Local wrestler set to retire with a bang

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This article was published 30/09/2022 (1423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ELMWOOD

A legend of the local wrestling scene is hanging up his spandex.

Bobby J. St. Laurent, an “Elmwood guy” who played baseball and hockey out of Chalmers Community Centre growing up, got his start wrestling locally in 1990.

“I watched AWA back when I was a kid,” St. Laurent, who attended George V School before graduating from Elmwood High in 1983, said. “There used to be wrestling shows at Chalmers Community Centre, which I used to go to. When I was about 25 I decided I wanted to get in the business.”

After a couple years of training and local bouts, St. Laurent wrestled for the WWF, the precursor to today’s WWE, in 1992 during stops of the big time wrestling league’s tour through Winnipeg, Brandon, and Saskatoon.

“I wrestled all over North America,” he said. “I hoped I would get WWE full time, but it’s very difficult.”

After 30 years in the business, St. Laurent has plenty of memories.

“Getting to visit Stu Hart at the Hart Dungeon in Calgary, and getting to wrestle for Stampede Wrestling was fun,” he said.

One career high for St. Laurent was sharing the sport he loved with his son.

“Wrestling and teaming with my son was a highlight,” he said. “My son, who’s now 31, he was into wrestling when he was 13. We called him The Lightning Kid. He was really good at flips and stuff, which was kind of ahead of his time at the time.”

Some memories, however, remain bittersweet.

“I also used to promote wrestling from 2000 to 2002,” St. Laurent recalled. “There was a wrestler called British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith, he wrestled for me in Winnipeg, and he passed away a week after that bout. It was his last. He was a really nice guy.”

Now, St. Laurent is ready to retire, following a bout on Fri., Oct. 7 at Holy Eucharist Parish (460 Munroe Ave.). His opponent in the ring is fellow Elmwood High School alumnus (Hotshot) Danny Duggan.

“I love the way you can get in there and get the crowd to react the way you wanted to,” St. Laurent said. “I started as a good guy, then was a bad guy for about 20 years, and I’ll be the good guy into my last match.”

A sportsman at heart, St. Laurent founded the Kildonan Coed Softball League in 1994 and the Kildonan Sponge Hockey League in 1997.

“Sports was always my thing, growing up,” St. Laurent said, noting both leagues are still going strong, with over 100 teams registered in each this past season.

St. Laurent’s final bout is part of a Canadian Wrestling Elite bill that includes Duggan and other wrestlers from across Canada, including current TNA Impact wrestler Hernandez. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with a 7 p.m. bell time. Tickets are $22 in advance or $25 at the door. VIP tickets are $27, which includes first entry and meet and greet with the wrestlers. Those looking for advance tickets can contact St. Laurent at kildonansports@shaw.ca

“I will personally deliver them,” he added.