Ed Wiskoski aka Colonel DeBeers is dead. His portrayal of a racist apartheid colonel was one of the most controversial roles in wrestling history – and not his only one.
Mourning the death of a once highly controversial wrestling legend Edward Wiskoski aka Colonel DeBeers is dead.
DeBeers was a nationally known villain in the US in the 1980s: in the AWA league – where Hulk Hogan had celebrated his breakthrough a few years earlier – Wiskoski portrayed a racist who repeatedly provoked fans with tirades against people with different skin colors.
Colonel DeBeers: A controversial character
The character was based on the politically tense and globally observed situation in South Africa, where apartheid (racial segregation) still applied at the time. Wiskoski played a military colonel who supported the system. The name “DeBeers” was a reference to the South African-British diamond company of the same name, which was notorious as a beneficiary of apartheid.
DeBeers had a major rivalry with WWE Hall of Famer “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka (himself a shady character due to his unexplained role in the death of his girlfriend Nancy Argentino) in AWA. DeBeers also had feuds with Sgt. Slaughter and young Scott Hall (later Razor Ramon in WWE). In a memorable segment from today’s perspective, DeBeers accused Hall, who died in 2022, of steroid abuse on camera.
When DeBeers slipped into his most famous role – which would be unthinkable on such a big stage today – he already had a long career behind him.
Wiskoski also provokes with role as cult leader
The former college footballer from Northwest Missouri State University was a student of wrestling icon Harley Race, and because of his skills in the ring and on the microphone, he was a big name in the regional wrestling scene under various stage names from the seventies onwards.
On the West Coast, Wiskoski formed a much-decorated tag team with “Playboy” Buddy Rose under his real name, and Wiskoski also held the NWA World Tag Team Titles in California with Hogan’s archrival Roddy Piper (“They Live”), who was also known from Hollywood. Piper was also known for enhancing his reputation as an enfant terrible with the racist provocations of his alter ego: think of the famous attack on the Fijian Snuka with a coconut or how he painted himself half black for a WrestleMania match against the African American Bad News Brown – WWE has since distanced itself from the performances.
Wiskoski also lived out his penchant for controversial characters shortly before his time as Colonel DeBeers: In the 1980s, he played a character in Oregon called Mega Maharishi Imed, who alluded to the real-life cult leader Bhagwan Shree Ranesh, whose disciples poisoned ten restaurant salad bars in the small town of The Dalles with salmonella in 1984 – it was the first and still the largest case of bioterrorism in the United States.
Brief stint in WWE
In 1983, Wiskoski also competed in a few matches in WWE (then WWF) as the “Polish Prince” (accompanied by manager icon “Classy” Freddie Blassie). However, this did not develop into a longer engagement.
It is with profound sadness that the Cauliflower Alley Club announces the passing of Ed Wiskowski, better known to wrestling fan as Colonel DeBeers, at the age of 80. We extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fans worldwide. Thank you for the memories. R.I.P. Sir pic.twitter.com/pT150vSIY3
— Cauliflower Alley Club (@CACReunion) January 26, 2025
After his active career, Wiskoski and his former partner Rose ran a wrestling school, and one of his most famous protégés was the rhetorically brilliant and tragically deceased manager “Sweet & Sour” Larry Sweeney.
Wiskoski, who most recently lived in Arizona, passed away last Thursday at the age of 80, as his family announced.
