29 Wrestlers Who Died In 2019
27. Alexis Smirnoff (5 January)
Canadian veteran Michael Lamarche, better known as evil Russia heel Alexis Smirnoff, died on 5 January following kidney failure. Lamarche, 71, had entered hospice care several days before passing away.
Born 9 February 1947 in Saint-Lin–Laurentides, Quebec, Lamarche had a brief amateur career in his teens before training under French stalwart Édouard Carpentier. His first gig in pro wrestling came under the moniker Michel 'Le Justice' Dubois - named for the Dubois family known in the area for their frequent scandals.
Throughout the '70s, Lamarche was positioned opposite all the region's top names, from Abdullah the Butcher to his mentor Carpentier. However, towards the end of the decade, he hit a crossroads, knowing he'd need a fresh gimmick to capture the imagination of the lucrative United States market.
It was during a tour with Ivan Koloff that he struck gold as the 'Alexis Smirnoff', a compatriot villain from behind the Iron Curtain. The gimmick was a hit in San Francisco, and soon audiences the world over were cowering in fear at the 'Mad Russian'.
Lamarche went on to sign a big money multi-year tour in Japan, before returning to the States as a regular fixture in IWA. He also enjoyed a brief spell with WWF in 1986, on occasion replacing Nikolai Volkoff in a number of tag contests alongside The Iron Sheik.
After winding down his career in the AWA, Lamarche hung his ushanka up in 1988, opening a wrestling school in San Francisco. He came out of retirement for one final match in 1999, teaming with Ronnie and Jimmy Garvin against Jacques Rogeau Sr. and sons Jacques Jr. and Raymond.