Jacques Rougeau Jr.’s International Wrestling 2000 officially announced the line-up for its August 9 show in Montreal today, and it’s got more than a little history behind it. And a little of the future.
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The main event features Jacques Jr. and Raymond Rougeau and their father Jacques Sr., who is 69, against Ronnie and Jimmy Garvin and Michel ‘Le Justice’ Dubois.
Jacques Sr. hasn’t been in the ring since 1983, and is looking forward to returning in a one time deal, this time in front of nine grandchildren. It was Junior’s idea, and he will certainly be among the oldest wrestlers ever to put on the tights. “It proves that age is just a number, it doesn’t matter how old you are if you’re in good shape,” said Jacques Sr. on Sunday from his Montreal home. “Just this one time show, going with my sons. Just to have the feeling. Going back for one more. In fact, it will probably be my last for sure!”
Michel Dubois isn’t exactly new to the business either. He started wrestling in 1970, retired in 1988 (as Alexis Smirnoff) and has wrestled all the Rougeaus many, many times.
“I’m coming back for one reason,” Dubois said last week. “Jacques Rougeau just pissed me off when he hit me [at the last show]. If he can do it at his age, I know I can do it. … as far as Raymond and Jacques Jr., they are two pencil necks to me!”
“It’s always been the Rougeaus controlling Montreal, and I was there for many years doing ‘Justice’ as much as I can,” said Dubois, who is 51 and lives in Freemont, California.
Jacques Jr. laughed when told of Dubois’s comments. “He didn’t knock the Rougeaus out of Quebec. We knocked Dubois out of Quebec!”
Junior is also looking forward to battling the Garvins again. Back in 1984, Jimmy Garvin was in International Wrestling with his valet Precious. Naturally, a rivalry developed between him and the Rougeaus. To fight the local heroes, he brought in his ‘brother’ Ronnie Garvin. In the first match-up at the Montreal Forum in 1984, the match never officially started. The Garvins attacked the Rougeaus before the bell and left them lying, with Precious having blinded Jacques Jr. with her perfume spray can.
The rematch, said Jacques Jr., was a “classic of all times in Montreal.” The sold-out Forum witnessed a 20-minute match of “non-stop action from beginning to end.”
“We definitely kicked their ass,” said Jacques Jr. “But they left on their feet and we haven’t seen them since.”
To that end, at the last International Wrestling 2000 show, Ronnie Garvin teamed with Abdullah the Butcher against Jacques Jr. & Raymond. Michel Dubois was the special referee in that match that ended in a no contest.
Also at the press conference, Jacques Jr. announced that he will be starting a wrestling school as of September 1 at the Pro Gym in Montreal at 4500 Hochaloga St. His goal is to “create some local talent like in the old days” and hopes create “one or two Quebecers that could make it in the big leagues.”
The rest of the International Wrestling 2000 card on August 9 at the Centre Pierre Charbonneau is equally impressive, and chock full of well-known Quebec wrestlers. Former world champ Edouard Carpentier will take over from Paul Leduc as host of the evening, and will conduct interviews for the crowd. This is familiar territory for Carpentier, who was a French announcer for the WWF for years.
In the semi-main event, King Kong Bundy returns and takes on Richard ‘Le Manifique’ Charland with manager Frenchy Martin, who hasn’t been involved in wrestling for a couple of years. Special referee for the match will be ‘Le Kolassal’ Serge Dumont.
Also returning after a long absence from wrestling is Denis Gauthier , who teams with Lionel Robert against Les Prisonniers with their manager The Candyman.
Rounding out the card are: Doorman Ron Trottier with Ms. Doorman vs Trappeur Nelson Veilleux; Precious Lucie vs Amanda Storm in a women’s match; Tiger Jackson vs Little Broken in a midget match; Drago The Russian Powerhouse vs Shackles; and Iceman vs Jacques Comptois.
It was also announced at the press conference that the return date at the Centre Pierre Charbonneau would be December 29, with the theme being Quebec vs USA.
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