Pat Patterson

Early Life and Training in Montreal

Pierre Clermont was born into a large, impoverished French-speaking family in the Ville-Marie borough of Montreal on January 19, 1941. Raised Roman Catholic in a two-bedroom apartment with nine siblings, he showed an early inclination for performance, initially considering a path as a singer or figure skater. At the age of 14, his trajectory changed when he began training in professional wrestling at Loisirs Saint Jean Baptiste under local wrestler Gilles "Cyclone" Samson. His father, Sylvio Samson, was a Montreal-area promoter, providing Patterson's early entry into the sport. Patterson debuted professionally in 1958, wrestling at the Palais des Sports under the ring name "Killer" Pat Patterson, a persona he would soon evolve as he honed his craft and developed a reputation for his technical skill and ability to play the villainous "heel" role effectively. He was raised as an altar boy and even expressed interest in the priesthood, but was advised against it by a priest who said he was "too adventurous".

Early Wrestling Career Across North America

In 1961, despite speaking no English, Patterson immigrated to the United States to pursue wrestling, initially joining Tony Santos's Big Time Wrestling promotion in Boston. It was there he met Louie Dondero, who would become his lifelong partner. In 1962, he was recruited by fellow Canadian Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon for Don Owen's Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) promotion in Portland, Oregon. At the encouragement of promoter Harry Elliot, who was aware of Patterson's homosexuality, he developed the flamboyant "Pretty Boy" Pat Patterson character, complete with lipstick, sunglasses, and a beret. During his PNW tenure, Patterson captured several championships, including the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship in 1964 and again in 1965 and 1966, as well as the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship twice in 1964. In 1963, he wrestled in Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma as part of a talent exchange organized by Don Owen before returning to the Pacific Northwest the following year.

In January 1965, Patterson was hired by promoter Roy Shire for his San Francisco-based Big Time Wrestling promotion. At Shire's request, Patterson dyed his hair blond to form a tag team with Ray Stevens known as the Blond Bombers. The duo quickly rose to prominence, winning the NWA World Tag Team Championship in 1965 and 1967. Bret Hart later described the Blond Bombers as "considered by many to be the best tag team of the 1970s". Patterson's success continued with singles accolades, including winning the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship and NWA Brass Knuckles Championship in Amarillo, Texas, in 1968. That same year, he undertook a six-week tour of Japan, facing Antonio Inoki in a series of matches. After Stevens turned face in the late 1960s, the former partners feuded, culminating in a Texas Death match where Stevens won a title from Patterson. In the early 1970s, Patterson employed a masked gimmick where he would hide a foreign object under the mask to add power to his headbutts.

Tenure in Other Promotions Before WWE

Before his permanent move to the WWF, Patterson competed for several other major North American wrestling promotions, adding to his championship pedigree. In 1977, he wrestled for Eddie Graham's Championship Wrestling from Florida promotion, where he won the NWA Florida Television Championship and the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, and also served briefly as the booker. The following year, he joined Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association (AWA) in Minneapolis, reforming The Blond Bombers with Ray Stevens to win the AWA World Tag Team Championship in 1978. He performed intermittently for the AWA until 1983. In 1979, he also toured Japan with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Patterson made a professional return to Quebec starting in 1980, wrestling for the Montreal-based Lutte Internationale promotion. Between 1980 and 1983, he held the Canadian International Tag Team Championship on five separate occasions with various partners, re-establishing his presence for Canadian audiences.

Arrival and Ascendance in the World Wrestling Federation

Patterson joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1979, debuting as a heel managed by The Grand Wizard. His early feuds were with North American Champion Ted DiBiase and WWF Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund. On June 19, 1979, during a television taping in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Patterson defeated DiBiase for the WWF North American Championship by using a pair of brass knuckles, a title he would hold until losing it to Seiji Sakaguchi on November 8. In September 1979, the WWF introduced the Intercontinental Championship as a secondary title for its midcard wrestlers. Patterson was crowned the inaugural champion following a fictional tournament reportedly held in Rio de Janeiro, a storyline that later became an inside joke within the company and was even profiled on WWE.com as an April Fool's joke. He held the Intercontinental Championship until April 21, 1980, when he lost to Ken Patera in a controversial finish in New York City after Patterson's leg was on the ropes during the pinfall.

Patterson's in-ring career in the WWF featured several notable rivalries and matches. His feud with Sgt. Slaughter culminated in an alley street fight at Madison Square Garden on May 4, 1981, which was voted Match of the Year by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Patterson also began working as a colour commentator alongside Vince McMahon on WWF Championship Wrestling from 1980 to 1984. He provided commentary for several historic moments, including The Iron Sheik defeating Bob Backlund for the world title and Hulk Hogan's first WWF Championship win a month later. He was also on the call for Jimmy Snuka's famous leap off a steel cage onto Don Muraco in Madison Square Garden in 1983. Although he retired from full-time wrestling in 1985, he continued to make sporadic in-ring appearances, including teaming with Andre the Giant in Canada in early 1985 and a series of matches in Montreal in 1987, with his final match occurring there in August 1987 against Brutus Beefcake.

