Rudy Kay

Professional wrestling career Cormier competed in boxing as a teenager. He was then trained for a professional wrestling career by Yvon, who was known professionally as The Beast, and another wrestler named Dutchie the Spinner. Back in North America, he was given the ring name Rudy Kay by a promoter who thought that Cormier looked almost identical to a retired wrestler who had used the name. In the ESA, the four Cormier brothers (Yvon; Leonce, who wrestled as Leo Burke; Jean-Louis, who used the ring name Rudy Kay; and Romeo, who was inspired by Jean-Louis to create the moniker Bobby Kay) often aligned with each other in feuds. The opponent would face one brother, and then move on to face the rest in succession.

On November 18 that year, Rudy Kay also won the IW North American Heavyweight Championship by defeating Bob Brown. He was stripped of the title, however, because the ESA operated only during the summer months and the season ended without notice. He was unable to fulfill his obligation to defend it within 30 days. The ESA, which promoted shows until 1976, operated during the summer because the venues were used for ice hockey during the other months. The following year, he won the vacant ESA Taped Fist Championship with a victory over Mad Dog Martel. When the ESA closed in 1977, the title became part of Romeo Cormier (Bobby Kay)'s Trans-Canada Wrestling (TCW). TCW closed later the same year, and the Taped Fist Championship was retired. His final championship win came in September 1976; he teamed with The Beast again and defeated The Mercenaries (Mad Dog Martel and Frenchy Martin) to win the ESA Maritimes Tag Team Championship. Later that month, Martel and Martin regained the title in a rematch. Cormier retired as a professional wrestler in 1982.

Championships and accomplishments Cauliflower Alley Club Men’s Wrestling Award (2009) Eastern Sports Association ESA International Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with The Beast ESA Maritimes Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with The Beast ESA Taped Fist Championship (1 time) IW North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time)