 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Cozman (1964-08-28)August 28, 1964 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Died | November 28, 2016 (aged 52) Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Danny Young John Cozman Principal Richard Pound Richard Pound |
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Billed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Trained by | Archie Gouldie |
| Debut | October 29, 1983 |
| Retired | October 2013 |
John Cozman (August 28, 1964 – November 28, 2016) was a Canadianprofessional wrestler and trainer, known by hisring name "Principal"Richard Pound, who competed in North American independent promotions, most notably as a mainstay ofStampede Wrestling during the 1980s and late 1990s.
Born inRegina, Saskatchewan, Cozman became a fan of professional wrestling and often attended local house shows with his father growing up. Interested in pursuing a career in professional wrestling, he eventually became friends with wrestling photographerBob Leonard. In 1984, Leonard introduced him toArchie Gouldie and began training under him soon after.
Working with Gouldie during the next six months, he eventually made his professional debut in Stampede Wrestling in early 1985. Touringthe Maritimes withEmile Duprée'sGrand Prix Wrestling with Gouldie andLeo Burke during the summer as "Danny Young", he also traveled to the United States following Gouldie and Burke to Texas where they wrestled for promoter Joe Blanchard. During the next five years, Cozman would work exclusively for Stampede Wrestling, feuding withKerry Brown before the promotion closed in 1990.
Retiring from professional wrestling, Cozman worked as a security guard during the next several years although, during 1995, he and Venom would spend three months training wrestlers for the Prairie Wrestling Alliance although the promoter later decided against starting the promotion.[1]
In 1997, he became involved inWild West Wrestling when the promotion began holding events in Saskatchewan. Later that year, while at a WWF house show in Regina with Bob Leonard,Bruce andOwen Hart, an outline for anin-ring persona was discussed in order to arrange a tryout with the World Wrestling Federation.
Cozman talked withJim Cornette about entering the WWF, however, Cozman and Bruce Hart continued working on a character outline and later brought in Cozman with the character when he reopened Stampede Wrestling in 1999. Making his debut as "Principal" Richard Pound, Cozman soon began one of the most dominant "heels" in the promotion as leader of the stableThe Honor Roll and later defeatedTiger Khan andGreg Pawluk in a three-way match for the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Champion inCalgary, Alberta on November 5, 1999. Cozman would become the first champion since the promotion closed in December 1989.
DefeatingTatanka for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship in April 2000, he later lost the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight title to Tiger Mahatma Khan on June 2. The winner of the match would earn a match againstSabu for theStampede Pacific Heavyweight Championship on June 9.[2]
Cozman would continue defending the Stampede North American title until losing to Bruce Hart on April 13, 2001. The following month, he was backstage with several other Canadian independent wrestlers such as"Wildman" Gary Williams atMonday Night Raw when the WWF toured Alberta in late May. Although he did not compete at the event, he was later invited by the WWF for a tryout match inTacoma orSeattle, Washington in June.[3]
Appearing at the fourth annualBrian Pillman Memorial Show, he represented Stampede Wrestling in an interpromotional match losing toEast Coast Wrestling Association veteranJ.R. Ryder inCincinnati, Ohio in August 2001. In negotiations withSonny Onoo to tourGreat Britain withWrestleXpress in March 2002,[4] he later faced Bruce Hart on the undercard of the Stampede Wrestling 50th Anniversary Show at theOgden Legion inCalgary, Alberta on May 1, 2003.[5] In late 2004, he also faced Wavell Starr andZack Mercury while inRenegade Wrestling.
Leaving Stampede Wrestling in 2005, he touredWestern Canada with various independent promotions and, in a tag team match with"Taylormade" Todd Myers, Cozman lost toBig Daddy Kash andThe Honky Tonk Man in an event forHigh Impact Wrestling Canada in Regina on March 24, 2006.[6] He again lost to the Honky Tonk Man in a singles match the next night thanks in part to outside interference by Bob Leonard.
The following month, he made a guest appearance along withEmile Dupree,Hubert Gallant,Rick Martel,Butcher Vachon, promotersAl Zinck and Bob Leonard at a "Recognition Night" banquet honoring the Cormier brothersLeo,Yvon,Rudy Kay, andBobby Kay. The banquet, held in the Cormier's hometown ofMemramcook, New Brunswick, was also part of abluegrass music festival and fundraiser for the local volunteer fire department.[7]
On July 19, after a two-year absence, Cozman returned toHigh Impact Wrestling Canada at Pile O'Bones Rumble XVIII. He was one of the 30 participants in the Pile O'Bones Rumble itself.
Cozman wrestled his final match in October 2013 in Regina, SK against longtime rival, King Kash. A couple of weeks following the match, Cozman was forced to retire due to illness.
On Friday, October 23, 2015, at High Impact Wrestling's "Monster Brawl" event in Regina, SK, John Cozman was inducted into the HIW Hall of Fame by longtime friend, Bob Leonard.
