{{Short description|Canadian wrestler (1944–1999)}} {{Infobox professional wrestler |name = Jos LeDuc |names = Butcher LeDuc<ref name=wwf1988>{{cite web|title=1988|work=The History of WWE|url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/88.htm|access-date=2009-09-19|archive-date=2007-09-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005636/http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/88.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><br>The Headbanger<ref name=wwf1988/><br>Jos LeDuc |image = Joe LeDuc bleeding - Inside Wrestling - March 1975 (cropped).jpg |image_size = |birth_name = Michel Pigeon |caption = LeDuc in the mid-1970s |alt = |height = 6 ft 1 in<ref name=Encyclopedia/> |weight = 280 lb<ref name=Encyclopedia/> |birth_date = {{Birth date|1944|8|31}}<ref name=obit/> |birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada<ref name=bio>{{cite web|title=SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Jos LeDuc|work=SLAM! Wrestling|url=http://www.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBios/leduc_jos.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000901025642/http://www.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBios/leduc_jos.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 1, 2000|access-date=2008-01-31}}</ref> |death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|5|1|1944|8|31}}<ref name=obit>{{cite web|title=SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Jos Leduc dead at 55|last=Oliver|first=Greg|work=SLAM! Wrestling|url=http://www.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBios/leduc_jos_obit.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000122062358/http://www.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBios/leduc_jos_obit.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 22, 2000|access-date=2008-01-31}}</ref> |death_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.<ref name=obit/> |billed = Godbout, Quebec, Canada<ref name=oww>{{cite web|title=Wrestler Profiles: Jos Leduc|work=Online World of Wrestling|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/j/jos-leduc.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2008-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308160300/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/j/jos-leduc.html|url-status=live}}</ref> |trainer = Jack Britton<ref name=bio/><br />Stu Hart<ref name=cwhof>{{cite web|title=Jos Leduc and Paul Leduc|work=Canadian Pro Wrestling Page of Fame|url=http://www.garywill.com/wrestling/canada/leduc.htm|access-date=2008-01-31|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226061422/http://www.garywill.com/wrestling/canada/leduc.htm|archive-date=2008-02-26}}</ref> |debut = 1968<ref name=paul/> |retired = 1995<ref name=Encyclopedia/> }} '''Michel Pigeon''' (August 31, 1944 – May 1, 1999)<ref name=obit/> was a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name, '''Jos LeDuc'''.
Wrestling with a lumberjack gimmick, he debuted in Stampede Wrestling with his kayfabe brother, Paul LeDuc. The pair later won several titles in Montreal, where they feuded with the Rougeau wrestling family, and Florida, where they held the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship. After an injury ended Paul's career, Jos competed as a singles wrestler. He was involved in a heated feud with Dusty Rhodes. He then moved to Tennessee, where he had a rivalry with Jerry Lawler over the NWA Mid-America Southern Tag Team Championship, notably legitimately breaking Lawler's leg when he threw him over the top rope onto the announcer's desk.
LeDuc spent many years traveling between Florida and Tennessee, and he won belts in both locations as a singles wrestler and as a tag team competitor. He also spent time on wrestling tours of Japan and New Zealand. One of his biggest feuds was with manager Oliver Humperdink, whom he accused of stealing his money. This led to LeDuc winning the NWA Television Championship from one of Humperdink's wrestlers. He continued to split his time between singles and tag team wrestling, and he resumed his feud with Lawler in Tennessee. In his later career, he worked in Puerto Rico and had a brief stint in the World Wrestling Federation. Altogether, he held 32 championships (15 singles and 17 tag team) before dying of a lung infection, aged 54.
