Insane Insights From Dark Side Of The Ring: Johnny K9
One of the strongest parts of watching documentaries is learning information that wasn't known previously. Dark Side of the Ring has done that with topics covered throughout their series. One episode the show did this when they covered pro wrestler Ion Croitoru who wrestled as Johnny K-9 and Bruiser Bedlam. When he was originally chosen as a topic many fans had no idea who this guy was. It was the same feelings fans got with the Chris Colt episode. Ion Croitoru has had a dark life and he has participated in so many crazy moments out of the ring.
10. Johnny K-9 Was One Of The More Notable Jobbers In The 1980’s
The term often thrown around in professional wrestling is Jobber. A jobber is a wrestler who gets paid to lose and make the other wrestler look stronger. They are sort of like enhancement talent. Some notable names classified as jobbers are Barry Horowitz, Gillberg, James Ellsworth, and The Brooklyn Brawler.
In the 1980’s the more notable jobber was Johnny K-9 and he put over a lot of notable names. In the documentary, they showed his matches against Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Hulk Hogan, and Tito Santana. He was such a highly profiled Jobber that even Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby “The Brian” Heenan talked about him on a segment on TV. That doesn't happen much in today's wrestling world.
9. Ion Croitoru (Johnny K-9) Had A Rough Childhood
Croitoru was known as one of the legit tough guys in the wrestling business. A big reason why he was tough was due to how rough his childhood was. He was abused by an alcoholic father on numerous occasions. One of the stories told, was during Christmas. Croitoru’s father got so drunk that not only did he beat his wife but would chase his kids around with a broom. Ion was so scared he would hide under the bed and climb the steel frame to avoid getting hit with the broom while underneath the bed.
Shame on Ion’s father for doing that as no kid should ever have to grow up in that type of environment. It was clear that his childhood not only would be a factor in being a legit tough guy in wrestling, but also why he also fell into the crime world.
8. Johnny K-9 Would Threaten Promotors Who Stiffed Him Or Others On Pay
Back in the old days of wrestling, promoters would often stiff wrestlers on pay. It is still done in smaller independent wrestling companies today, but back in the day, the top companies would do it as well. Wrestlers were scared to speak up, and if they did, they probably would not be booked by that company ever again. Johnny K-9 did not care about that.
According to former pro wrestler Scott D’Amore, was stiffed out of a significant amount of money early in his career at an event he traveled with Johnny. Johnny K-9 stormed out of the car to find the promoter to threaten him and choked the promoter until he gave D’Amore his money.
D’Amore was terrified that he was going to be blackballed and Johnny K-9 was going to kill him. Luckily nobody died and the promoter paid D’Amore. Johnny K-9 was happy and said that "he won’t stiff you or me from money ever again". D'Amore was right, because both he and Johnny K-9 were never booked in that promotion ever again.
7. Backstory Behind The “True to the Crew” Tattoo
When looking at photos of Johnny K-9, what stands out, is the big tattoo on his belly. Jim Cornette saw that tattoo, along with how big of a physique Johnny K-9 had, and wanted this man in Smokey Mountain Wrestling (SMW).
The story behind that tattoo is crazier. When Johnny K-9 was in prison, he bonded with a lot of inmates, and they agreed once they got out of prison, they would get a tattoo. The tattoo would be "True to the Crew". According to Ion Croitoru, once a person says they are going to do something in jail, you can’t back out of it. That was one of Johnny K-9's rules and once he got out of jail, he got the tattoo.
It is so strange that he did that and even Jim Cornette still doesn't understand to this day. The tattoo made Jim Cornette question, whether Johnny K-9 chose a life of crime, or the life of crime just chose him.
6. What Attracted Johnny K-9 To The Satan’s Choice Motorcycle Club
The documentary starts diving into his ties with the Satan’s Choice Motorcycle Club. At the time he joined, it was a rising criminal organization and it still is a group today.
There were two reasons why he joined with them. The first reason is the money he made. According to his wife, he made 20-30 thousand every twenty minutes. It also helped that he was rising the ranks a lot more quickly than others. The more money he made, the happier he became.
The second reason is due to him wanting to be like his brother. His older brother was with the Red Devil gang and would always come home on a motorcycle. The gang sometimes even all come to the house with his brother and it attracted Johnny K-9.
Ever since those moments he always wanted to be a part of a biker gang and that just triggered him to join the club and work the ranks.
5. Johnny K-9 Was Living With Chris Jericho During Their SMW Days
Chris Jericho is one of the greatest professional wrestlers to ever step into the ring. Many forget that he also wrestled for Smokey Mountain Wrestling. At SMW there would be a flophouse where wrestlers would live with each other for the upcoming event. Johnny K-9 would always room with Chris Jericho.
Johnny K-9 was a good roommate and always did his share around the house. Jericho even revealed that the way he did dishes was bizarre. He would hold the dish by the water and just quickly shake it. Once shaken he would just put the dishes in the cabinet and the plates would always have food crusted all over. It got to the point that Jericho told him to do garbage duty only, with how badly he washed dishes. One can only hope that Johnny K-9 never worked at a restaurant as a dishwasher, because that's disgusting.
