Tony Halme | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tony Christian Halme (1963-01-06)January 6, 1963[1][2] |
| Died | January 8, 2010(2010-01-08) (aged 47)[1][2] Helsinki, Finland |
| Spouse | |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring names | |
| Billed height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[4] |
| Billed weight | 275 lb (125 kg)[4] |
| Billed from | Helsinki, Finland |
| Trained by | |
| Debut | 1989[1] |
| Retired | December 20, 1997 |
| Member of theFinnish Parliament forHelsinki | |
| In office 2003–2007 | |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations | True Finns (2003–2007) |
Tony Christian Halme[1][2][3] (January 6, 1963 – January 8, 2010) was a Finnish politician,athlete, author, actor, and singer. He was a member of theFinnish Parliament from 2003 to 2007 as anindependent elected on theTrue Finns party list. Halme was also known by the pseudonymViikinki, which he used while appearing inGladiaattorit, a Finnish version of the TV game showGladiators, in the 1990s.
He was also aprofessional wrestler best known for his appearances withCatch Wrestling Association (CWA),New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) andWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF) under thering nameLudvig Borga; amixed martial artist and the first fighter from the Nordic countries to ever compete in theUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC); and aprofessional boxer.[6][7]
During his time in CWA, he was an accomplishedmain eventer, who headlined many events for the company including the company's flagship eventEuro Catch Festival three times.
Tony Halme spent his childhood inLauttasaari, Helsinki. His father left the family when Tony was six months old. His older brother – who was five years older than Tony – assumed the role of father figure. Halme only heard from his father a couple of times during his life. His mother was analcoholic with a constantrevolving door of male partners. As an adult, Halme considered his brother to be his only true friend.[8][9] In the mid-1970s, Tony, his mother and brother moved toSoukka,Espoo. Halme attendedkansakoulu [fi] and aoppikoulu.[10] He later attended a Swedish-language school and studied at the electrician line at theStrömberg School of Engineering. However, he dropped out of the latter after two years. At the age of 16, Halme left his mother's home and moved in with his uncle toKannelmäki.[9]
Athletic from a young age, he actively participated in sports such ashandball,football andice hockey. He also began power training and weightlifting in his late teens after watching his brothers, who were on the Finnish national team.[citation needed] Aged 17, he had won a silver medal at the Finnish Bodybuilding Championship. He also worked a wide variety of jobs, includingfishmonger, gatekeeper, glass cutter, singer,page, stuntman, TV and radio presenter, and coach.[citation needed] He later enlisted in the Finnish army and continued his training with the Finnish military sports team. After leaving the army, he became involved in boxing and worked as a bouncer in bars.[8]
Halme developed a fascination with the United States after seeingMartin Scorsese’s filmTaxi Driver at the age of 12, Halme also had a dream to get to theGold's Gym and see it.[9] He left Finland to live inLos Angeles in the 1980s and lived there for 15 years. He resumed bodybuilding in the US also and began to takeanabolic steroids regularly. He worked as abodyguard for the music groupCheap Trick and musicianGene Simmons, and also as an actor, professional wrestler and a boxer.[11]
Halme was trained byVerne Gagne as a powerhouseprofessional wrestler. In 1990, he wrestled in New Zealand losing toTom Magee.
He made his debut forHerb Abrams'sUniversal Wrestling Federation (UWF) on October 29, 1990 as The Viking. In his first match, he defeated The Patriot, not to be confused with Del Wilkes, but a no name wrestler with a mask.[3][12] He then went on to defeat Kevin Benjamin.