== Early life == Pigeon was born in August 1944 at a small village near Montreal. His parents separated at a young age, causing Pigeon to live in orphanages and with his relatives and mother.<ref name="national">{{Cite news |date=May 6, 1999 |title=Former Quebec policeman found fame as villain in pro-wrestling team |page=16 |work=National Post |location=Toronto, Ontario, Canada |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/513996115 |url-access=subscription |access-date=June 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613232904/https://www.newspapers.com/image/513996115 |archive-date=June 13, 2023}}</ref>
== Professional wrestling career ==
===Early career (1968–1973)=== Prior to entering professional wrestling, Pigeon gained combat sport experience by studying judo.<ref name=bio/> He worked for the Quebec Provincial Police until the mid-1960s, when he decided to become a wrestler.<ref name="national"/><ref name=bio/> His friend Paul LeDuc had competed as a professional wrestler in Mexico and wanted a tag team partner. He convinced Pigeon to train as a wrestler,<ref name=paul>{{cite web|title=SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Paul LeDuc|work=SLAM! Wrestling|url=http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBios/leducs.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503123705/http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBios/leducs.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 3, 2015|access-date=2008-02-01}}</ref> and Pigeon trained under Stu Hart in Calgary, Alberta.<ref name=cwhof/>
Along with Paul, Pigeon began wrestling in Hart's Stampede Wrestling in 1968 under the ring name Jos LeDuc, Paul's tag team partner and kayfabe brother.<ref name=paul/> The LeDucs' gimmick was inspired by "Yukon" Eric Holmback, a professional wrestler who had died three years earlier.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cauliflower Alley Club Posthumous Award: Yukon Eric|work=Cauliflower Alley Club|url=http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/2007Reunion/cac_2007_Posthumous_Award.htm |access-date=2008-02-02 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071207160926/http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/2007Reunion/cac_2007_Posthumous_Award.htm |archive-date = 2007-12-07}}</ref> They portrayed stereotypical Canadian lumberjacks and wore flannel shirts to the ring.<ref name=lawler>{{cite book|title=It's Good to Be the King...Sometimes|last=Asheville|first=Doug|author2=Jerry Lawler|pages=218|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2002|isbn=0-7434-7557-7}}</ref> They received a push from the promoters and won the Stampede International Tag Team Championship in 1969, but they lost the belts later that year.<ref name=stamp/> They moved to Toronto's Maple Leaf Wrestling, Ohio and Texas. Jos himself continued as a singles competitor in Toronto, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, World Wide Wrestling Federation and Japan Wrestling Association.
After moving to the Montreal area, the LeDucs debuted in the International Wrestling Association with a scripted attack on local wrestler Johnny Rougeau.<ref name=gen2>{{cite web|title=Jos LeDuc: Lebenslauf|work=WrestlingData|url=http://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=1190&bild=0&details=2|access-date=2008-01-31}}</ref> This led to a feud between the LeDucs and the Rougeaus (Johnny and his real-life brother Jacques).<ref name=bio/> Jos LeDuc was booked to win the Montreal version of the International Heavyweight Championship by defeating Johnny Rougeau in 1971.<ref name=iwa/> The bookers also decided to give him a run with the International Tag Team Championship that year, which LeDuc won while teaming with Tony Baillargeon.<ref name=iwat/> While in Montreal, the LeDucs also competed for Grand Prix Wrestling and were booked in a feud with the Vachon brothers (Mad Dog and Butcher) as well as Killer Kowalski.<ref name=bio/><ref>{{cite web|title=Remembering Grand Prix's Jack Curran|date=2003-07-12|last=Oliver|first=Greg|work=SLAM! Wrestling|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2003/07/12/134364.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170723124735/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/2003/07/12/134364.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 23, 2017|access-date=2008-02-02}}</ref> The LeDucs had two reigns with the Grand Prix Wrestling Tag Team Championship in 1972 and 1973.<ref name=cwhof/>
