Paul Vachon
Encyclopedia
Paul "Butcher" Vachon is a former professional wrestler
. He is a member of the Vachon wrestling family
.
into professional business, adopting his brother's, the "Mad Dog", vicious heel style and the moniker "Butcher Vachon". He wrestled in the American Wrestling Association
, National Wrestling Alliance
and Georgia Championship Wrestling
.
He often teamed with his brother "Mad Dog" Vachon, with whom he won the AWA World Tag Team Championship
.
In the early 1970s he appeared alongside his sister Vivian Vachon
in the motion picture Wrestling Queen.
Paul retired in 1984.
. He is the brother of wrestlers Maurice
and Vivian Vachon
and former father-in-law of wrestlers David Heath
(also known as Gangrel) and Tom Nash. In total, Vachon has six children and has been married four times.
After his wrestling career, Paul Vachon joined the NDP and ran as a federal candidate in 1988, 1993 and 1995.
In 1993, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and had half of his colon removed. Then, in 2003, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Vachon underwent 40 treatments, one on each week day for five straight weeks, to overcome the throat cancer. In addition, he had the disease burned out of his tonsils and his teeth removed. As a result of the radiation treatments, he underwent reconstructive jaw surgery in early June 2009. Vachon also suffers from diabetes.
Vachon and his wife Dee travel to flea markets and fairs to sell therapeutic magnets, a business they began in 1995. He also self-published an autobiography titled When Wrestling Was Real.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. He is a member of the Vachon wrestling family
Vachon family
The Vachon family is a French-Canadian family long associated with professional wrestling in Canada and the United States, headed by Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon, his brother Paul "Butcher" Vachon - both longtime NWA and AWA veterans - and their sister Vivian...
.
Professional wrestling career
Paul Vachon grew up as one of thirteen children of Ferdinand Vachon, a Montreal police officer. In 1957, he followed his brother MauriceMaurice Vachon
Maurice Vachon is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known by his ring name "Mad Dog" Vachon. He is the brother of wrestlers Paul and Vivian Vachon, and the uncle of wrestler Luna Vachon...
into professional business, adopting his brother's, the "Mad Dog", vicious heel style and the moniker "Butcher Vachon". He wrestled in the American Wrestling Association
American Wrestling Association
The American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
, National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
and Georgia Championship Wrestling
Georgia Championship Wrestling
Georgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
.
He often teamed with his brother "Mad Dog" Vachon, with whom he won the AWA World Tag Team Championship
AWA World Tag Team Championship
The American Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship was professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991.-History :...
.
In the early 1970s he appeared alongside his sister Vivian Vachon
Vivian Vachon
Vivian Vachon was a female professional wrestler. She was the sister of wrestlers Maurice and Paul Vachon. She was also the aunt of wrestler Luna Vachon...
in the motion picture Wrestling Queen.
Paul retired in 1984.
Personal life
He was the adoptive father of wrestler Luna VachonGertrude Vachon
Gertrude Vachon was a Canadian-American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Luna Vachon.-Training:...
. He is the brother of wrestlers Maurice
Maurice Vachon
Maurice Vachon is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known by his ring name "Mad Dog" Vachon. He is the brother of wrestlers Paul and Vivian Vachon, and the uncle of wrestler Luna Vachon...
and Vivian Vachon
Vivian Vachon
Vivian Vachon was a female professional wrestler. She was the sister of wrestlers Maurice and Paul Vachon. She was also the aunt of wrestler Luna Vachon...
and former father-in-law of wrestlers David Heath
David Heath (wrestler)
David William Heath is an American professional wrestler and pornographic film director. He is best known for his time in the World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Gangrel.-Beginning:...
(also known as Gangrel) and Tom Nash. In total, Vachon has six children and has been married four times.
After his wrestling career, Paul Vachon joined the NDP and ran as a federal candidate in 1988, 1993 and 1995.
In 1993, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and had half of his colon removed. Then, in 2003, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Vachon underwent 40 treatments, one on each week day for five straight weeks, to overcome the throat cancer. In addition, he had the disease burned out of his tonsils and his teeth removed. As a result of the radiation treatments, he underwent reconstructive jaw surgery in early June 2009. Vachon also suffers from diabetes.
Vachon and his wife Dee travel to flea markets and fairs to sell therapeutic magnets, a business they began in 1995. He also self-published an autobiography titled When Wrestling Was Real.
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling AssociationAmerican Wrestling AssociationThe American Wrestling Association was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 to 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo...
- AWA Midwest Tag Team ChampionshipAWA Midwest Tag Team ChampionshipThe AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship was a title in the American Wrestling Association from 1967 until 1971. It was for mid-level wrestlers and was mostly defended in the Omaha, Nebraska area.-Title history:...
(1 time) - with Maurice VachonMaurice VachonMaurice Vachon is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known by his ring name "Mad Dog" Vachon. He is the brother of wrestlers Paul and Vivian Vachon, and the uncle of wrestler Luna Vachon... - AWA World Tag Team ChampionshipAWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe American Wrestling Association World Tag Team Championship was professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991.-History :...
(1 time) - with Maurice Vachon
- Eastern Townships Wrestling Association
- ETWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Mid-Atlantic Championship WrestlingJim Crockett PromotionsJim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...
- NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)The NWA Southern Tag Team Championship was the Mid-Atlantic territory version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship and was defended between 1953 until 1968 when it became the NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship...
(1 time) - with Maurice Vachon
- Mid-South SportsGeorgia Championship WrestlingGeorgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
- NWA Georgia Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Georgia Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship was the top tag team championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1968 to 1980, when it was replaced with the NWA National Tag Team Championship....
(1 time) - with Stan Vachon - NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (5 times) - with Louie Tillet (2) and Stan Vachon (3)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) - with Maurice Vachon
- NWA Hollywood WrestlingNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Americas Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Americas Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the National Wrestling Alliance's NWA Hollywood Wrestling based out of Los Angeles, California....
(1 time) - with Chavo Guerrero Sr.
- NWA Mid-Pacific PromotionsNational Wrestling AllianceThe National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
- NWA Hawaii Tag Team ChampionshipNWA Hawaii Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship was the primary tag team title of NWA Mid-Pacific Promotions and was defended between 1952 until 1978 when it was abandoned. The title was later revived by the current incarnation of NWA Hawaii in 2000...
(1 time) - with Hard Boiled Haggerty
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
- (Class of 2004) - with Maurice Vachon
- Southwest Sports, Inc.World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- NWA Texas Tag Team ChampionshipWCWA Texas Tag Team ChampionshipThe WCWA Texas Tag Team Championship was the secondary tag team championship in World Class Championship Wrestling, originally known as the NWA Texas Tag-Team title until 1981 where they were abandoned. The titles were brought back in 1987 as the WCWA Texas Tag-Team titles but once the WCWA joined...
(2 times) - with Maurice Vachon (1) and Ivan the Terrible (1)
- Stampede WrestlingStampede WrestlingStampede Wrestling is a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta and was for nearly 50 years one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies...
- NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Calgary version)NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Calgary version)The Calgary version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship was established in 1954 as the original top tag team championship in Stampede Wrestling; it held that status until 1959, when the title was abandoned in favor of Stampede's then-newly created International Tag Team Championship.-Title...
(3 times) - with Maurice Vachon - NWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) (3 times) - with Maurice Vachon