Amidst a death toll of late that’s included David Bowie, Lemmy Kilmister and Alan Rickman – all innovators and perfectionists in their own crafts – it is almost fitting that one of wrestling’s most unique pioneers joins them. According to PWInsider, reports out of Hamilton, Ontario are now confirming that “Iron” Mike Sharpe – Canada’s Greatest Athlete – has passed away following a series of on-going health problems.
For those who remember Iron Mike, no introduction is necessary. For those who don’t recall him, he was the Barry Horowitz before Barry Horowitz. The king of the jobbers. A trail blazer for not only the Barry Horowitzes and Johnny K-9s, but also the Santino Marellas and R-Truths. Those effortless and talented ring veterans who never took their characters that seriously enough to avoid having fun with it and took as much pride in looking up at the lights as they did staring down at the shine of the belts. With his leather forearm brace intact, “Iron” Mike Sharpe was the legendary (yet lovable) beautiful loser of the WWF’s Rock and Wrestling era.
Iron Mike Sharpe: Remembering Canada’s Greatest Athlete
A second generation wrestler, “Iron” Mike Sharpe followed his father and uncle – Mike and Ben Sharpe, one of the top tag teams of the 1950’s – into the business, trained by another late Hamilton export (and WWE Legend) Dewey Robertson, aka The Missing Link, in the mid-70’s. He began in Gene Kiniski’s Canadian NWA affiliate, then became a well decorated journeyman in the territory days, winning gold in Mid-South and Stampede Wrestling.
He was brought to the WWE in the early 80’s, managed by WWE Hall of Famer Captain Lou Albano, and immediately thrust into the main event heel position against then WWE World Champion Bob Backlund. But that was the pinnacle of his wrestling career as a serious contender. When his run versus Backlund ended, he was moved lower and lower on the card. First as a serious mid-card threat but ending up as enhancement talent, putting over the new and rising stars coming into the Federation. But it was then that Sharpe truly shined.
Iron Mike Sharpe pic.twitter.com/BAWFZqivDi
— Chris Harrington (@mookieghana) January 18, 2016
With his reknowned fitness regime (Gorilla Monsoon often mentioned this during his matches in the 80’s), Sharpe had the ability to work with anyone, from high flyers like Dynamite Kid to mammoths like Andre the Giant. And he did so with personality and charisma that, even in defeat, gained him a loyal cult following, especially in Canada were we all laughed along WITH him rather than AT him. He WAS Canada’s Greatest Athlete (at least until Bret Hart stepped into the singles scene years later).
His last appearance for WWE was in 1995, but he never left the business. He opened his own wrestling school and trained such future stars like Charlie Haas, Devon Storm/Crowbar, and Nova/Simon Dean.
But much like Bowie and Lemmy before him, Sharpe represents the last of a dying breed (no pun intended). Bowie and Lemmy were people who believed in their craft above and beyond the commerical gain, beyond the fame and money, and were both students and teachers of their own art form. Iron Mike Sharpe was the same in wrestling. He took pride in being the enhancement guy called upon to push the others, without complaint. After all, it takes two to dance. He pushed many of the top stars of the mid to late 80’s as well as the early 90’s, essentially helping launch the careers of many of the guys who would become legends in the Attitude Era. In today’s era of 50/50 booking, where the Superstars job to each other, the days of the enhancement talent – or “jobbers” – is becoming merely another lost artform in the world of professional history.
With the rise of the IWC, every wrestler has a vocal majority that feels certain wrestlers should be getting the gold (or at least a winning push) and the dutiful and respected role of the “jobber” has become a word of disgust rather than a matter of pride and function within the industry. The lack of truly utilized enhancement talent is perhaps one of the most overlooked reasons for the lack of creative booking. Most of Goldberg’s streak were jobbers, but it still created the story it needed to create. But who knows. The WWE did just unveil the Social Outcasts, so perhaps they’re just packaging them all together now.
Rest in peace, Iron Mike. Bowie had his Ziggy, Lemmy had his Ace of Spades, but you were Canada’s Greatest Athlete. Forever and always.