===Southern United States (1973–1980)=== LeDuc's next stop was in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), where he resumed teaming with Paul LeDuc, this time as The Canadian Lumberjacks.<ref name=km5>{{cite web|title=Championship Wrestling from Florida #5|work=Kayfabe Memories|url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/cwf/cwf5.htm|access-date=2008-02-07|archive-date=2008-09-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908063605/http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/cwf/cwf5.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> They won the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship on November 23, 1973, by defeating Dusty Rhodes and Dick Slater.<ref name=fltag/> They defended the belts for two months before dropping them to Slater and his new partner Stan Vachon,<ref name=fltag/> a kayfabe brother of the Vachons from Montreal.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wrestler Profiles: Eric Pomeroy|work=Online World of Wrestling|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/e/eric-pomeroy.html|access-date=2008-02-01|archive-date=2008-02-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222060639/http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/e/eric-pomeroy.html|url-status=live}}</ref> This was the final time the LeDuc's held a title together, as Paul LeDuc sustained a legitimate injury that forced Jos to wrestle without him.<ref name=gbu2>{{cite book|last=Sugar|first=Bert Randolph|author2=George Napolitano|author2-link=George Napolitano|title=The Pictorial History of Wrestling: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly|year=1984|pages=165|publisher=Gallery Books |isbn=0-8317-3912-6}}</ref> Jos LeDuc also wrestled as a singles competitor in Florida, defeating Rhodes on February 5, 1974, for the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Championship.<ref name="flshw" /> He dropped the title to Rhodes on March 12.<ref name="flshw" /> LeDuc and Rhodes were placed in a heated feud at this time, and they frequently faced each other in Death matches.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Cowboy and the Cross: The Bill Watts Story: Rebellion, Wrestling and Redemption|last=Watts|first=Bill|author2=Scott Williams|isbn=1-55022-708-4|publisher=ECW Press|pages=117|year=2006}}</ref>
LeDuc made his AWA television debut on August 2, 1975, defeating Angel Rivera. LeDuc was given wins over Buddy Wolff and Boris Breznikoff before forming a team with Larry Hennig. They first teamed on September 12, 1975, in Denver, Colorado losing to Jimmy and Johnny Valiant. LeDuc and Hennig feuded with the Valiant Brothers for several months before entering a feud with Baron Von Raschke and Mad Dog Vachon. Jos and Larry also received a few title shots against AWA tag champs Blackjack Lanza and Bobby Duncum in August 1976. Probably his most memorable accomplishment while working for the promotion was a bus-pulling stunt filmed in Minneapolis that was also used in promo videos while appearing in the Memphis and Atlanta territories, among others. LeDuc departed the AWA in September 1976.
On August 26, 1977, LeDuc teamed with Bob Armstrong to win the NWA Southeast Tag Team Championship in Tennessee.<ref name="set" /> They were put over Bob Orton, Jr. and Mr. Knoxville for the belts but lost them in a rematch.<ref name="set" /> While in Tennessee, LeDuc gained notoriety from a worked feud with Jerry Lawler. Wrestling as a heel, he faced Jerry Lawler, who was a favorite in the state, in many matches throughout the year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Memphis/CWA #40: Page 2|work=Kayfabe Memories|url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/memphis/memphis-cwa40-2.htm|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2007-03-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070323041529/http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/memphis/memphis-cwa40-2.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> LeDuc was placed with a new partner, Jean Louie, to win the NWA Mid-America Southern Tag Team Championship in May.<ref name="awast" /> They faced Lawler and Jimmy Valiant on May 22 to defend the belts, but the match was declared a no contest and the title was vacated.<ref name="awast" /> Lawler and Valiant won the belts in a rematch the following week, but LeDuc and Louie regained them the following month.<ref name="awast" /> In September, LeDuc and Louie dropped the belts once again, this time to Lawler and the Mongolian Stomper.<ref name=awast/>
LeDuc returned to Florida in 1978 and was given a title reign with the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship after defeating Mr. Uganda on December 18.<ref name=flhw/> He held the belt for two weeks before dropping it to his old kayfabe rival Dick Slater.<ref name=flhw/> He was soon a champion again, as he and Thor the Viking were booked to win the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship on February 17, 1979, from Jack and Jerry Brisco.<ref name=flust/> They dropped the belts to Killer Karl Kox and Jimmy Garvin, but LeDuc soon regained the title by teaming with Pak Song.<ref name=flust/> LeDuc and Song vacated the title shortly after winning it, but LeDuc teamed with yet another partner, Don Muraco, to win the belts back later that year.<ref name=flust/>
