Archie Gouldie

Archibald Edward Gouldie (November 22, 1936 January 23, 2016)[3] was a Canadian professional wrestler. He wrestled for Stampede Wrestling for decades as Archie "The Stomper" Gouldie, with the nickname coming from the wrestler's reputation of "stomping" on his opponents, when they were down, with his black cowboy boots. He was also known by the ring name The Mongolian Stomper.

Archie Gouldie
Birth nameArchibald Edward Gouldie
Born(1936-11-22)November 22, 1936
Carbon, Alberta, Canada
DiedJanuary 23, 2016(2016-01-23) (aged 79)
Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Archie Gouldie[1]
The Masked Bounty Hunter[2]
The Midnight Stallion[2]
The Mongolian Stomper[2]
Billed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Billed weight260 lb (120 kg)
Billed fromMongolia
DebutNovember 2, 1962[2]
RetiredSeptember 2, 1995[2]

Professional wrestling career

Central States Wrestling

Early in his career, Archie "The Stomper" Gouldie was a babyface (good guy) in the Central States territory. He won the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Central States Version) from Enrique Torres in St. Joseph on Dec. 20, 1963, losing it to Rocky Hamilton on Jan 31, 1964. He regained it on May 22, 1964, only to lose it to Sonny Myers June 12, 1964. He regained it yet again in 1965 from Sonny Myers, and dropped it to Bobby Shane in December in Waterloo, IA.

Archie won his first Central States Heavyweight Title from Ron Reed in St.Joseph, MO. on June 4, 1965, holding it for 30 days, dropping it to Sonny Myers on July 4, 1965, in Kansas City, KS. Gouldie won the title for the second time on June 8, 1972, from Black Angus Campbell in St. Joseph, MO., only to lose it to Harley Race on July 7, 1972, in Kansas City, KS.

Archie also proved himself to be an accomplished tag team wrestler, winning the NWA North American Tag Team Championship eleven times. His first reign began May 1, 1962, with his last title run coming on Oct 14, 1972. The Stomper teamed up four times with The Viking, three times with Bob Geigel, twice with Rufus R. Jones, once with Danny Little Bear, and once with Bob Ellis for a total of approximately 238 days.

Stampede Wrestling

Gouldie held the North American heavyweight title a record 14 times between 1968 and 1984, quite a streak of longevity for that time frame. He was also the first champion, defeating former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Pat O'Connor in the tournament finals. Gouldie feuded with British mat technician Billy Robinson, among others, for the title.

Although he wrestled as a heel during the majority of his Stampede tenure, Gouldie made a face turn late in 1983 after Bad News Allen turned against Gouldie and his storyline "son", Jeff, during a six-man tag team match and brutalized and injured Jeff (which led to Stampede TV host Ed Whalen to quit the company in protest); the attack led to a bloody feud which climaxed with Gouldie defeating Bad News for the Stampede North American title (his 14th, and what would be final, reign).

Gouldie never used the Mongolian Stomper gimmick while wrestling in Stampede; instead, staying true to his roots, he went with the gimmick of a tough Alberta cowboy as just "The Stomper" from Carbon, Alberta.

Southeast Championship Wrestling

Gouldie achieved most of his U.S. fame in this territory, based in Knoxville, Tennessee. He held the NWA Southeast Heavyweight Championship a record eleven times between 1976 and 1981, winning it for the last time against Jerry Stubbs and losing it to Jos LeDuc. He feuded with Robert Fuller and Ronnie Garvin over the title.

Mid South Wrestling (Bill Watts)

Gouldie appeared very briefly in Mid South in late-1982, saving Skandor Akbar from an attack by Buck Robley. He only wrestled one or two matches before abruptly leaving the territory.

Smoky Mountain Wrestling

In 1992 Gouldie joined SMW, which, like Southeast, was based in Knoxville, Tennessee. At this point in his career, the Stomper was considered a babyface, teaming with former rival Ronnie Garvin in his feud with Paul Orndorff and feuding with Kevin Sullivan's latest incarnation of evil wrestlers. Gouldie defeated Rob Morgan at the first Bluegrass Brawl in Pikeville, Ky. According to several magazines, Gouldie maintained his shape by riding his bicycle almost everywhere he went, sometimes riding up to 60 miles a day.

Personal life

After his wrestling career came to an end, Gouldie served for several years as a deputy sheriff in Knox County, Tennessee, working as a correctional officer. Until his health began to fail him, he worked in the guard shack at a prison. Before that, he ran the paddy wagon for three years until he "got tired of hauling drunks."

In 2011, memory issues began.[4]

Death

On January 9, 2016, Gouldie fell and broke his hip, which required surgery. After the surgery, he never recovered and died in his sleep on January 23.[4][5]

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. "Mongolian Stomper profile". Obsessed With Wrestling. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  2. "Archie "The Stomper" Gouldie". SLAM! Sports. Retrieved 2016-01-23.
  3. "Archibald "The Mongolian Stomper" Edward Gouldie Obituary". Obits for Life. Archived from the original on 2016-01-30. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  4. Oliver, Greg (2016-01-23). "Archie 'The Stomper' Gouldie dies". Slam! Sports. Slam Wrestling. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  5. Meltzer, Dave (2016-01-23). "Archie "Mongolian Stomper" Gouldie dead at 78". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2016-01-24.
  6. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "(Kansas and Western Missouri) West Missouri: North American Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 253. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  8. "NWA North American Tag Team Title (Central States version)". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  9. Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2006) [2000.]. "(Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welsch & Nick Gulas, Jerry Jarrett from 1977]". Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, Ontario: Archeus Communications. pp. 185–189. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  10. "Southern Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  11. F4W Staff (May 6, 2015). "On this day in pro wrestling history (May 6): Verne Gagne Vs. Danny Hodge, 1st Annual Von Erich Parade of Champions show". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved February 10, 2017.
  12. Whalen, Ed (host) (December 15, 1995). "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame: 1948-1990". Showdown at the Corral: A Tribute to Stu Hart. Event occurs at 15:38. Shaw Cable. Calgary 7.
  13. "Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (1948–1990)". Puroresu Dojo. 2003.
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