During the 1970s, "King" Curtis Iaukea, the giant Hawaiian, really set the turnstiles clicking in New Zealand.
He fell in love with this country, sent for his family, and built a house in Auckland. He saw New Zealand as a good base for his wrestling jaunts to Australia, Japan, Singapore and his homeland, Hawaii.
He became one of the biggest drawcards of all time both in New Zealand, and Australian rings. Auckland's YMCA, with 2,000 seats, was just not big enough to accommodate the fans who wanted to see Curtis in action.
He ranked right alongside "King Kong" Cox (of the 1937-1939 era), and "Dirty" Dick Raines (1938, 1940, 1949, 1951), as one of the top villains of the mat in this country.
But it wasn't always that way!
When he teamed with Mark Lewin in his early days here, the clean-cut pair were fan favourites. Slowly, a hate campaign built up against his partner Lewin, and some tremendous grudge matches followed.
The once genial giant had turned into Curtis "The Animal". His matches against young Rick Martel, John Da Silva, Don Muraco and Mark Lewin are still remembered in New Zealand.
The fearsome scars on his battered brow were no publicity gimmick. He had the best "tramlines" of any wrestler, and his appearance, deep throated growls, and his wrestling tactics brought him the "animal" tag.
World Wide Star
Curtis began wrestling as a nine-year-old amateur, and then played American football in Canada before turning professional at 17. He attended the University of California, where he majored in economics. Rather than study money, he decided to go out and make it.
Curtis did a tour of England in the late 1960s, and the rings had to be specially strengthened to accommodate his huge frame. In those days, he was a huge man, and his "Big Splash" finishing move was a spectacular match winner.
A great drawcard in Japan, "The King" toured there on twenty occasions, and along with another mat villain, "Abdullah the Butcher", became a big favourite there.
During Curtis's last year here, he was spending more and more time at the acupuncturist, getting pain relief from his ever-increasing joint pains. Curtis believed the ailments may have been the legacy of an old football injury.
After many months in hospital, lying on his back, Curtis was on crutches for over a year. He fought the crippling disease, but unfortunately, his wrestling days were over.
To this day, he can be found on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, and he enjoys speaking to old friends who pass by.
Curtis was so well respected here, that he was asked to be guest speaker at the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year dinner; a great honour, and the only wrestler who was ever given that opportunity.
Having known "The King" personally, I always found him to be a credit to the sport of wrestling, and he certainly made his mark on New Zealand's wrestling history in the 1970s.
His son, Rocky Iaukea, carries on the wrestling tradition today and looks like a real chip off the old block.