During this stint in Florida, LeDuc made a scripted turn from face to heel. Garvin claimed that LeDuc was aligned with heel manager Sonny King, but LeDuc denied the claim. Garvin then showed video footage to prove that LeDuc had secret dealings with King. LeDuc responded by attacking Garvin in front of the crowd, solidifying a heel turn for LeDuc.<ref name=cwf52>{{cite web|title=Championship Wrestling from Florida #5: Page 2|work=Kayfabe Memories|url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/cwf/cwf5-2.htm|access-date=2008-02-07|archive-date=2008-11-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120011150/http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/cwf/cwf5-2.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In a storyline several months later, LeDuc and King Curtis Iaukea attacked Buddy Rogers, a veteran then working as a face.<ref name=cwfarc>{{cite web|title=25 Greatest Angles|work=Championship Wrestling from Florida Archives|url=http://www.cwfarchives.com/articles/25Angles.php|access-date=2009-09-19|archive-date=2007-09-26|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070926234808/http://www.cwfarchives.com/articles/25Angles.php|url-status=live}}</ref> The injuries Rogers received were said to be so severe that he was forced to retire, although, in reality, Rogers had simply moved to another wrestling promotion.<ref name=cwfarc/>
Later that year, LeDuc wrestled in Japan during a brief tour. He was successful during several matches on the tour, but his wrestling style was noticeably different from the traditional Japanese style.<ref name=japan>{{cite web|title=Event: Hollywood on October 17th, 1979|work=Championship Wrestling from Florida Archives|url=http://cwfarchives.com/Event.php?id=632|access-date=2009-09-19|archive-date=2007-08-07|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070807192933/http://cwfarchives.com/Event.php?id=632|url-status=live}}</ref> In the Japanese media, he was referred to as "maniacal" and "demented".<ref name=japan/>
LeDuc soon returned to the Tennessee area for a push with Southeast Championship Wrestling. He won his first NWA Southeast Heavyweight Championship in a victory over Killer Karl Kox in March 1980 before losing the belt back to Kox in a rematch.<ref name=sehw/> In October, he regained the Southeastern Tag Team Championship while teaming with Robert Fuller.<ref name=set/> They lost the belts to Super Pro and Ron Bass, but LeDuc teamed with Armstrong again to regain the belts.<ref name=set/>
===New Zealand (1981)=== LeDuc travelled to New Zealand to wrestle in 1981. While there, he was booked in two title reigns. On April 23, he won the NWA New Zealand British Commonwealth Championship by defeating Steve Rickard.<ref name=nz/> He dropped the belt to Mark Lewin one week later but regained it in a rematch on July 9. His second and final reign came to an end when he lost the belt to Rickard in mid-August.<ref name=nz/>
===Return to the Southern United States (1981–1984, 1986)=== Later that year, LeDuc returned to Southeastern Championship Wrestling and was given two more tag team title reigns while teaming with Fuller.<ref name=set/> Ultimately, the team split up and vacated the title.<ref name=set/> LeDuc was then booked in singles competition, winning the Southeastern Heavyweight Championship twice more with victories over Jacques Rougeau, Jr. and Terry Gordy.<ref name=sehw/> He was also put over Terry Gordy to win the NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship in May 1982, but LeDuc dropped the title that summer to Austin Idol.<ref name=ab/>
In the early 1980s, LeDuc wrestled in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, where the bookers had him join Oliver Humperdink's "House of Humperdink" stable. Under Humperdink's management, LeDuc was booked to win the NWA Television Championship by defeating Jimmy Valiant in 1982.<ref name=midatltv/><ref>{{cite web|title=Sir Oliver Humperdink Interview: Part 1|work=Mid-Atlantic Gateway|url=http://www.midatlanticgateway.com/Resource_Center/interviews/humperdink/humperdink_01.htm|access-date=2008-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081116051225/http://www.midatlanticgateway.com/Resource_Center/interviews/humperdink/humperdink_01.htm|archive-date=November 16, 2008}}</ref> The title reign did not last long, as the belt was soon taken away because of an angle that saw LeDuc cheat in a title defense against Johnny Weaver.<ref name=midatltv/> Eventually, the storyline had LeDuc claim that Humperdink had stolen his money, and LeDuc left the stable.<ref name=gbu>{{cite book|last=Sugar|first=Bert Randolph|author2=George Napolitano|title=The Pictorial History of Wrestling: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly|year=1984|pages=164|publisher=Gallery Books |isbn=0-8317-3912-6}}</ref> This led to a worked feud between LeDuc and the members of Humperdink's stable, although the main rivalry that was portrayed was between LeDuc and Dick Slater.<ref name=gbu/> As part of the feud, LeDuc and Slater faced each other on April 30, 1983, in a Lumberjack match. At this time, LeDuc received a push and won the match and Slater's NWA Television Championship.<ref name=midatltv/><ref name=gbu/>
