Byron James John Robertson, born on February 28, 1939, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, was a professional wrestler best known as The Missing Link. He passed away on August 16, 2007, at the age of 68, in his hometown due to lung cancer.
The Missing Link in action, showcasing his unique look.
Early Career as Dewey Robertson
Robertson started wrestling in his native Canada in the 1960s under the name of "Dewey Robertson". He was a very popular babyface in the Toronto area. It was long believed that he was a protege of former NWA world champion Whipper Billy Watson (William Potts), but Watson did not start him in the business. Watson was, however, the godfather of Robertson’s sons. In May 1973, Robertson achieved his first title victory when he teamed with Dennis Stamp to win the Tri-State version of the NWA United States Tag Team Championship. They held the belts until July, when they dropped them to Alex Perez and El Gran Tapio.
Dewey Robertson, the clean-cut Canadian Champ.
Tag Team Success
Robertson found more success in tag team wrestling the following year while competing in Toronto, Ontario. He teamed with Billy Red Lyons to win the Toronto version of the NWA International Tag Team Championship from The Love Brothers (Hartford and Reginald) on June 23, 1974. The Love Brothers regained the belts on September 8, but Robertson and Lyons won them back on December 29. They then held the belts for over six months before dropping the title to Mike and Pat Kelly in June 1975. Robertson and Lyons had one final reign as champions, when they won a rematch on August 24. During one match his right leg was broken while performing a sunset flip on one of the Kelly twins. He and Lyons also toured Japan in 1977.
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Dewey Robertson and Billy Red Lyons, a successful tag team.
Mid-Atlantic and Central States Wrestling
In 1979, Robertson wrestled in the NWA's Jim Crockett Promotions as a heel with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers as his manager. He used Rogers' figure-four leg lock as his finisher. That year, he also won a tournament for the vacant NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship in Toronto by defeating Gene Kiniski, Ken Patera and then Greg Valentine in the final round. Into 1980 he traveled between Ontario and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, where he continued to wrestle as a tag team competitor. He won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship by teaming with George Wells to defeat The Sheepherders on December 12, 1980. The pair held the belts for almost two months before dropping it to Genichiro Tenryu and Mr. Fuji in February 1981. From there, Robertson moved to Central States Wrestling, where he won the majority of his titles.
On October 22, 1981, he won the NWA Central States Television Championship with a victory over Gene Lewis. He lost the belt to Oliver Humperdink later that year but soon regained it in a rematch. On February 18, 1982, however, he dropped the belt back to Lewis. This allowed Robertson to focus on the NWA Central States Tag Team Championship, which he won a total of five times. His first reign came in October 1981 when he teamed with Rufus R. Jones to defeat Buzz Tyler and James J. Dillon. His next reign came in March 1982 when he teamed with Steve Regal to win the belts from Roger Kirby and Jerry Valiant. The title changed hands twice more that month, as Kirby and Valiant quickly regained the title only to drop it back to Robertson and Regal. Two months later, Kirby and Valiant won the belts back again. Robertson found a new partner, however, and won the championship by teaming with Hercules Hernandez in August.
The following year, Robertson's main success came as a singles wrestler. On February 10, 1983, he won the NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship with a victory over Manny Fernandez. He lost the belt to Bob Brown two months later but regained it in a rematch the following week.
The Missing Link Persona
In 1983, Robertson changed his look and became "Max, the Missing Link" in Mid-South Wrestling with a gimmick of looking and acting bizarre. As The Missing Link, Robertson wore blue and green face paint and shaved portions of his head while letting the hair grow in other areas. His gimmick was similar to that of George Steele and Kamala, a crazy out-of-control wild man that needed a trainer or manager to lead him to the ring.
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The Missing Link, a savage beast of a man.
He would later go and wrestle in Championship Wrestling from Florida for a short stint and feud with Bugsy McGraw. A full-page photo of The Missing Link appeared in the April 29, 1985, issue of Sports Illustrated, which had Hulk Hogan on the cover and reported on Vince McMahon's aggressive strategy to take his World Wrestling Federation national.
World Wrestling Federation (WWF)
The Missing Link's WWF Debut
On July 24, in Buffalo, New York, he lost to Bruno Sammartino by countout. During this match, he busted several of the chairs in which the ringside commissioners were sitting and the incident almost had the WWF banned from the city. On August 18, he was pinned by Intercontinental Champion Tito Santana at the first-ever WWF show in Tampa, Florida. He also lost matches to Ivan Putski, Tony Atlas, and B. Brian Blair. While in the WWF, he fought Mad Dog Vachon three times: a draw at the Met Center in Minneapolis (August 25); a win by countout in Milwaukee (September 5); and a loss in Denver (September 20). In September 1985, Heenan traded The Missing Link and Adrian Adonis to manager Jimmy Hart in exchange for King Kong Bundy.
Later Career and Retirement
In November 1985, he went to World Class Championship Wrestling and was first managed by Percy Pringle only to turn face after saving Sunshine from an attack from The Great Kabuki then again from Percy Pringle and Rick Rude. In late 1986, he left for the Universal Wrestling Federation where he was managed by Dark Journey. He retired in the 1990s but came back to do independent shows as The Missing Link starting in 2004.
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Personal Life and Struggles
Robertson's parents Ethel and Kenneth divorced in 1954. He attended Westdale High School in Hamilton. As a teen he worked at a golf course in Hamilton. He later worked various jobs from salesman, steelworker and even an arena manager. Robertson's sons, Jason and Mark, were also professional wrestlers. He was married to Gail Stirling for many years but they divorced in 1995. According to Bill Mercer, while married they lived in a naturist community. From the late 1970s to his death, he battled substance abuse.
For a few months, he and his wife were homeless until they received help from fellow wrestler Gene Anderson in North Carolina. In June 1994, Robertson attempted suicide by overdosing on an anti-depressant medication. He often self medicated with marijuana and alcohol, and he took an entire bottle of the anti-depressant medication. He admitted to taking steroids and abusing alcohol during his career. In 2006, his autobiography Bang Your Head: The Real Story of The Missing Link was published by ECW Press. In it, he discussed his addiction to steroids, alcohol, and drugs. He also did lectures in schools and prisons on substance abuse. He was a close friend of Ted DiBiase at that stage and received help from a Christian group in Ontario. He also served on the governor general's panel on substance abuse. He also was a court constable in the Hamilton court system. He was a respected and appreciated volunteer for many years after achieving sobriety, at the Hamilton Wentworth Detention Centre.
The cover of Dewey Robertson's autobiography.
Death
Robertson died of lung cancer on August 16, 2007, after a long illness.
Championships and Accomplishments
- NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with George Wells
- NWA Central States Television Championship (2 times)
- NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (5 times)
- With Rufus R. Jones (1)
- With Steve Regal (2)
- With Hercules Hernandez (2)
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version) (1 time) - with Dennis Stamp
- NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (Toronto version) (3 times) - with Billy Red Lyons