Paul 'The Butcher' Vachon - Canadian wrestling and WWE legend dies aged 86

Canadian wrestling star and member of the legendary Vachon family, Paul 'The Butcher' Vachon has died at the age of 86. Wrestling expert Pat Laprade confirmed that Vachon had passed away on the night of February 29 in a social media post over the weekend.

The Butcher was a much-respected figure in the world of professional wrestling and was famously a former AWA Tag Team Champion alongside his brother Maurice Vachon. The siblings headed the Vachon family alongside sister Vivian. Paul was the last of those three Vachon siblings alive after Maurica passed away in 2013 and Vivian in 1991, the latter lost her life at the age of 40 in a tragic car accident.

Paul was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum as a tag team alongside Maurice in 2004 and into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2010. The late wrestler is also credited with playing a vital role in the establishment of Grand Prix Wrestling in Quebec. He also briefly worked in WWF, which is now known as WWE.

Writing on X, Laprade said: "Sad news. Paul “The Butcher” Vachon died last night at the age of 86 years old. Former AWA tag team champ, Grand Prix Wrestling promoter and WWE wrestler, he had a great career and became a friend of mine over the years. My sympathies to his wife Dee and his family."

The wrestling star is reported to have died in his sleep, nearly 40 years after retiring from the ring after a 31-year career in 1986. Paul had spent the last few years battling cancer and had a tumour removed from his head in March 2023.

WWE Raw on-screen General Manager and Ring of Honor legend Adam Pearce said: "Godspeed, Paul 'Butcher Vachon. Some of my earliest wrestling memories are of my Dad talking about you and the Mad Dog causing havoc everywhere you went. Hopefully, you both are now off somewhere causing more. Rest well, sir.”