thumb|LeDuc (left) hitting Barry Windham (right) with NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship, circa 1983 LeDuc then returned to Florida, where he was kept mainly in the singles division. In October 1983, he was put over Scott McGhee to win the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship for a second time.<ref name=flhw/> He dropped the belt to Barry Windham the following month.<ref name=flhw/> In a rematch with Windham the following night, LeDuc won the belt once again.<ref name=flhw/> His final reign as Florida Heavyweight Champion was short-lived, as the bookers had him drop the belt in a rematch with Windham the next night.<ref name=flhw/>
Another short stint in Southeastern Championship Wrestling followed, with LeDuc being given two more reigns with the Southeastern Heavyweight title. He was put over his former partner Bob Armstrong for the belt in August 1983 and began a feud with Robert Fuller, another former partner.<ref name=sehw/><ref>{{cite web|title=SECW #6: Page 2|work=Kayfabe Memories|url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/secw/secw6-2.htm|access-date=2008-02-02|archive-date=2006-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060907053826/http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/secw/secw6-2.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> During the course of this feud, the belt changed hands twice. Fuller was booked to win the belt from LeDuc, but LeDuc won a subsequent match to win the title for his sixth and final reign.<ref name=sehw/> LeDuc held the belt until vacating the title when he left the promotion.<ref name=sehw/>
On March 12, 1984, LeDuc teamed with former kayfabe rival Jerry Lawler to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship from Elijah Akeem and Kareem Muhammad.<ref name=awast/> In a six-man match the following week, LeDuc teamed with Lawler and Jimmy Hart, who was their manager but wrestled on occasion. During the match, LeDuc revealed that his reconciliation with Lawler was a setup, as LeDuc and Hart turned on Lawler by walking away to leave Lawler by himself.<ref name=awast/> As a result, the tag team title was vacated and the feud was rekindled.<ref name=awast/>
=== Return to Montreal (1984–1986) === LeDuc returned to Montreal for the first time since 1973. Since time he was working for Lutte Internationale promoted by Gino Brito. He feuded with Abdullah the Butcher, Sailor White, Haku, and The Masked Superstar. On November 15, 1985, he lost to WWF Intercontiental Champion Tito Santana at WWF/Lutte Internationale house show.
=== Puerto Rico (1985–1986) === While wrestling in Puerto Rico, LeDuc was booked in his final championship reign. He defeated Hercules Ayala on January 6, 1986, to win the World Wrestling Council's North American Heavyweight Championship.<ref name=wwc/> He held the belt for just over two months before dropping it to Al Perez on March 7.<ref name=wwc/>
===Return to the States (1986)=== LeDuc returned to the States in early 1986 after spending time in Puerto Rico and Montreal. He worked for the Continental Wrestling Association in Tennessee and feuded with Paul Diamond. He also worked for World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas where he occasionally teamed with Rick Rude. He would quietly leave wrestling and not wrestle at all in 1987.
===World Wrestling Federation (1988)=== LeDuc returned to wrestling after a year's absence. He made his first appearance for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on March 19, 1988, when he defeated Brady Boone in a dark match at a ''WWF Superstars'' taping.<ref name=Encyclopedia>{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/162 162]|publisher=DK|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/162}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/88.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-09-19 |archive-date=2007-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005636/http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/88.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> He made his first house show appearance on April 22, defeating Jose Luis Rivera in White Plains, New York. On May 9 at a show in Ontario, LeDuc added Frenchy Martin as his manager. On July 4 (in a match taped on June 21 in Glens Falls, NY, LeDuc made his first television appearance as "The Headbanger/Butcher LeDuc" on WWF Prime Time Wrestling. He lost to Brian Costello via disqualification after he refused to cease headbutting his preliminary opponent. On July 16 in Landover, MD he sustained his first pinfall loss when he was defeated by Sam Houston. His final WWF match came a day later when he again lost to Houston in Hershey, PA although he did have a match versus Tito Santana which was broadcast on July 25 on ''Prime Time Wrestling'', but it was likely recorded much earlier. He suffered a pinfall loss in that encounter with Santana.
