Paul Vachon (October 7, 1937 – February 29, 2024) was a Canadian

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

. He was a member of the Vachon wrestling family. He is perhaps best known by his ring name Butcher Vachon.

Professional wrestling career

Paul Vachon grew up as one of thirteen children of Ferdinand Vachon, a

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

police officer. In 1957, he followed his brother Maurice into professional business, adopting his brother's, the "Mad Dog", vicious

heel The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg. Structure To distribute the compressive forces exerted ...

style and the moniker "Butcher Vachon". He wrestled in the

American Wrestling Association The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The promotion was born out of the Minneapolis ...

World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is an American professional wrestling promotion. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. A global integrated media and entertainment company, ...

(now WWE),

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...

and

Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...

(later would become WCW). Vachon often teamed with his brother "Mad Dog" Vachon, with whom he won the

AWA World Tag Team Championship The American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991. History When the NWA Minneapolis ...

. In the early 1970s he appeared alongside his sister Vivian Vachon in the motion picture ''Wrestling Queen''. Vachon wrestled under a mask as "Spoiler #2" for

Jim Crockett Promotions Jim Crockett Promotions, at times branded as Eastern States Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, is a Family business, family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United Sta ...

' "Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling" in 1975. His angle involved getting revenge on Wahoo McDaniel, Paul Jones, and Rufus R. Jones for running Super Destroyer ( Don Jardine) out of the territory. (In fact, Jardine left JCP on short notice and booker George Scott wanted a masked heel on the roster.) Vachon stayed in JCP for a few months and before leaving lost a series of matches against Paul Jones and Rufus Jones in which the mask was at stake (as was Paul Jones' U.S. title in their matches). Vachon retired in 1985 after two years of being a jobber to the stars in the WWF. Proving his talents extend beyond the wrestling ring, one of his final appearances was singing "

La Vie en Rose ; ) is the signature song of popular French singer Édith Piaf, written in 1945, popularized in 1946, and released as a single in 1947. The song became very popular in the United States in 1950, when seven versions reached the ''Billboard'' cha ...

" on '' Tuesday Night Titans''.

Personal life

Paul Vachon was the adoptive father of wrestler

Luna Vachon Gertrude Elizabeth Vachon (; January 12, 1962 – August 27, 2010) was an American-Canadian professional wrestler, better known as Luna Vachon.Lisa S. Davis,Ex-wrestler Luna Vachon, 48, found dead", ''Tampa Bay Online'' (August 31, 2010). Over th ...

. He is the brother of wrestlers Maurice and Vivian Vachon and former father-in-law of wrestlers David "Gangrel" Heath and Tom Nash. In total, Vachon has six children and has been married four times. After his wrestling career, Paul Vachon joined the NDP and ran as a federal candidate in 1988, 1993 and 1995. In 1993, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and had half of his colon removed. Then, in 2003, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Vachon underwent 40 treatments, one on each weekday for five straight weeks, to overcome the throat cancer. In addition, he had the disease burned out of his tonsils and his teeth were removed. As a result of the radiation treatments, he underwent reconstructive jaw surgery in early June 2009. Vachon also suffered from

diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

. Vachon and his wife Rebecca traveled to flea markets and fairs to sell therapeutic magnets, a business they began in 1995. He also self-published an autobiography titled ''When Wrestling Was Real''. Vachon died at his home in Mansonville, Quebec on February 29, 2024, at the age of 86.

Championships and accomplishments

50th State Big Time Wrestling 50th State Big Time Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Hawaii or Mid-Pacific Promotions) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Haw ...

:* NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) - with Hard Boiled Haggerty *

AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship The AWA Midwest Tag Team Championship was a title in the American Wrestling Association from 1967 until 1971. It was for mid-level wrestlers and was mostly defended in the Omaha, Nebraska area. Title history See also *American Wrestling Asso ...

( 1 time) - with

Maurice Vachon Joseph Maurice Régis Vachon (September 14, 1929 − November 21, 2013) was a Canadian professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Mad Dog Vachon. He was the older brother of wrestlers Paul and Vivian Vachon, and the uncle of wrestl ...

( 1 time) - with Maurice Vachon * Canadian Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame ** Class of 2025 - as a member of The Vachon‘s *

Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Ab ...

:*Men’s Wrestling Award (2008) *Eastern Townships Wrestling Association :*ETWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time) * George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame **Class of 2010 *

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling Jim Crockett Promotions, at times branded as Eastern States Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, is a family-owned professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in ...

:* NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) ( 1 time) - with Maurice Vachon * Mid-South Sports :*

NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship The NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship was the top tag team championship (professional wrestling), championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling from 1968 to 1980, when it was replaced with the NWA National Tag Team Championship. The title was r ...

( 1 time) - with Stan Vachon :*NWA Southern Tag Team Championship ''(Georgia version)'' (5 times) - with Louie Tillet (2) and Stan Vachon (3) :* NWA World Tag Team Championship ''(Georgia version)'' ( 1 time) - with Maurice Vachon *

NWA Hollywood Wrestling NWA Hollywood Wrestling (sometimes referred to as NWA Los Angeles) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Los Angeles, California in the United States that promoted professional wrestling matches throughout Southern California. It ...

:* NWA Americas Tag Team Championship ( 1 time) - with Chavo Guerrero Sr. *

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum was an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Wichita Falls, Texas; following the postponement of its 19th induction ceremony, planned for May 2020, and an annou ...

**( Class of 2004) - with Maurice Vachon * Southwest Sports, Inc. :* NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (

2 times "2 Times" is the debut single of English singer Ann Lee. It was released in Italy in December 1998 by X-Energy as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999), and was issued worldwide the following year. The single peaked at number tw ...

) - with Maurice Vachon (1) and Ivan the Terrible (1) *

Stampede Wrestling Stampede Wrestling was a Canadian professional wrestling promotion based in Calgary, Alberta. For nearly 50 years, it was one of the main promotions in western Canada and the Canadian Prairies. Originally established by Stu Hart in 1948, the prom ...

:* NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship ''(Calgary version)'' ( 3 times) - with Maurice Vachon :* NWA International Tag Team Championship ''(Calgary version)'' ( 3 times) - with Maurice Vachon * Nebraska Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 2023)

Electoral record (incomplete)

References

External links