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Władek (later Walter) "Killer" Kowalski (August 13, 1926 – August 30, 2008), born Edward Władysław Spulnik, was a Polish-Canadian professional wrestler. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career including the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). He held numerous championships including the WWWF World Tag Team Championship with Big John Studd billed as The Executioners and managed by Lou Albano. After retiring in 1977, Kowalski started a professional wrestling school in Malden, Massachusetts and trained many professional wrestlers, including Triple H, Chyna, Eddie Edwards, Kofi Kingston and Damien Sandow.
Early life[]
The man later known as "Killer Kowalski" (he legally changed his name in 1963) was the son of Polish immigrants Antoni Spulnik and Maria Borowska; he, his older sister Wanda and his younger brother Stanley were raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Years later he told interviewers that he never expected to be a wrestler – by the age of fourteen he was already 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm), and because he was thin for his height, he began working out at the local YMCA, but he had no plan to go into athletics at that time. When he entered college, his major was electrical engineering. He worked part-time at the Ford plant in Detroit to help pay his way.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing Moves
- Diving knee drop
- Kowalski Claw (Vice grip applied to either the opponent's stomach or head)
- Signature Moves
- Teams and stables
- Wrestlers trained
- Amanda Storm
- Andre Lyonz
- April Hunter
- Arch Kincaid
- Axel Fury
- Beau Douglas
- Big John Studd
- Black Magic
- Brian Milonas
- Brian Walsh
- Brittany Brown
- Bryan Logan
- Candyman
- Chris Blackheart
- Chris Duffy
- Christopher Nowinski
- Chyna
- Cueball
- Damien Sandow
- Damien Kane
- Dana Carpenter
- Dave Vicious
- DC Dillinger
- Demon Ortiz
- East Coast Cowboy
- Eddie Edwards
- Eric Everlast
- Frank Savage
- Frankie Kazarian
- Hans Krueger
- Ivar
- Jamie West
- Jason Rumble
- Jeff Costa
- Jimmy Cash
- Jimmy James
- John Callahan
- John Kronus
- John Rodeo
- John Walters
- Jonah
- Joshua Ben-Gurion
- Kat LeRoux
- Ken Doane
- Kofi Kingston
- Linda Dallas
- Mad Dog Debbie Irons
- Malia Hosaka
- Mark Shurman
- Matthew Bloom
- Matt Logan
- Melissa Coates
- Mike Hollow
- Mike Phoenix
- Mike Shaw
- Misty Blue
- Mongolian Mauler
- Nikki Roxx
- Palmer Canon
- Perry Saturn
- Phil Apollo
- Powerhouse Hughes
- Renegade
- Richie Rich
- Ron Zombie
- Sean O'Reilly
- Shane Williams
- Slyck Wagner Brown
- Steve Chamberland
- Steve King
- Steve Ramsay
- Sumie Sakai
- Tim McNeany
- Todd Sinclair
- Tommaso Ciampa
- Tony Delfonzo
- Tony Roy
- Tony Ulysses
- Tre
- Triple H
- Vince Vicallo
- Violet Flame
- Zachary Springate III
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award (2002)
- Grand Prix Wrestling
- Grand Prix Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Grand Prix Tag Team Championship (3 times) with Gilles Poisson (2), Mad Dog Vachon (1)
- National Wrestling Alliance
- Central States Wrestling
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- Ed Quinn Promotions
- Montreal World Heavyweight Championship (13 times)
- Mid-Pacific Promotions
- NWA Hawaii United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Big Time Wrestling
- NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Championship (2 times)
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA San Francisco
- NWA Pacific Coast Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (1 time) with Hans Hermann
- NWA Vancouver
- Southwest Sports
- NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (1 time) by himself
- Stampede Wrestling
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2003 (TV Era)
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI Stanley Weston Award (2010)
- World Championship Wrestling
- IWA World Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
- IWA World Tag Team Championship (4 times) with Skull Murphy (2), Bill Miller (1), Mark Lewin (1)
- World Wide Wrestling Federation
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)
- WWWF United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Gorilla Monsoon
- WWWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) with Executioner #2