On October 25, 1990, Halme made his debut for the Japanese promotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), defeatingThe Soul Taker in what was billed as a "boxer vs. wrestler" match.[5] Halme was brought in as an outsider and billed as a professional boxing champion with his matches billed asMixed martial arts matches.[5] He was instantly pushed as a big deal, scoring wins over the likes ofScott Norton,Vader and most notablyShinya Hashimoto on December 26, 1990.[2][5][13] Halme was main eventing shows regularly as he was pushed as the biggest star of a crew that included the likes ofBobby Eaton,Chris Benoit,Dean Malenko,Eddy Guerrero andFit Finlay.[5] Despite Halme not getting over with NJPW fans, the company was doing strong business during his push.[5]
On April 30, 1991, Halme defeatedMasashi Aoyagi in a boxer versus karate match.[2][5][14] He remained undefeated in NJPW until September 23, 1991, when he was defeated by Shinya Hashimoto in their third match against each other in front of 18,000 fans at theYokohama Arena.[5] While Halme's matches with Hashimoto were not considered quality matches, he has been credited with helping Hashimoto take his career to another level as the win made Hashimoto look like a "real fighter" as opposed to a professional wrestler.[5] Halme's "boxer versus wrestler" gimmick was ended on October 18, 1991, when he was defeated by Vader.[5]
In 1992, Halme was teamed in matches with Scott Norton,Bam Bam Bigelow andBarry Windham.[2][15] He also competed in the NJPW Super Grade Tag League II teaming withMasahiro Chono, together scoring 8 points and finishing fourth overall.[2][16] The tournament was won by Shinya Hashimoto andRiki Choshu.[16] On November 22, 1992, Halme and Norton won theIWGP Tag Team Championship fromThe Steiner Brothers (Rick andScott).[2][15][17] However, the next night, Halme and Norton were forced to face each other with separate tag team partners with Halme andRon Powers losing to Norton and TNT.[2][15]
On December 14, Halme and Norton lost the IWGP Tag Team Championship to theHell Raisers (Hawk Warrior andPower Warrior).[17] On January 4, 1993, atFantastic Story in Tokyo Dome (in North America aired on PPV asWCW/New Japan Supershow III), Halme was pinned byRon Simmons.[2][18] On February 16, 1993, Halme teamed up withMonsieur Rambo for the IWGP Tag Team Championship against the Hell Raisers, but lost.[2][19]
Behind the scenes, Halme started having problems with Hawk Warrior and Scott Norton.[5] It also came out that Halme had knocked out Norton in a legitimate street fight, though some claimed this was the result of a sucker punch by Halme. Fearing that Norton would be looking for retribution on Halme, NJPW officials took a secret vote on what to do with the two.[5] Afterwards, Halme started losing matches more regularly and eventually left the promotion in June 1993.[5] His last match took place on June 17, when he andThe Barbarian lost toJohn Tenta andHaku.[2][19]
OnSuperstars aired on July 24, Halme debuted in theWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF) asLudvig Borga, aheel Finn who appeared in a series of vignettes castigating Americans for their perceived deficiencies in issues such as environmental laws and their educational system. His singlet was adorned with theFinnish flag, and his entrance music wasMaamme, the country'snational anthem. After an initial streak ofsquash victories overjobbers,[20] Borga defeated formerIntercontinental ChampionMarty Jannetty atSummerSlam.[2][21]
Borga was immediately pushed to main event status as he entered a feud with the federation's topbabyface, "Made in the USA"Lex Luger. On the October 30, 1993 edition ofSuperstars (filmed September 28), Borga had the biggest win of his career when he endedTatanka's undefeated streak of nearly two years, dominating him throughout their match and ultimately knocking him out with a steel chair while the referee was distracted byMr. Fuji at ringside. In a mockery of Luger's past "Narcissist" gimmick, Borga pinned Tatanka with one finger.[20] AtSurvivor Series, Borga participated in the main event, teaming up withYokozuna,Quebecer Jacques andCrush as the "Foreign Fanatics" against "All-Americans" Lex Luger,The Undertaker andThe Steiner Brothers.[22] Borga and Luger were the final two remaining participants and Borga was eliminated by Luger after a running forearm smash.[22] On December 14, Borga pinnedIntercontinental ChampionRazor Ramon at ahouse show, but the win was overturned and the match resumed because Razor's foot was on the bottom rope. Borga pinned Razor again afterShawn Michaels hit Razor with a title belt, but the decision was reversed and Borga disqualified.[3][23]
On January 17, 1994, Halme injured his ankle in a match withRick Steiner, forcing the WWF to cancel future plans for the Borga character that included a scheduled appearance at the1994 Royal Rumble and a proposedWrestleMania X match againstEarthquake, Borga was replaced byAdam Bomb who was defeated in seconds. Halme left the company soon after.[24]
After leaving the WWF, Halme returned to UWF forBlackjack Brawl as the Finland Hellraiser Thor againstBob Orton Jr. in a double disqualification.[25]
Halme returned to Japan in August 1994, this time working forFighting Network Rings. During his debut, he defeated Thomas Lurosi by knockout. That Fall, he participated in a Mega Battle Tournament where he defeated Dimitri Petkov and Tarial Bitsadze before losing toAkira Maeda in the third round.
In 1995, lost twice toDick Vrij and once toVolk Han.
He would lose toMitsuya Nagai on January 24, 1996.
His final match with RINGS was a loss toDick Vrij on April 22, 1997.
Halme wrestled as Ludvig Borga forCatch Wrestling Association (CWA) in 1995. On December 20, Borga won theWorld Heavyweight Championship, his first and only singles championship, by defeatingRambo at the1995 Euro Catch Festival. Borga held the title for over a year, including a major title defense againstAugust Smisl at theEuro Catch Festival in July. He then lost the title back to Rambo atEuro Catch Festival on December 21.[26] His final match for the CWA was a boxing match against Tony Richardson, which he won by knocking out Richardson in the fourth round.
