Eclectic in and out of the ring, “Iron” Mike Sharpe left an impression on WWF fans as enhancement talent. Photo: WWE.com
Iron Mike Sharpe Death – Undisclosed Causes
1949-2016 (age 67)
“Iron” Mike Sharpe was a Canadian wrestler who had a long career that lasted from the 1970s to the mid-90s. Sharpe’s unique style endeared him to WWF fans, even though he worked as a heel.
Mike Sharpe was born on October 28, 1951 in Hamilton, Ontario. The Canadian eventually grew to 6’5″ and 275 pounds. He looked like a pro wrestler and pro wrestling was in his genes.
A Famous Father…and Uncle
The second-generation wrestler followed in the footsteps of both his father (Mike) and uncle (Ben). Mike and Ben Sharpe were one of several real-life brothers who wrestled. The Sharpe Brothers held many tag team championships in the United States.
They also enjoyed considerable success in Japan in the mid-1950s. Pro wrestling was becoming popular in Japan and the Sharpe Brothers helped Rikidozan become a household name in Japan.
Unfortunately, Mike Sharpe had a poor relationship with his father and other relatives.
Sharpe Jr. was estranged from the extended Sharpe father, his half-siblings in California and many cousins. He was apparently closer to his half-sister, Donna Marie, who was the offspring of Kathleen and another man, but raised in San Jose
Mike Jr. was trained by fellow Canadian, Dewey Robertson (aka The Missing Link). He competed in several territories including Gene Kiniski’s All-Star Wrestling. Sharpe held championships there including the NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Championship.
“Canada’s Greatest Athlete”
Iron Mike Sharpe was known for frequently putting over opponents. Nonetheless, he held several titles in his early years. He also teamed with Hulk Hogan in Japan. The two competed in tag team matches and tournaments.
Calling himself “Canada’s Greatest Athlete,” Sharpe impressed fans. The big man’s strength and aggressiveness led to key wins. However, his use of a protective forearm pad raised questions about whether it was loaded. The Hamilton native was dangerous enough as far as fans were concerned.
Captain Lou Albano managed Sharpe for part of his career. Sharpe later challenged Bob Backlund for the WWF Championship several times. “Iron” Mike came up short against Backlund.
Excellent as Enhancement Talent
Eventually, Sharpe was used to make other wrestlers look good. He could make their moves look effective. His size and power also made opponents look strong when they defeated him. “Iron” Mike was the ideal wrestler for making other wrestlers look good. Equally important, he did not accidentally injure opponents.
Sharpe’s opponents read like a who’s who of WWF legends. “Iron” Mike helped put over many Superstars including Chief Jay Strongbow, Rocky Johnson, Tito Santana, Davey Boy Smith and Pat Patterson.
Mr. Clean
Sharpe’s tendency to grunt and holler during matches and loaded forearm pad helped him stand out from his fellow enhancement talents. He was one of the WWF’s most colorful characters.
Behind the scenes, “Iron” Mike was known for his eccentricities. Chief among them was his penchant for hygiene. His fondness for taking long showers earned him the nickname “Mr. Clean.” On at least one night, Sharpe was trapped in an arena as he was still showering when it was locked up.
The late “Dr. Death” Steve Williams spoke fondly of Iron Mike Sharpe in his book, noting “he taught me about financial responsibility. He told me to keep all my receipts that were business-related so I could write them off at the end of the year. I watched my spending and saved as much as I could. Mike genuinely looked out for me.”
Life After Wrestling
Sharpe would retire from wrestling in 1997. More wrestling adventures awaited. Sharpe operated a wrestling school. He eventually would return home. Unfortunately, tragedy struck. According to The Hamilton Spectator:
…he cut his leg while gardening and it got horribly infected. The injury led to a lengthy hospital stay, a wheelchair, and ongoing health issues that never really ended. Nurses come to his place on the Mountain every day to dress the wounds, but otherwise Sharpe became a recluse, never leaving his basement apartment.
“Iron” Mike made a video appearance in support of Canadian wrestler Angelo “King Kong” Mosca for Mosca’s Alzheimer’s fundraiser.
The Death of “Iron” Mike Sharpe
Sharpe died at the age of 67 from causes that were not made public, although it’s said that he had been in poor health since 2006. “Iron” Mike was cremated.
What are your favorite memories of “Iron” Mike Sharpe? Let us know in the comments below.
Other wrestlers who died in 2016 include Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney, Blackjack Mulligan, Chyna, and Mr. Fuji.
