SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Ron Hutchison

Wonderboy Ron Hutchison

BORN: February 7, 1964 in Toronto
5'10", 235 pounds
ALIASES/NICKNAMES: Pretty Boy Hutchison, Wonderboy, Masked Thunderbolt

Wonderboy Ron Hutchison was addicted to wrestling as a child growing up in Toronto, watching legends like The Shiek and Dewey Robertson. So at age 17, while still in high school at Northern Secondary, he enrolled at Sully's Gym to learn pro wrestling from Sweet Daddy Siki and Johnny Powers.

Initially, Siki thought that Hutchison was too small, but changed his mind after getting into the ring with him. Hutchison impressed Siki with his knowledge of amateur wrestling, and was soon learning the mat game. He trained part-time for two years, until his first pro match in June 1983 for 'Bearman' Dave McKigney.

Besides wrestling for the Bearman, Hutchison wrestled for the WWF around Southern Ontario, and on many of the old Maple Leaf Wrestling TV tapings, usually held in Brantford on Monday nights. He also did summer tours with Grand Prix on Canada's east coast (where he was occasionally the heel Masked Thunderbolt), time in Montreal, and with Pro Wrestling Canada, an NWA off-shoot in Southern Ontario.

In 1983, besides debuting in the ring, Hutchison also entered Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (now Ryerson Polytechnic University) to learn journalism. He wrestled part-time throughout his schooling, and full-time in the summer months. Also in 1983, Johnny Powers left Sully's Gym, and Siki asked Hutchison to help with the training.

Hutchison is still there today at Sully's, though Siki left in 1994. He has hardly wrestled at all since 1990, but still stays in shape at the gym. He enjoys teaching the wrestling game, but admits that he doesn't hear from old students much. "Once they're gone, they're gone." His best known students are Edge (Adam Copeland), Tiger Ali Singh, Christian Cage, Johnny Swinger and Mad Dog Rex.

Wonderboy still lives in Toronto, and is now married and has one young daughter.

For more information at the training at Sully's Gym, visit their web site.

Memories

Ron Hutchison was truly one of Canada's great wrestlers. After a successful career in the WWF and the Canadian independent scene, Ron's greatest legacy is perhaps what he accomplished after he retired from active competition. Ron is easily one of the best trainers of future wrestling talent in the world. Ron had five of his students mentioned in the annual Pro Wrestling Illustrated top 500. Joe E. Legend, Christian Cage, Sexton Hard castle (soon to be in the WWF as Adam Copeland), WCW star Johnny Swinger, and current WWF star Tiger Ali Singh are prodigies from Ron's wrestling school, where for 15 years, he has been producing some of the brightest stars in the sport.
Luis Martins

I remember watching Ron wrestle throughout the Maritimes for Grand Prix Wrestling here in Nova Scotia, Canada.
He was always nice and personable to all of the fans and never failed to put on a good show. As a youngster I remember him fighting the likes of the evil Bulldog Bob Brown, Frenchy Martin, The Great Pogo, Joe Leduc and many others of the Maritimes vilest villains. He seemed to be so young at the time to be battling these thugs.
Thanks for confirming my suspicions! I thought that he became the villainous Masked Thunderbolt but was never quite sure. His actions were as different as night and day!!
I really enjoyed the heyday of Grand Prix Wrestling and I would just like to thank Mr. Hutchison and the rest of the wrestlers for the memories. He was always well liked by me and my friends at the Halifax Forum whether he was a villain or a hero.
I am glad to see that he is training youngsters to wrestle.
D. Sinclair

I had the pleasure of knowing Ron Hutchinson many years ago in Toronto, both as a wrestler and a friend. The memory that makes me smile was going to one of his matches in Brantford. My friend Terry was there and when it seemed Ron was taken to the mat, she decided to help him by trying to climb in the ring. We had many laughs about that incident in the days that followed. Ron, you were always the greatest wrestler, and I am happy that you have made your dreams come true.
Margaret, angelspirit1999@home.com