After retiring from professional wrestling in 1997, Halme went on to fight in theRINGS andUltimate Fighting Championship, though without appreciable success, notably a 56-second submission loss toRandy Couture atUFC XIII.[27][28]
Early 2000s Tony Halme metVeikko Vallin who got the idea that Halme should run for Finnish parliament. Vallin became Halme's campaign manager and edited a book called Viikingin voimaopas, which was used to finance the election campaign. Halme became a member of theFinns Party and entered parliament in the2003 parliamentary elections and during his parliamentary career, Halme raised controversies. The day after the elections, Halme referred toPresidentTarja Halonen as a lesbian in a radio interview. Halme stated that if a lesbian can be president of Finland and he can be a member of Parliament, anything seems possible. A huge uproar ensued as much of the Finnish media treated the statement as a personal attack on Halonen; Halonen herself made no comment. Halme later apologized, stating that he was sorry that the statement had been interpreted as an insult and that he had been under the genuine impression that Halonen was a lesbian.[29] Halme opted not to run for re-election in2007 due to health issues.
Halme was also elected to theCity Council of Helsinki in the2004 municipal elections, but announced he would not participate in the council's activities. His term officially ended in 2008.
Halme began hiscompulsory military service on October 1983, at the military base ofPioneeripuisto [fi] inKoria, Finland. Halme received several travel bans because he did not return from vacation on time and was also guilty of assault and battery.
Halme had aSchutzstaffel tattoo on his calf.[30] Borga was made to put tape over the tattoo when he wrestled in the WWF.
In 1993, Halme divorced his American wife, Adriana Estrada, whom he had met in the U.S. in 1989.[31] With the help of the marriage, Halme got agreen card for the United States. From 1998 to 2005, he was married to Katja Talus.[32]
During his years in the U.S., Halme was convicted of firearm offenses in the 1990s, and in February 1999, he was in theSan Pedro detention center, Los Angeles, for two weeks before he was deported from the U.S.[33]
On July 4, 2003, a handgun was fired inside Halme's apartment.[34] No one was injured, but the gun was unlicensed. Halme was subsequently hospitalized, as he had only days before been in a boxing match and was using prescription painkillers, but his blood had additionally contained trace amounts ofamphetamines, while a police search of his House of Parliament office turned up illegal steroids. Halme claimed that somebody had put the amphetamines into his drink without his knowledge. In January 2004, his trial was broadcast live on television by theMTV3digital television channel. Halme received a four-month suspended sentence and a fine,[35] but continued to serve as Member of Parliament. In 2006, he was convicted fordriving while impaired.
In early March 2006, Halme was involuntarily committed to a mental hospital, reportedly due todelirium caused by excessive alcohol use. Earlier in 2006 he had been diagnosed with alcohol-relatedcirrhosis andacute pancreatitis. After spending almost the entire year of 2006 on sick leave, he went on disability pension at end of the Parliamentary term.
In December 2009, Halme told a newspaper that he was suffering from impairment of his short-term memory and had trouble remembering anything, but was still trying to write a book on his political career.[36]
On January 8, 2010, two days after his 47th birthday, Halme died from aself-inflicted gunshot wound, from an unlicensed handgun. His body was found two days later at his home in Helsinki,Herttoniemi.[37]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Lionheart | Security guard | |
| 1991 | The Master Demon | Viktor | |
| 1994 | Death Match | Han's #1 Bodyguard | |
| 1995 | Zhong Guo long | ||
| 1995 | Fist of the North Star | Kemp | |
| 1995 | Die Hard with a Vengeance | Roman | |
| 1996 | American Tigers | Dettman | |
| 1998 | Whatever It Takes | Opponent | |
| 2001 | Ponterosa | Mauri | |
| 2003 | Kohtalon kirja | the Commander | (final film role) |
Halme authored five books and recorded one album calledMestarit salilla. Halme had a modest film career starring in Finnish moviesPonterosa andKohtalon kirja, and in 1995 had small roles overseas inDie Hard with a Vengeance andFist of the North Star. Halme was also cast in aminor role in the 1997blockbuster filmTitanic but had to withdraw due to a filming delay.[38]
In 1993, Halme's professional wrestling persona was part of the Japanese wrestling video gameShin Nippon Pro Wrestling: Chou Senshi in Tokyo Dome forSuper Famicom (Super Nintendo Entertainment System).[39]
In 2022, a Finnish documentary filmViikinki (dokumenttielokuva) [fi] explored Tony Halme's entire life.
