If I was to mention the name Dewey Robertson to you, you’d probably wonder who I was talking about. But if I was to mention a wrestler by the name of The Missing Link, and you were a wrestling fan in the eighties, you’d definitely know who I was talking about.
Bang Your Head is the story of the man behind the larger-than-life Missing Link gimmick, Canadian wrestler Dewey Robertson, and it certainly is a very interesting story. Something of a fitness fanatic in his younger days, Dewey began working out in local gyms, gyms that were frequented by local wrestlers, and as someone who had watching old wrestling shows on television while growing up in the fifties, it seemed natural that he should pursue a career in the squared circle.
But The Missing Link gimmick didn’t come around immediately. From the start of his career in the sixties, there was no gimmick, as all-Canadian hero Dewey Robertson plied his trade through the various territories in America and Canada, going up against some of wrestling’s legendary figures, while also learning how life on the road, away from your family and friends, can take a toll on you.
It wasn’t until he was firmly in the veteran stage that Robertson came up with The Missing Link gimmick. With his career floundering somewhat, Robertson took a hell of a chance by changing his gimmick and his ring style. But the change worked, as he achieved great success wherever he went, most notably in the Von Erich’s World Class territory in Texas. He also had a short stint working for the WWF at the beginning of their national expansion. Unhappy with the way he was being treated in New York, Robertson left the WWF after just a few months, something he later regretted. However, the Missing Link does have one notable WWF appearance, on the cover of the 1985 Wrestling Album record.
Robertson’s story doesn’t just concentrate on his wrestling career. There’s a great deal of time spent on his personal life, and of his battles with depression, steroid use, drug addiction and alcoholism. It’s this, as well as his infidelity while on the road, that ultimately cost him a great deal, including his wife and family.
But the fact that Robertson is here today, having won the battle over his demons, is a testament to the strength of will the man possesses. Robertson’s story is a remarkable one, and his biography is well worth the read. Ghost writer Meredith Renwick has done a tremendous job in putting Robertson’s thoughts onto paper.
“Bang Your Head: The Real Story of The Missing Link”, by Dewey Robertson and Meredith Renwick is available at all good bookshops, and can be purchased online at either www.ecwpress.com, or via www.turnaround-uk.com in Europe.
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