Colonel DeBeers Passes Away at Age 80

Former NWA and American Wrestling Association wrestler Colonel DeBeers, real name Edward Wiskoski, passed away at the age of 80.

Wiskoski’s passing was first announced by the Cauliflower Alley Club earlier today on Twitter.

It is with profound sadness that the Cauliflower Alley Club announces the passing of Ed Wiskowski, better known to wrestling fan as Colonel DeBeers, at the age of 80. We extend our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fans worldwide. Thank for the memories. R.I.P. Sir pic.twitter.com/pT150vSIY3

— Cauliflower Alley Club (@CACReunion) January 26, 2025

Pebble Creek Softball league announced on their official Facebook page that Wiskoski had passed away on Wednesday, January 22nd due to an undisclosed illness.

“William “Ed” Wiskoski (aka The Colonel) passed away on January 22nd following a short reoccurrence of an illness. He was formerly a professional wrestler known as “Colonel DeBeers”, but more recently a player and teammate for a few years in our League.”

Wiskoski’s professional wrestling career spanned from 1972 to 2005 and was most known for his time in AWA from 1985 to 1991. Besides the AWA, Wiskoski had notable stints in NWA Pacific Northwest Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Federation. Wiskoski also had a notable stint in WWF in 1983 and worked under the ring name of The Polish Prince.

Wiskoski was most known for his Colonel DeBeers character in the AWA, which was a pro-Apartheid character playing on the real-life controversial race relations and political climate of South Africa during that time. The DeBeers character was also implied to be associated with the South Africa-based diamond mining company DeBeers Group.

Wiskoski was also most known for his memorable feuds with “Big Scott Hall, “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, and Sgt. Slaughter in the mid-1980s in AWA. DeBeers’ feud with Snuka being his most notorious of his career revolving around the DeBeers’ character overt racism towards Snuka in an era of wrestling known for characters and feuds being based on racial stereotypes. The DeBeers’ character took it to another level by him actively refusing to wrestle Snuka because he was not white.

Following his departure from AWA in 1991, Wiskoski worked for UWF and was involved in more controversy based on race over his DeBeers character. DeBeers was known for not wanting his matches to be referees by Larry Sampson, an African American man, and went as far at one point by stating prior to his match with Billy Jack Hayes that “I will not have a black man refereeing my matches.” This resulted in Sampson being replaced as the match referee. DeBeers was also involved in physical incidents with Sampson attacking him on two occasions following his matches as part of his longtime feud with Sampson in the company.

The DeBeers character would be involved in further race-related controversies during the 1990s over DeBeers promoting the Aryan Nation and Church of Jesus Christ–Christian during his wrestling performances.

Wiskoski notable wrestling career achievements and accolades included being a two-time NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion, one-time NWA Pacific Northwest Television Champion, five-time NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion, one-time Central States Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, and a one-time NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion (Florida version).