"Handsome" Johnny Barend (Behrend), (March 27, 1929-September 20, 2011) was an American professional wrestler.

Barend started wrestling as an amateur at the age of eight. After graduating Jefferson High in Rochester in 1944, he served his country during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, and wrestled in the Navy. He was trained to wrestle professionally by Ed Don George. Soon after, he started teaming with Gene Dubuque, who was wrestling under the name, Magnificent Maurice. The teams original manager was Ernie Roth

Ernie Roth

Ernie Roth , best known as The Grand Wizard of Wrestling, also well known as Abdullah Farouk, was a professional wrestling manager of many infamous heels...

, then going under the monicker of Mr. Kleen. Roth would later gain fame in the WWWF as the Grand Wizard of Wrestling. Barend and Maurice went onto win many tag-team championships. Barend married Annie Lum in 1967 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He wrestled Dory Funk, Jr.

Dory Funk, Jr.

Dory Ernest Funk Jr. known professionally as Dory Funk, Jr. is a professional wrestler and wrestling trainer. He is the son of Dory Funk Sr. and brother of Terry Funk. He is credited with the invention of the Texas cloverleaf submission hold and runs the Funking Conservatory, a professional...

, in Hawaii, in 1969 for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship

NWA World Heavyweight Championship

The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...

. He retired from wrestling in 1972.

Johnny Barend died on September 20, 2011 in Avon, NY of natural causes at the age of 82.