Wrestling Legend, NWF Co-Founder Johnny Powers Passes Away

Johnny Powers, who wrestled in the WWWF & NWA as well as co-founding the National Wrestling Federation, has passed away. Slam Wrestling reports that Powers passed away in his sleep at his home in Smithville, Ontario on December 30th. He was 79 years old.

Born Dennis Waters, Powers began training to be a wrestler at the young age of 15 under Canadian star Jack Wentworth. He worked his first match in 1960 in Detroit at the age of 17 while still attending college and went full-time in 1963. He initially worked under the name of Lod Anthony Lansdowne until he dyed his hair blonde and picked up the name Johnny Powers starting in 1964. He wrestled Gene Kiniski for the NWA World Heavyweight Title in 1966, and had a run with the NWA World Tag Team Championships alongside Moose Cholak in 1969.

Powers eventually partnered with Pedro Martinez, one of his mentors, to turn Martinez’s promotion in Buffalo into the National Wrestling Federation. The promotion ran for three years before they sold the rights and name to NJPW. Powers worked matches in NJPW from 1973 through 1980; he and Martinez acquired the International Wrestling Association in 1975. He retired from the ring in 1982, returning in 1983 to work some matches for charity, and stepped away from wrestling altogether a bit later in the decade.

On behalf of 411, our condolences the family, friends and fans of Johnny Powers.