Career
Studd was trained by wrestling legend Killer Kowalski. Studd made his professional wrestling début in 1972. He worked in the WWWF in 1972 under the ring name "Chuck O'Connor." He feuded with El Olympico and faced Pedro Morales on TV in a non-title match, losing when Morales got him in a Boston Crab submission hold. O'Connor defeated many jobbers in squash matches. At Showdown At Shea, he lost to El Olympico by disqualification. Later, he fought Jay Strongbow and Gorilla Monsoon. By late 1972 Studd left the WWWF and went on to other promotions. In 1976, Studd returned to the WWWF and fought as Executioner #2. Studd and Killer Kowalski won the WWF Tag Team Championship as the Masked Executioners.
After leaving the WWWF in 1977, Studd became known as Captain USA, and The Masked Superstar II at certain points in the Mid-Atlantic territory. In 1978, Studd teamed up with Ken Patera to win the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team titles.
Studd also made occasional trips to Canada to wrestle in Emile Duprée's Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling.
On May 25, 1980, Masked Superstar II was unmasked after a match with Blackjack Mulligan in Toronto. After this, Studd was brought into Florida by J.J. Dillon and feuded with Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham (the son of Blackjack Mulligan), and Sweet Brown Sugar.
In early 1982, Studd gained several unsuccessful title shots at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, which was held by "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair at the time.
Read more about this topic: Big John Studd
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