Michel Pigeon (1944-1999)
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Alias:
Butcher LeDuc
Joe LeDuc
Jos LeDuc
The Headbanger
Birthplace:
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Born:
August 31, 1944
Died:
May 1, 1999
Michel Pigeon 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, LeDuc competed as a singles wrestler. He was involved in a heated feud with Dusty Rhodes. LeDuc 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 LeDuc's biggest storylines was with manager Oliver Humperdink, whom LeDuc had accused of stealing his money. This led to a feud, during which LeDuc won the NWA Television Championship from one of Humperdink's wrestlers. LeDuc continued to split his time between singles and tag team wrestling, and he resumed his feud with Lawler in Tennessee. In his later career, LeDuc competed in Puerto Rico and had a brief stint in the World Wrestling Federation. Altogether, LeDuc held 32 championships—15 singles belts and 17 tag team titles. He died of a lung infection on May 1, 1999.