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Ox Baker

Ox

Title History

  • NWA North American Tag Team titles w/ Luke Brown (October 2, 1969);
  • AWA Midwest Tag Team titles w/ Rock Rogowski (Ole Anderson) defeating Stan Pulaski and Reggie Parks (1971);
  • AWA Midwest Tag Team titles w/ The Claw defeating Bob Ellis and Alberto Torres (August 1971);
  • AWA Midwest Tag Team titles w/ Great Kusatsu defeating Jerry Miller and Johnny Valentine Jr. (1971 -Abandoned);
  • NWA Georgia Tag Team titles w/ Skandar Akbar (1972);
  • NWF North American Heavyweight title (1974);
  • WWA World Heavyweight title defeating “Cowboy” Bob Ellis (August 19, 1974);
  • WWA Tag Team titles w/ Chuck O’Connor (aka Big John Studd) (1976);
  • NWA Florida Tag Team titles w/ Billy Graham defeating the Brisco Brothers (1977);
  • NWA (Detroit) United States Heavyweight title defeating The Sheik (September 1977);
  • NWA American Heavyweight title defeating Captain USA (Big John Studd) (September 30, 1977);
  • NWA Australian Tag Team titles w/ Butcher Brannigan defeating Larry O’day and Mario Milano (October 27, 1978);
  • NWA American Heavyweight title defeating Bruiser Brody (January 2, 1980);

Career Highlights

  • Ox Baker formed formetable tag teams with Ole Anderson, Skandar Akbar, Chuck O’Connor, Terry Boulder, and Billy Graham.
  • 1971: Alberto Torres died following an AWA Midwest Tag-Team Title match in which he took Ox Baker’s Heart Punch.
  • ~~~Though the death was due to a pre-existing condition, the fans and promoters credited the heart punch.
  • August 1, 1972: Ray Gunkel suffered a heart-attack and died during a match with Ox Baker in Savannah, Georgia.
  • ~~~Once again this was not truly Ox’s fault but bettered his career.
  • 1978-79: Ox Baker is involved in an angle with Harley Race, Terry Boulder (Hulk Hogan), and Ron Fuller.
  • ~~~The angle included Terry Boulder’s 1st face turn, 1st World Title shot, and first title win.
  • March 1979: Terry Boulder defeated Ox Baker for the Southeastern Heavyweight Championship in Alabama.
  • 1981: Ox Baker appeared on T.V. Gameshow “The Price Is Right”.
  • July 13, 1983 – CWF: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ox Baker in a Texas death match.
  • July 30, 1983 – CWF: Mike Graham & Scott McGhee defeated Ox Baker & Yoshiaki Yatsu to retain the NWA National Global tag team titles.
  • September 17, 1983 – WWC: Invader #2 defeated Ox Baker.
  • April 2, 1984 – CWA: Ox Baker defeated Art Crews.
  • April 9, 1984 – CWA: Ox Baker defeated Scott Shannon.
  • March 23, 1984 – CWA: Ox Baker defeated Ric McCord.
  • May 8, 1984 – CWA: Ox Baker defeated Dutch Mantell.
  • August 2, 1984 – CSW: Ox Baker defeated MEB.
  • August 30, 1984 – CSW: Ox Baker defeated Luke Graham.
  • October 14, 1984 – CWF: Ox Baker defeated Frank Lang.
  • January 1, 1985 – CWG: Ron Garvin defeated Ox Baker to retain the NWA National heavyweight title.
  • February 3, 1985 – MACW: Dick Slater defeated Ox Baker in a bounty match.
  • September 29, 1985 – TSW: American Force (Paul Diamond & Shawn Michaels) & Kelly Kiniski defeated JR Hogg, Killer Brooks & Ox Baker.
  • June 11, 1987 – CSW: Ox Baker defeated Steve Estes.
  • July 24, 1987 – CSW: Rip Rogers defeated Ox Baker in a cage match.
  • February 15, 1997: Ox Baker was inducted into the EWF Hall of Fame.
  • 2001: An Ox Baker action figure is created by Figures Toy Company for their Legends of Professional Wrestling series.
  • Ox Baker is now retired and occasionally works as a manager on the indy circuit.
  • Ox Baker now works for US Security Associates in Connecticut.
  • Ox Baker is one of Jerry Lawler’s all-time favorites according to kinglawler.com.
  • Ox Baker appeared in the Hollywood movie “Escape From New York”.
  • Ox Baker published a cook book in which each recipe is accompanied by a story about an old time wrestler.
  • November 5, 2005 – MWF/AWA New England: Ox Baker won the “Boston Badboy Tony Rumble Memorial” Battle Royal.
  • March 24, 2007 – United States Wrestling Federation: Ox Baker and Killer Kowalski teamed up for a Tag Team Tournament.Ox Baker helped Killer Kowalski into the ring where they got a bye because their opponents no-showed – so they advanced to the 2nd round. They met Gino Martino and Superstar Richard Byrne in the ring in the next round. Richard Byrne is an old veteran wrestler who actually was one of Killers first students (Kowalski’s gym was in his karate dojo for like 17 years before he moved it to Chaotic) and Gino who has been a close personal friend of Ox Baker for ages – got on the house mic and really put over their mentors which got a pretty good ovation as they both jumped out of the ring for a ten count to advance Ox and KILLER. Heels Tony Roy and Tre the Smooth Operating Gangsta made it to the final by cheating. After the announcement of Ox and Killer in the final got jumped and beat up as they fought the two guys off. Tony entered the ring and took a pummeling by Ox and GOT HIT with a heart punch. OX tagged off to Killer as Tre was backing up and he turned around and got the CLAW! Tre submitted and they won-big standing ovation-there was about 250-maybe 300 there and it got a huge pop
  • June 20-21, 2008 – UCW: Ox Baker defeated Moonshine McCoy.
  • November 8, 2008 – Big Time Wrestling: BTW Champion “Hurricane” John Walters (w/ Ox Baker) defeated Justin Credible.
  • September 14, 2009: Ox Baker underwent hip replacement surgery in Connecticuit.
  • April 24, 2010: Ox Baker’s wife, Peggy Ann, passed away at age of 58.
  • November 20, 2010 – All Out Mayhem: Gino Martino w/ Ox Baker defeated Adam Hastey by DQ in South Portland, Maine.
  • October 20, 2014 – Ox Baker passed away at the age of 80.

 

Updated: February 5, 2024 @ 6:15 pm

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Trained By

Buddy "Killer" Austin
Bob Geigel
Pat O'Connor

Debut

1969-1988

Birthday

April 19, 1934

Hometown

Sedalia, Missouri

Gender

Male

Height

6'5"

Weight

342 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

Heart Punch

Favorite Move(s)

Notable Feuds

Harley Race,
"Cowboy" Bob Ellis,
Bruiser Brody,
Dick The Bruiser,
Ernie Ladd,
Dusty Rhodes,
Big John Studd

Status

Deceased