Outback Jack (wrestler)

Stilsbury started his career in Canada with Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in November 1986.[1] He was brought into the WWF that month in response to the mainstream popularity of the Australian film Crocodile Dundee.[3] Wearing an Australian bush jacket,[4] he appeared in several vignettes hyping his debut by showing him in the wilds of the Australian Outback—specifically, the Northern Territory.[2][5] In the vignettes, he drove a Jeep and drank beer with cows.[5] In addition, as part of the storyline, he claimed to have learned survival skills from the Aborigines.[2]

Stilsbury, as Outback Jack, made his WWF debut in November 1986.[6] His wins mainly came over jobbers such as Jose Estrada, Steve Lombardi, Barry O, Barry Horowitz and "Iron" Mike Sharpe.[1][7] However, Outback Jack also defeated well-known superstars such as Nikolai Volkoff and former WWE Champion The Iron Sheik.[8] Eventually, Stilsbury started becoming a jobber himself, losing matches to high-level superstars such as "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Rick Rude.[8] Outback Jack feuded with Frenchy Martin, and the two had matches featured on 4 May and 25 May 1987 episodes of WWF Prime Time Wrestling, both of which Outback Jack won.[9][10] During this time, he also feuded with Killer Khan.[8]

On 3 August episode of Prime Time Wrestling, Outback Jack rescued Tito Santana from an attack by Ron Bass, leading to a match between him and Bass later in the show, which Bass won.[11] The pair continued to face each other into the following year.[8][12] Outback Jack made one appearance on the interview segment The Snake Pit with Jake "The Snake" Roberts on 6 June.[1][13]

On 7 May 1988 episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling, Outback Jack competed in his final televised match, teaming with Brady Boone and Steve Blackman in a loss to The Islanders; this was the only match in which The Islanders competed as a team of three, as they were joined by new Islander Siva Afi.[1][14] On 15 May, Outback Jack wrestled his last match in Kissimmee, Florida, against Greg Valentine.[15] The outcome of his rematch with Valentine remains a mystery although Valentine had pinned him three days prior at the Columbus Municipal Auditorium.[12] The WWF had LJN Wrestling Superstars create an Outback Jack action figure to be produced and distributed worldwide.[5] His sudden departure from the WWF has led to him being described as "one of the most asked about people in the business".[16]