4. Macho Man Randy Savage Wanted To Put Johnny K-9 Over
The documentary then dives into the peak of Johnny K-9's career. Johnny K-9 now going under the name Bruiser Bedlam in SMW was one of the top heels in the company. Bedlam was booked in a match with the Macho Man in SMW in a one-night appearance for Savage.
Savage decided to go up to Jim Cornette who was the booker of the Company and recommended that he would lose to Bedlam. He wanted to help make Bedlam the top star of the company. Macho Man explained to Cornette that you only got him for one night, Bedlam is going to be here longer, have him beat me and make him your top heel. Cournette agreed and Randy Savage took the pin in the match he had with Bedlam.
Stories like this are why Randy Savage is always respected in the business. He had a reputation when doing one-night deals with companies to always put over the Top Heel of the company.
3. He Was Involved In Bombing A Police Station
The documentary dives into the crimes he committed and the one that he is most associated with, which is bombing a police station
Johnny K-9 formed a partnership with a rival gang member named Michel Dube. Michel Dube is regarded as one of the most violent bikers ever. They decided to go to a strip club called the Solid Gold. The club had a policy where nobody was allowed to wear their colors or patches. Johnny was a prideful guy and loved showcasing that he was in a motorcycle gang by showing his colors. He entered the club with the colors on to send a message that he meant business. The club refused to serve him and it led to an altercation where the police were called.
The gangs backed down and both Johnny K-9 along with Dube were pissed. So they decide to start plans to bomb the strip club. Once the explosives arrived the group was about to bomb the club.
Johnny K-9 didn't know that there was a change of plans in the process. Michel Dube decided to bomb a police station instead of the strip club. The bomb was placed in an alleyway where the police station was and it blew a hole in a brick wall. Johnny K-9 was confused when the bomb was at the wrong location.
This turned out to be a tremendous mistake as the police stormed the Satan's Choice headquarters. 50 SWAT team members came to Johnny K-9's house and arrested him. The bombing would ultimately result in him being thrown out of the Satan’s Choice gang, Johnny’s family leaving for Vancouver, and being sentenced to 33 Months in prison. Later in life, he was also alleged to be involved in a double murder as well.
This was not mentioned in the documentary, but Michel Dube did this bombing because he hated the police. He was arrested not only for the bombing but for multiple counts of murder. Consumed with depression, Dube took his own life in prison while awaiting sentencing. He was 39 years old.
2. Johnny K-9 Involvement With The United Nations Gang
Many years passed and Johnny K-9 realized that he needed to make money to support his family. Johnny tried the movie industry and wanted to open his wrestling school, but it did not work out well.
The only thing Johnny knew was crime and he decided to join another gang called the United Nations. Johnny K-9 sold marijuana for the gang and he kept the product all over his house. He even soaked the drug in Coca-Cola and Whisky to make it weigh more as a tactic to raise the price.
Johnny K-9 was back making 20-30 grand a week like he did in his Satan Choice days.
He was living large until a botched hit took the life of an innocent person resulting in Johnny facing life in prison. No matter what he did, Johnny just could not get out of the life of crime.
1. His Death Is A Mystery To This Day
Johnny K-9 was discovered deceased in a halfway house on February 21st, 2017. A police investigation into his death yielded several theories.
Theory #1 – Heart Attack
This is the theory that the police believe happened in their investigation. They believed the way he lived had an effect on his heart and it ultimately killed him
Theory #2 – Drug Overdose
According to a fellow gang member who worked with Johnny K-9, a lot of people were trying to kill him. Johnny ratted out a few people in the gangs and they had a fear he would keep doing it. There were talks that he was killed by someone via a drug overdose by forcing him to take a drug labeled as a "Hot Shot"
Theory #3 Suicide
Another theory was that the stress got to Johnny K-9 and realizing that there was no way out, he decided to commit suicide.
Theory #4 Respiratory Illness/Lung Issue
This is the theory according to his wife Tracey. She believes that it was a Lung issue. Johnny K-9 got maced by the police in prison and they had to scrape his lungs. That incident contributed to his death.
It will never be known 100% how he died and there is no public release of his autopsy. One thing for sure is that he died in a very suspicious way. Could all of the theories above be true? Maybe, but it was clear he had a lot of people coming after him due to his choices in life. His story was not going to have a happy ending.
My Thoughts On The Documentary
This was a well-made documentary on a wrestler that I did not know about. The man was a nice guy to many in wrestling and in the locker room. His falling into a life of crime with many chances at a new life can’t be ignored.
MVP of the documentary I have to give to Johnny K-9’s wife Tracey. Getting her on the documentary was a big get as this was the first time she came to the public and spoke about this. Scott D’Amore, Jim Cornette, Lance Storm, Chris Jericho, and the police were great speaking points. The gang member interviewed was a good talking point as well. Well done to the Vice crew for making this documentary.