BRobb123 Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 Bret Hart credits Leo Burke for a lot of his development as a wrestler. From everything I've heard and read, Burke was an excellent wrestler. Other than a brief time period in Toronto and a cup of coffee in JCP (losing to Denny Brown!), he doesn't seem to have gotten much a shot in big time territories. There's quite a bit of Burke footage on Youtube, mostly from late 80s, early 90s Maritimes or WWC, at the end of his career. His knees are shot, but it's obvious his heart's still in it even if his body's not. You can definitely see some of where Hart learned to sell as a baby face from watching Burke selling a beating. Any thoughts on Leo Burke, or recommendations for matches closer to his prime that may be out there? Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Waco Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 You need to contact our own Canadian hero Dave Musgrave. He put together an excellent comp of all the stuff that is notable that is available from Leo's career. I LOVE Leo in PR. Absolutely awesome in that boxing match with Invader which is an insane spectacle in and of itself. I know he's past his prime, but he does the little things so well and is just an outstanding rudo. There is also a match v. Frenchy Martin from Maritimes TV I enjoyed a lot for what it was last time I saw it. In any event contact Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheGreatPuma Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Leo Burke had a connection with the audience that was unique and hard to define. Wrestling fan or not, there was nobody who didn't like the man/wrestler. Everybody was a fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puropotsy Posted March 4, 2013 Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 If you read "Heroes and Icons" it's apparent that he has a great mind for assessing the greatness of wrestlers like Pat O'Connor and Buddy Rogers. People outside of the Maritimes are shocked to learn that he ever could have worked as a heel, but having watched a lot of the footage that is out there it is arguable that he is better suited as a heel. And he was great as a babyface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 From what I have seem from him is that he wasn't flashy , but had a good ideas on what made sense in a match. He is very similar to Bret in that regard. He is also interviewed for Highspots Dynamite documentary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRobb123 Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 His knees seemed to go pretty early, like in his early 30s. Burke might have developed into something similar to early 90s Bret Hart if his body had been able to hold up. From what I've seen (which is mostly late 80s WWC), he knew exactly what to do and when to do it, but just didn't have the physicality anymore to do everything he could have earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puropotsy Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 His knees seemed to go pretty early, like in his early 30s. Burke might have developed into something similar to early 90s Bret Hart if his body had been able to hold up. From what I've seen (which is mostly late 80s WWC), he knew exactly what to do and when to do it, but just didn't have the physicality anymore to do everything he could have earlier. By that time though he had been wrestling over 20 years and was more akin to Bret's age in WCW. Any footage you catch of him from 1980 through about 1986 will show that he is much more like Bret Hart came to be. Although the promotion sucked at the time, Leo as heel champ in 1984 Maple Leaf was pretty great. He was throwing leg lariats at that point and could really move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheGreatPuma Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 I remember them talking to Burke on either CBC or CTV in more of a non kayfabe sense back in the day. I believe he was sitting on a bench and one of the things he mentioned were his injuries. Yes, the man was very hurt and it was a list that just blew my mind. He did have leg injuries if memory serves me right. He had a petrifying story about something to do with paralyzation which I wish I could remember the details of. They also interviewed one other time I believe where he went on about how much weight he had lost in one match in a 90 minute bout with I believe Terry Funk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puropotsy Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Leo Burke on CBC 1998 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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