===Later career (1989–1995)=== The following year, LeDuc returned to Japan for another brief wrestling tour for Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling. He wrestled primarily in tag teams with Masanobu Kurisu.<ref name=genjapan>{{cite web|language=de|title=Kampfbilanzen für Jos LeDuc|work=WrestlingData|url=http://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bilanzen&wrestler=1190&jahr=1989&monat=12|access-date=2008-02-11|archive-date=2016-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024023020/http://wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bilanzen&wrestler=1190&jahr=1989&monat=12|url-status=live}}</ref> They lost each of these matches.<ref name=genjapan/> His only victory in Japan came over Tarzan Goto in a singles match.<ref name=genjapan/>
Following his stint in Japan, LeDuc retired from wrestling.<ref name=mcwa>{{cite web|title=Memphis/CWA #21: Page 2|work=Kayfabe Memories|url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/memphis/memphis-cwa21-2.htm|access-date=2008-02-11|archive-date=2009-01-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108051735/http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/memphis/memphis-cwa21-2.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> On June 10, 1995, he wrestled one final event, teaming with Phil Hickerson to face Lawler and Valiant at the United States Wrestling Association's "Memphis Memories II" event. The match built upon the storyline feud between LeDuc and Lawler, and Lawler won the match for his team by pinning LeDuc.<ref name=mcwa/><ref>{{cite web|title=Memphis Memories II|work=Pro Wrestling History|url=http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/memphis/jarrett/1995.html#061095|access-date=2008-02-11|archive-date=2008-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406090622/http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/memphis/jarrett/1995.html#061095|url-status=live}}</ref>
In November 1995, he was scheduled to wrestle for Smoky Mountain Wrestling, teaming with Buddy Landel in a series of matches against The Punisher and Tommy Rich, but due to LeDuc retiring, The Bullet took his place teaming with Landel.
==Personal life== LeDuc's first wife died in a car accident in 1981.<ref name=oww/> He remarried and was married at the time of his death in 1999.<ref name=oww/><ref name=cage>{{cite web|title=Profil von Jos LeDuc|work=Cagematch: The Internet Wrestling Database|url=http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=2926&worker=Jos+LeDuc|language=de|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2009-07-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710111249/http://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=2926&worker=Jos+LeDuc|url-status=live}}</ref> He had three children: two daughters, Nadine and Michele, and a son, Robert.<ref name=obit/>
LeDuc appeared in the 1989 film ''No Holds Barred'', which starred fellow professional wrestler Hulk Hogan.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Wrestler Actor Database|work=SLAM! Wrestling|url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/Movies/actors.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922082501/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Wrestling/Movies/actors.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 22, 2015|access-date=2008-01-31}}</ref>
LeDuc had many problems with diabetes toward the end of his life.<ref name=lawler/> While visiting his son in Atlanta, Georgia, LeDuc slipped in the shower. As a result of the injuries, he developed an infection that ultimately led to his death.<ref name=lawler/> He died of a lung infection on May 1, 1999, in Atlanta at the age of 54.<ref name=obit/> After his death, the revelation that he and Paul LeDuc were not related caused a minor scandal on talk shows in Quebec.<ref name=bio/>
==Championships and accomplishments== *'''Championship Wrestling from Florida''' **NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (3 times)<ref name=flhw>{{cite web|title=Florida Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-h.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2013-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130814023759/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-h.html|url-status=live}}</ref> **NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Paul LeDuc<ref name=fltag>{{cite web|title=Florida Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-t.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2012-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531055034/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/fl-t.html|url-status=live}}</ref> **NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship ''(Florida version)'' (1 time)<ref name=flshw>{{cite web|title=NWA Southern Heavyweight Title (Florida)|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-h.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2013-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701231918/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-south-h.html|url-status=live}}</ref> **NWA United States Tag Team Championship ''(Florida version)'' (3 times) – with Thor the Viking (1), Pak Song (1), and Don Muraco<ref name=flust>{{cite web|title=NWA United States Tag Team Title (Florida)|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-us-t.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2009-02-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222061339/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/fl/nwa/fl-us-t.html|url-status=live}}</ref> *'''Grand Prix Wrestling (Montreal)''' **Grand Prix Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Paul LeDuc<ref name=cwhof/> *'''International Wrestling Association (Montreal)''' **IWA International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=iwa>{{cite web|title=World/International Heavyweight Title (Montreal)|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/qc/qc-world-h.