montreal police officer. In 1957, he followed his brother Maurice into professional business, adopting his brother's, the "Mad Dog", vicious heel style and the moniker "Butcher Vachon". He wrestled in the American Wrestling Association, World Wrestling Federation (now WWE), National Wrestling Alliance and Georgia Championship Wrestling (later would become WCW).

Vachon often teamed with his brother "Mad Dog" Vachon, with whom he won the AWA World Tag Team Championship.

In the early 1970s he appeared alongside his sister Vivian Vachon in the motion picture Wrestling Queen.

Vachon wrestled under a mask as "Spoiler #2" for Jim Crockett Promotions' "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" in 1975. His angle involved getting revenge on Wahoo McDaniel, Paul Jones, and Rufus R. Jones for running Super Destroyer (Don Jardine) out of the territory. (In fact, Jardine left JCP on short notice and booker George Scott wanted a masked heel on the roster.) Vachon stayed in JCP for a few months and before leaving lost a series of matches against Paul Jones and Rufus Jones in which the mask was at stake (as was Paul Jones' U.S. title in their matches).

Vachon retired in 1985. Proving his talents extend beyond the wrestling ring, one of his final appearances was singing "La Vie en Rose" on Tuesday Night Titans.

Personal life

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Paul Vachon was the adoptive father of wrestler Luna Vachon. He is the brother of wrestlers Maurice and Vivian Vachon and former father-in-law of wrestlers David "Gangrel" Heath and Tom Nash. In total, Vachon has six children and has been married four times.

After his wrestling career, Paul Vachon joined the NDP and ran as a federal candidate in 1988, 1993 and 1995.

In 1993, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and had half of his colon removed.[2] Then, in 2003, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Vachon underwent 40 treatments, one on each weekday for five straight weeks, to overcome the throat cancer.[2] In addition, he had the disease burned out of his tonsils and his teeth were removed.[2] As a result of the radiation treatments, he underwent reconstructive jaw surgery in early June 2009. Vachon also suffered from diabetes.[3]

Vachon and his wife Rebecca traveled to flea markets and fairs to sell therapeutic magnets, a business they began in 1995.[3] He also self-published an autobiography titled When Wrestling Was Real.[3]

Vachon died on February 29, 2024, at the age of 86.[4]

Championships and accomplishments

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  • Men’s Wrestling Award (2008)[5]
  • Eastern Townships Wrestling Association
  • ETWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Electoral record (incomplete)

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Canadian federal by-election, February 13, 1995: Brome—Missisquoi
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Denis Paradis 19,078 51.02 +14.36 $54,562
  Bloc Québécois Jean-François Bertrand 15,764 42.16 +1.40 $53,734
  Progressive Conservative Guy Lever 1,235 3.30 −13.85 $36,225a
  Reform Line Maheux 517 1.38 $21,755
  New Democratic Party Paul Vachon 371 0.99 −0.27 $9,325
  Christian Heritage Jean Blaquière 126 0.34 $2,321
  Non-Affiliated Yvon V. Boulanger 107 0.29 $3,816
Green Éric Ferland 101 0.27 $412
  Natural Law Michel Champagne 77 0.21 −1.08 $6,538
  Abolitionist John H. Long 15 0.04 −1.61 $1,219
Total valid votes 37,391 100.00
Total rejected ballots 288
Turnout 37,679 64.32 −12.32
Electors on the lists 58,579
a- Does not include unpaid claims.

References

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  1. ^ "Butcher Vachon « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". Archived from the original on October 6, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Oliver, Greg (November 25, 2003). "Butcher Vachon beats down cancer". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ a b c Oliver, Greg (May 14, 2003). "Magnets pull on Butcher Vachon". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ "Legendary Tag Team Specialist Paul Vachon Has Passed Away". Web is Jericho. March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  5. ^ Johns, Fred (June 10, 2008). "In awe at my first Cauliflower Alley Club reunion". Slam Wrestling. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  6. ^ "Mick Foley, Terry Funk headline pro hall of fame class at Gable Museum". The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
  7. ^ Hoops, Brian (January 23, 2020). "Pro wrestling history (01/23): Hulk Hogan defeats Iron Sheik for WWF title". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
  8. ^ Hoops, Brian (January 13, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/13): TNA Genesis 2013". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  9. ^ Will, Gary; Duncan, Royal (2000). "Texas: NWA Texas Tag Team Title [Von Erich]". Wrestling Title Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 275–276. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  10. ^ "NWA Texas Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Nevada, Vance (May 12, 2008). "Paul "Butcher" Vachon". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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