2021/08/16
Welcome to AustralianWrestling.org!
The website devoted to preserving the history of Australian wrestling.
We're in the process of renovating and moving some things around so some things may look a little strange but the aim is to minimise disruption.
This website was designed in 2012 with a scope of covering present and past wrestling in Australia.
The scope will change to prioritise the older stuff and make that a bit more accessible.
Thank you for your patience.
I also have another website (with my good buddy Greg) The Wrestling Roadshow which has more of a global scope. We have a podcast by the same name too and discuss all sorts of wrestling.
-CD
Ed Wiskowski / Col. de Beers
Name: - Ed Wiskowski
Height: - 193cm (6'4")
Weight: - 275lb (125kg)
Born: - January 10, 1945
From: - St. Joseph, Missouri
Trained by: - Harley Race, Lord Littlebrook
Debut: - 1972
Retired: - 2005
Also known as: - Col. de Beers, Derek "The Mongoose" Draper, The Polish Prince, Mega Maharishi, Mighty Yankee II.
Toured Australia: - 1976, 1977
A former NFL player with the Cincinnati Bengals, turned pro wrestler in late 1972. Worked mainly in Pacific Northwest and Central States, but ventured to San Francisco as well, having a run with both the US belt and the tag titles. Toured Australia in 1976 and 1977, teaming with Larry O'Day to win the Austro-Asian tag titles from Kevin Martin and Johnny Gray. Had a falling-out with O'Day and teamed with Masa Saito but they were beaten by O'Day and Rick Martel for the belts.
Toured Florida as Derek "The Mongoose" Draper with success, before having a brief run in WWF as "The Polish Prince". Returned to PNW as Mega Maharishi, a character based on the controversial Baghwan Rajneesh. Went to AWA, where his most famous incarnation was created - Col. de Beers. De Beers was a South African bigot who refused to wrestle black wrestlers, most notably Jimmy Snuka. Turned out to be one of the few highlights of the dying AWA promotion. Wrestled briefly for Herb Abrams' UWF in the early 90s, before semi-retiring in indies. Ran a wrestling school with Playboy Buddy Rose from 2001-06.
Titles held: - (SF) US Hwt, Central States Hwt, (Florida) Southern Hwt, Pacific Northwest Hwt (3), SCW Hwt, Pacific Northwest TV, CWUSA TV (5), SCW Brass Knuckles, North Carolina Hwt (2), (SF) NWA World Tag (3, w/ Buddy Rose [2], w/ Roddy Piper), Austro-Asian Tag (w/ Larry O'Day), Pacific Northwest Tag (5, w/ Buddy Rose [3], w/ Kendo Nagasaki, w/ John Rambo), Tri-State Tag (w/ Mike George)