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2011-08-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816150543/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/qc/qc-world-h.html|url-status=live}}</ref> **IWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tony Baillargeon<ref name=iwat>{{cite web|title=International Tag Team Title (Montreal) |work=Wrestling Titles |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/qc/qc-t.html |access-date=2008-01-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226093559/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/qc/qc-t.html |archive-date=2008-02-26 }}</ref> *'''Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling''' **NWA Television Championship (2 times)<ref name=midatltv>{{cite web|title=NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/nwa/ma-tv.html|access-date=2008-01-31|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080412062225/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/nwa/ma-tv.html|archive-date=2008-04-12}}</ref> *'''NWA Mid-America – Continental Wrestling Association''' **AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (2 times) **AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Jerry Lawler<ref name=awast>{{cite book | first1=Royal |last1=Duncan |first2=Gary |last2=Will | title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present |location=Waterloo, Ontario |orig-year=2000.|chapter= (Memphis, Nashville) Tennessee: Southern Tag Team Title [Roy Welsch & Nick Gulas, Jerry Jarrett from 1977] | pages= 185–189| publisher=Archeus Communications |year=2006 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4}}</ref><ref name=SouthernTagWeb>{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-t.html | title=Southern Tag Team Title | work=Wrestling-Titles | access-date=January 19, 2020 | archive-date=March 19, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319013647/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tn/cwa/awa-s-t.html | url-status=live }}</ref> **NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Mid-America version)'' (1 time) – with Jean Louie<ref name=awast/> *'''NWA New Zealand''' **NWA British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship ''(New Zealand version)'' (2 times)<ref name=nz>{{cite web|title=British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Title (New Zealand)|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nz/allstar/nz-be-h.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2010-11-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130201304/http://wrestling-titles.com/nz/allstar/nz-be-h.html|url-status=live}}</ref> *'''Southeastern Championship Wrestling''' **NWA Alabama Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=ab>{{cite web|title=NWA Alabama Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/al-h.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2013-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701231655/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/al-h.html|url-status=live}}</ref> **NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship ''(Northern Division)'' (6 times)<ref name=sehw>{{cite web|title=NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/secw/se-h.html|access-date=2008-01-30|archive-date=2016-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601112215/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/secw/se-h.html|url-status=live}}</ref> **NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Bob Armstrong (2) and Robert Fuller (3)<ref name=set>{{cite web|title=NWA Southeastern Tag Team Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/secw/se-t.html|access-date=2008-01-30|archive-date=2020-11-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107053421/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/al/secw/se-t.html|url-status=live}}</ref> *'''Stampede Wrestling''' **NWA International Tag Team Championship ''(Calgary version)'' (1 time) – with Paul LeDuc<ref name=stamp>{{cite web|title=Stampede International Tag Team Title |work=Wrestling Titles |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/calg-t.html |access-date=2008-01-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505025114/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/calg-t.html |archive-date=2008-05-05 }}</ref> *'''United States Wrestling Association''' **Memphis Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)<ref name="Wrestling-Titles">{{cite web |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nz/nz-h.html |title=Memphis Hall of Fame |year=2003 |publisher=Puroresu Dojo |work=Wrestling-Titles.com |access-date=April 15, 2012 |archive-date=September 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913025831/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/nz/nz-h.html |url-status=live }}</ref> *'''World Wrestling Council''' **WWC North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)<ref name=wwc>{{cite web|title=WWC North American Heavyweight Title|work=Wrestling Titles|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pr/wwc/wwc-na-h.html|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=2015-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151230114708/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pr/wwc/wwc-na-h.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons|Category:Michel Pigeon|Jos LeDuc}} * [http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBios/leduc_jos.html Jos LeDuc biography at SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame]{{dead link|date=April 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} * [http://slam.canoe.com/SlamWrestlingBios/leduc_jos_obit.html Jos LeDuc obituary at SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame]{{dead link|date=April 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} * {{Professional wrestling profiles}} * {{IMDb name|0494253}}
{{Navboxes| |list1= {{Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship}} {{WCW World Television Championship}} }}
{{good article}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leduc, Jos}} Category:1944 births Category:1999 deaths Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers Category:20th-century Canadian professional wrestlers Category:Canadian male professional wrestlers Category:Deaths from respiratory tract infection Category:NWA/WCW World Television Champions Category:NWA Florida Heavyweight Champions Category:NWA Southern Heavyweight Champions (Florida version) Category:NWA United States Tag Team Champions (Florida version) Category:Professional wrestlers from Montreal Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni Category:Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Champions