George Gordienko
| George Gordienko | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 7, 1928 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Died | May 13, 2002 (aged 74) Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | George Gordienko |
| Billed height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Billed weight | 260 lb (120 kg; 19 st) |
| Trained by | Joe Pazandak Stu Hart |
| Debut | 1946 |
| Retired | 1976 |
George Gordienko (January 7, 1928 – May 13, 2002) was a Canadian professional wrestler and artist. Born of first generation Ukrainian and Cossack-Canadian parents in North Winnipeg, Manitoba, by age 17 Gordienko had received numerous awards for his physical prowess. He wrestled from 1946 to 1976 and was, according to Lou Thesz and other experts, one of the top legitimate wrestlers in the world. He was rated the best heavyweight wrestler in the UK in 1963, and in 1970, won the annual Royal Albert Hall tournament in London. After his retirement he became a successful artist.