11/11/23 - Remembering Ripper Collins
Roy Lee Albern known by the ring name Ripper Collins, was an American professional wrestler, who primarily wrestled for 50th State Big Time Wrestling, also known as NWA Hawaii.
He made his debut for 50th State Big Time Wrestling in 1965, finding success there for most of his career as a heel, and would often compete in mixed tag team matches with his wife Barbara.
On January 4, 1966, Collins and Johnny Barend defeated Bearcat Wright and Luther Lindsay to win the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Championship.
He won the titles for a second time with King Curtis Iaukea on May 3, 1967.
Collins would hold the tag team titles twelve more times with different partners including "Crazy" Luke Graham, Buddy Austin, Mad Dog Mayne, and Ed Francis.
On November 28, 1973, Collins and Johnny Valentine won the titles by defeating Sam Steamboat and Peter Maivia, but the titles were then vacated and remained inactive until 1977.
In 1978, Collins won the titles for the fourteenth and final time with Whipper Watson Jr. and dropped the titles in 1979.
On January 19, 1966, Collins defeated Ron Reed to win the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship.
On October 29, 1969, Collins won the championship from Pampero Firpo, and had reigns with the title over the next two years, whilst engaging in a feud with Sam Steamboat.
Collins had his first reign with the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship on May 12, 1967, defeating Tony Borne.
He next held the title after defeating Jimmy Snuka on January 12, 1974.
In 1976, he wrestled for Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, where on February 20, Collins and Don Gagne defeated Ed and Jerry Morrow to win the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship they held it until April 2, when they lost to Lumberjack Luke and Prince Tapu.
However, Collins and Bobby Bass defeated Luke and Tapu a week later to win back the titles, before dropping them on May 7 to Gama Singh and Crary Stevenson.
He last held the tag team titles with Larry Sharpe which they had won from the Morrows on September 24, before dropping it back to them in October.
In 1980, Collins spent the final part of his career for NWA Polynesian Wrestling, winning the NWA Polynesian Pacific Heavyweight Championship.
Albern died at the Straub Hospital in Oahu, Hawaii on November 12, 1991, at the age of 58. He had been suffering from melanoma, a form of skin cancer which had started in his armpits.
