Frank Andersson
Frank Andersson at the Swedish Sports Awards inside the Stockholm Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden in January 2014
Birth nameFrank Öivind Stefan Andersson
Born(1956-05-09)9 May 1956
Trollhättan, Sweden[1]
Died9 September 2018(2018-09-09) (aged 62)
Stockholm, Sweden
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Frank Andersson
Billed height185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Billed weight106 kg (234 lb; 16.7 st)
Trained byBrad Rheingans[1]
WCW Power Plant[1]
Debut3 May 1991[2]
Retired2014

Frank Öivind Stefan Andersson (9 May 1956 – 9 September 2018) was a Swedish amateur wrestler and entertainer. He started in amateur wrestling, winning several world championship gold medals as well as a bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He later became a professional wrestler with mixed success. He was also a television personality appearing on several Swedish reality and game shows.

Amateur wrestling career

Medal record
Men's Greco-Roman wrestling
Representing  Sweden
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place1984 Los AngelesLight heavyweight
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1977 Gothenburg90 kg
Gold medal – first place1979 San Diego90 kg
Gold medal – first place1982 Katowice90 kg

Frank Andersson's amateur wrestling career included gold medals at the 1973 and 1975 Junior World Championships and as he got older he wrestled at a number of Greco-Roman wrestling World Championships over the years.[3] In 1977, 1979 and 1982 he won the gold medal in the 90 kg (200 lb; 14 st) division.[3] He also took the silver medal in 1978 and 1981. The pinnacle of his amateur wrestling career came in 1984 at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where he won a bronze medal in the 90 kg weight division.[4] In addition to his in ring achievements, Andersson was awarded the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal in 1977.[5] He was inducted in the Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006.[6]

Professional wrestling career

Andersson was trained for his professional career by Brad Rheingans, a former Olympian as well, and made his debut on 3 May 1991 for the American Wrestling Association, defeating Randy Thornton, who also debuted.[7] Within months, he went to Japan, wrestling for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) teaming with Rheingans.[8]

On April 8, 1993, he worked one night only for the WWE when he defeated Red Tyler in Paris, France at a European Tour show.

In 1994, he signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), based in Atlanta.[9] Andersson would win upset victories over Booker T., Stevie Ray and Alex Wright. He retired in 1995.[10]

Andersson made his comeback in 2014 for STHLM, a promotion based in Stockholm, Sweden. Teaming with Jim Duggan in a tag match. He won the STHLM title on 6 September when he defeated Ken Malmsteen in the main event.[11]

Media career

He was a participant on Let's Dance 2011, the Swedish version of Strictly Come Dancing / Dancing with the Stars, where he finished second.[12][13]

In his youth Andersson recorded the music single "Frank's Disco", the song contains music and Andersson being interviewed in the background.[14]

Andersson also appeared in the film Göta Kanal in 1981.[15] He participated as a celebrity contestant on Expedition Robinson V.I.P.[16] He also appeared on the seventh season of Mästarnas mästare; broadcast on SVT, he was the first to be eliminated.[17]

Personal life

Andersson was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in 2010.[18]

Death

In late August 2018, Andersson was admitted to hospital with heart problems.[19] On 6 September, Andersson went through surgery. A few days later, he developed complications, and on 9 September 2018, he died at the age of 62.[19][20][21][22]

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Frank Andersson". Cagematch.net. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Frank Andersson". WrestlingData.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 ""K*ken måste ju ha sitt" – och andra Frank Andersson-klassiker". Expressen (in Swedish). 9 May 2016. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "All-Olympic results since 1896". International Olympic Committee. 28 July 1984. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  5. ↑ "Bragdmedaljörer genom tiderna "Feat medals of all time"". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 6 December 2005. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  6. ↑ "Frank Andersson invald i Hall of Fame" (in Swedish). SVT. 27 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "Frank Andersson". WrestlingData.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "Frank Andersson". Online World of Wrestling. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "Frank Andersson's contract signing with Eric Bischoff". WCW (Swedish). Archived from the original on 21 December 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2018 – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Hon blev blåst av OS-stjärnan - Kvällsposten". Expressen. 28 August 2010. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  11. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "STHLM Return Of The King « Events Database". Cagematch.net. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Frank Andersson: "Det känns som en seger" - Let's dance" (in Swedish). TV4. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  13. ↑ "Frank Andersson är död". Göteborgs-Posten. 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  14. ↑ Frank Andersson Ett herrans med Fredrik och Filip, Kanal 5. 13 April 2006.
  15. ↑ "Göta Kanal eller Vem drog ur proppen? (1981)" (in Swedish). Svensk Filmdatabas. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  16. ↑ "De är med i nya "Robinson VIP"". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 10 July 2004. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "Frank fick lämna "Mästarnas mästare": Han var för sjuk". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 3 May 2015. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  18. ↑ Prage, Ninna; Lundberg, Zandra (28 January 2011). "Frank har adhd". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  19. 1 2 "Frank Andersson är död - blev 62 år gammal". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  20. ↑ Dahl, Amanda; Fransson, Martin (9 September 2018). "Frank Andersson har avlidit". Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  21. ↑ "Frank Andersson - Swedish professional wrestler, died on Sunday September 9th 2018 at age 62". Dead People. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  22. ↑ "Frank Andersson är död". Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). 9 September 2018. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  23. ↑ "Frank Andersson Ny Mästare i STHLM W!" (in Swedish). STHLM. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  24. ↑ "Legendaren Frank Andersson på sjukhus – nu tvingas han till akut operation" (in Swedish). Sportbibeln. 5 September 2018. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  25. ↑ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Awards « Frank Andersson « Wrestlers Database". Cagematch.net. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  26. ↑ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated". pwi-online.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
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