Halme was featured onVice Media'sDark Side of the Ring season 6 broadcast in April 2025.[40]
| 19 fights | 13 wins | 6 losses |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 10 | 5 |
| By decision | 3 | 0 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Win | 13–6 |  Chris Sirengo | UD | 6 | 29 Nov 2002 |  Töölö Sports Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 18 | Loss | 12–6 |  Garing Lane | RTD | 4 (6),3:00 | 13 Oct 2001 |  Parken Stadium,Copenhagen, Denmark | |
| 17 | Win | 12–5 |  Almaz Gismejev | RTD | 3 (8),2:00 | 20 Feb 2001 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 16 | Loss | 11–5 |  Yacine Kingbo | KO | 2 (12),3:00 | 3 Oct 2000 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 15 | Win | 11–4 | Mika Kihlström | KO | 4 (10),1:18 | 17 Apr 2000 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | Won Finnish heavyweight title |
| 14 | Win | 10–4 |  Ferenc Deák | KO | 1,2:59 | 22 Nov 1999 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 13 | Loss | 9–4 |  Agustin Corpus | KO | 3,1:38 | 6 Sep 1999 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 12 | Win | 9–3 | Iran Barkley | SD | 12 | 19 Apr 1999 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | Won vacantWBF (Federation) Americas heavyweight title |
| 11 | Win | 8–3 | Ken Woods | KO | 2,1:07 | 16 Nov 1998 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 10 | Loss | 7–3 | Mika Kihlström | TKO | 5 (10),1:57 | 14 Sep 1998 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | Lost Finnish heavyweight title |
| 9 | Win | 7–2 | Terry Armstrong | KO | 1,1:37 | 16 Mar 1998 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 8 | Win | 6–2 | Jukka Järvinen [fi] | KO | 1 (10),2:22 | 29 Sep 1997 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | Won Finnish heavyweight title |
| 7 | Win | 5–2 | Paul Genick | KO | 1,0:17 | 6 Sep 1997 | Tropworld Casino and Entertainment Resort,Atlantic City, New Jersey, US | |
| 6 | Loss | 4–2 | Jukka Järvinen [fi] | DQ | 3 (10),2:54 | 9 Sep 1996 | Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland | For vacant Finnishheavyweight title; Halme disqualified for repeated headbutts |
| 5 | Win | 4–1 | Robert Swenson | KO | 1,2:28 | 26 May 1996 | Urheilutalo, Helsinki, Finland | |
| 4 | Loss | 3–1 | Patrick Freeman | KO | 4 (4),2:55 | 27 Apr 1996 | The Aladdin, Paradise, Nevada, US | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Tony Messenger | TKO | 1,1:27 | 4 Mar 1996 | Helsinki, Finland | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Archie Perry | PTS | 5 | 26 Jun 1995 | Great Western Forum,Inglewood, California, US | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Bradford Powell | KO | 1 (4),0:55 | 10 Jun 1995 | Caesars Palace,Paradise, Nevada, US |
| 5 matches | 1 win | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 1 | 2 |
| By submission | 0 | 1 |
| By decision | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1–4 | Randy Couture | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 13: Ultimate Force | May 30, 1997 | 1 | 0:56 | Augusta,Georgia, USA | |
| Loss | 1–3 | Dick Vrij | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Rings - Extension Fighting 2 | April 22, 1997 | 1 | 2:42 | Japan | |
| Loss | 1–2 | Mitsuya Nagai | Submission | Rings - Budokan Hall 1996 | January 24, 1996 | 1 | 8:58 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 1–1 | Dick Vrij | KO | Rings - Budokan Hall 1995 | January 25, 1995 | 1 | 2:55 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 1–0 | Tariel Bitsadze | KO | Rings: Battle Dimensions Tournament 1994[42] | October 23, 1994 | 1 | N/A | Tokyo, Japan |
In addition to fighting mixed martial arts, Halme also performed as a professional wrestler, competing as "Ludvig Borga" in the World Wrestling Federation in the early 1990s. He also boxed professionally, finishing with a 13-6 record.
(#7) Tony Halme is most known for his time in the WWE back in the early 90s. Under the name Ludvig Borga, Halme was one of the company's top bad guys playing a foreign menace who was going to take out the WWE's American heroes. After a short stint in the WWE, Halme left the squared circle and stepped into the octagon. In 1997, at UFC 13, Halme competed in the one-night UFC heavyweight tournament. In the first round, he fought a future hall of famer, making his MMA debut, Randy Couture. The future UFC Champion took just a minute to submit Halme. Couture went on to win the tournament and had a legendary career.
Tony Halme, best remembered in the MMA world as the first opponent of Randy Couture in the UFC, has died at 47, according to The Associated Press.[...] In May 1997, after fighting a few times in the Japan-based RINGS organization, Halme fought Couture at UFC 13. Couture won by rear naked choke in only 56 seconds. Halme never again competed in MMA.
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