Johnny Barend, American professional wrestler, died from natural causes at 82.

John R. Barend , better known as "Handsome" Johnny Barend, was an American professional wrestler.

(March 27, 1929 – September 20, 2011)

Born in 1929 in Rochester, New York, Barend started wrestling as an amateur at the age of eight. After graduating from Jefferson High School in Rochester in 1944, he served in the United States Navy during World War II and wrestled while in the service. He was trained to wrestle professionally by Ed Don George and made his professional debut on November 1, 1948. Soon after, he started teaming with Gene Dubuque, who was wrestling under the name, Magnificent Maurice. Barend usually played the part of the "heel" or bad guy. He would enter the ring wearing his customary hat and sunglasses an unlit cigar gracing his lips and would goad fans with his soliloquies. Barend's original manager was Ernie Roth, then using the name Mr. Kleen. Roth would later gain fame in the WWWF as the Grand Wizard of Wrestling. Barend and Maurice went on to win many tag-team championships. Barend first appeared in Hawaii in September of 1955.
In 1962-1963, Barend was a regular tag team partner with NWA/WWWF world champion Buddy Rogers, and they held the U.S. tag team championship. Barend won a variety of titles in his career spent mostly on the east coast in and around New York or in Hawaii where he enjoyed his greatest success. Barend would hold the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship a number of times with a variety of partners as well as the San Francisco version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Barend would hold the NWA United States Tag Team Championship with former foe Buddy Rogers in mid-1962. Barend won a variety of titles in his career spent mostly on the east coast in and around New York or in Hawaii where he enjoyed his greatest success. Barend would hold the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship a number of times with a variety of partners as well as the San Francisco version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. Barend would even hold the NWA United States Tag Team Championship with former foe Buddy Rogers in mid-1962. After Rogers lost the WWWF title to Bruno Sammartino, Rogers and Barend defeated Sammartino and Bobo Brazil in Madison Square Garden, 2 falls to 1.
Barend married Annie Lum in 1967 in Honolulu, Hawaii. He wrestled Dory Funk, Jr., in Hawaii, in 1969 for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. He retired from wrestling in 1972.
Barend died on September 20, 2011 in Avon, NY. Barend reportedly died peacefully in his sleep after refusing a visit to the hospital as suggested by his doctor. The death is listed as natural causes.

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