The Missing Link

Real Name: Byron James John "Dewey" Robertson
Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Height/Weight: 6'2"/255
Signature Moves: Headbutt, flying headbutt
Notable WCCW feuds: David Von Erich, Junkyard Dog

Need to Know Facts: Born in 1939, Robertson got his start in professional wrestling under the tutelage of "Whipper" Billy Watson. Forced to become somewhat limited in his repertoire to protect the "Link" character, Robertson was actually noted as being an outstanding mat technician when wrestling under his given name.

He would hold the Toronto version of the Canadian Heavyweight Championship as Dewey Robertson, and was one half of the masked Canadian Team known as the Crusaders (with Billy Red Lyons). Robertson was noted as having one of the best physiques in professional wrestling during this time.

Robertson first took on the moniker of "The Missing Link" while working for Mid-South wrestling promoter Bill Watts. "I started doing this wild stuff," Robertson told the Ottawa Sun. "I jumped around in the ring like Mad Dog Vachon...I grew a moustache like Ox Baker and I put green paint on my face, with blue around my eyes. That was the final piece of the character for me."

When the Link first came to World Class, he was part of General Skandor Akbar's "Devastation Incorporated" stable, and often teamed with the savage Kamala, the Ugandan Giant. He also feuded with the Junkyard Dog, David Von Erich and the Freebirds during his first tenure in World Class. (In fact, the Link wrestled David Von Erich on February 6, 1984 at the Will Rogers Coliseum in David's last match before he passed away in Tokyo, Japan four days later.)

In perhaps his most widely-noted match of all time, the Missing Link wrestled the Junkyard Dog at the first Parade of Champions in Irving, Texas in May 1984 in front over 32,000 fans. Shortly thereafter, the Link briefly ventured into the World Wrestling Federation and took on Bobby "The Brain" Heenan as his manager.

After his sudden departure from the WWF, Robertson returned to Bill Watts' now rechristened Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), and became a fan favorite for the first time under the Link persona. He took on Dark Journey as his valet and was adored by the UWF crowd, especially the children.  The Link made one last stop at World Class in 1987-88 before seemingly disappearing from the US promotions.

In 1993, Robertson was diagnosed with cancer (the probable result of many years of steroid use) and lost one of his kidneys.  He also suffered from bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder.

In later years, the Link resurfaced at several fan conventions with a new outlook on life, having kicked longtime drinking and marijuana habits, and used his experiences to reach children to ensure that they did not go down the same road of addiction.  He became a born-again Christian and, with the help of Meredith Renwick, completed his autobiography, Bang Your Head!, which was published in 2006. "I'm not The Missing Link anymore," he said at the time. "I'm not missing. My new persona is The Link. I'm on a new path...one that has changed my life, through Ted DiBiase."

Sadly, Dewey Robertson suffered a recurrence of cancer and passed away on August 16, 2007.

To read John Dananay's 2005 interview with Dewey Robertson, click here.