Backstage Influence and Creative Legacy

Following his retirement from active competition, Patterson transitioned into a critical backstage role as a road agent and creative consultant, becoming a right-hand man to WWF promoter Vince McMahon, described by journalist Dave Meltzer as "one of the chief architects of the WWE". He is widely credited with inventing the concept and format for the Royal Rumble match, which debuted in 1988 and became one of WWE's premier annual events. Patterson also worked in the talent relations department in the late 1990s. His behind-the-scenes career was briefly interrupted in 1992 when he and colleague Terry Garvin resigned following allegations of sexual harassment made by former announcer Murray Hodgson and former ring boy Tom Cole, who alleged harassment beginning at age 14. After Hodgson rescinded his allegations, Patterson was rehired, while Garvin was fired and later reached a settlement with the company.

Patterson returned to a prominent on-screen role from 1997 to 2000, teaming with Gerald Brisco as Vince McMahon's comedic "stooges." The duo were founding members of The Corporation faction and were involved in numerous storylines with top stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock, even using Hulk Hogan's "Real American" theme music as a parody. Their segments included a notorious 2000 storyline where Patterson won the WWF Hardcore Championship from Brisco by breaking a champagne bottle over his head, hid in the women's locker room in drag, and later lost the title in an Evening Gown match at King of the Ring. Patterson continued to make occasional on-screen appearances in the 2000s, including presenting the revived Intercontinental Championship at Judgment Day in 2003 in a segment where Christian attacked him to steal the title. He officially retired from his producer role in October 2004 but returned as a creative consultant in May 2005 and was a cast member on the WWE Network reality show Legends' House.

Personal Life, Immigration Challenges, and Death

Pat Patterson was openly gay within the wrestling industry from the early 1970s, though it was not publicly acknowledged in WWE storylines until the finale of the WWE Network reality show Legends' House on June 12, 2014. NBC News subsequently described him as "the first openly gay pro wrestling star." His longtime partner was Louie Dondero, whom he met in Boston in the 1960s. The couple were together for 40 years until Dondero's death from a heart attack on June 28, 1998. Patterson's sexuality led to significant personal challenges, particularly with U.S. immigration authorities. From late 1964, the Immigration and Naturalization Service sought evidence to deport him based on his homosexuality, using reports from Portland police about his attendance at gay parties and bars. In November 1966, he was served with a deportation notice and questioned about his effeminacy and sexuality. Despite this, he continued wrestling in the U.S., eventually applying successfully for a green card in 1971 and becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2002. He legally changed his name from Pierre Clermont to Pat Patterson in 2008.

In his final years, Patterson remained connected to WWE. On July 22, 2019, during a Raw Reunion episode, he pinned Drake Maverick backstage to win the WWE 24/7 Championship. At 78 years old, he became the oldest person ever to win a title in WWE history, breaking the record held by The Fabulous Moolah. This was also his first title win since his WWF Hardcore Championship victory on June 19, 2000, making him only the second person after R-Truth to win both the Hardcore and 24/7 titles. Patterson died from liver failure caused by a blood clot at a hospital in Miami, Florida, on December 2, 2020. He was 79 years old. His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the wrestling world, honouring his dual legacy as a performer and a foundational creative mind. He published an autobiography titled Accepted: How the First Gay Superstar Changed WWE in 2016.

Championships and Accomplishments

Throughout his extensive career across multiple territories and promotions, Pat Patterson captured numerous championships. He held the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship and the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship. Patterson won tag team championships, including the NWA World Tag Team Championship and the AWA World Tag Team Championship, as part of the Blond Bombers. He also held the WWE Intercontinental Championship and the WWE 24/7 Championship during his tenure.

• WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1 time), First champion, crowned September 1979.
• WWF North American Championship (1 time), Won from Ted DiBiase on June 19, 1979.
• WWE 24/7 Championship (1 time), Won on July 22, 2019, becoming the oldest titleholder in WWE history at age 78.
• WWF Hardcore Championship (1 time), Won from Gerald Brisco on June 19, 2000.
• AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time), With Ray Stevens, 1978.
• NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (2 times), With Ray Stevens as The Blond Bombers, 1965 and 1967.
• NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (3 times), 1964, 1965, 1966.
• NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version) (1 time), 1968.
• NWA Florida Television Championship (1 time), 1977 in Championship Wrestling from Florida.
• NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time), 1977.
• Canadian International Tag Team Championship (5 times), Between 1980 and 1983 with various partners in Lutte Internationale.
• NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (2 times), 1964.
• NWA Brass Knuckles Championship (Amarillo version) (1 time), 1968.

Beyond championships, Patterson's creative contributions are among his most enduring legacies. He is the acknowledged creator of the Royal Rumble match concept, and his 1981 street fight with Sgt. Slaughter was named Match of the Year by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He also won the Cow Palace Battle Royal in San Francisco in both 1975 and 1981. His induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996 cemented his status as one of the most influential figures in sports entertainment history.

On-Screen and Commentary Highlights

Beyond his in-ring work, Patterson played several other key roles on WWE television. He worked as a colour commentator on WWF Championship Wrestling from 1980 to 1984. Patterson later became an on-screen comedy heel as one of Vince McMahon's stooges alongside Gerald Brisco. He also hosted a heel interview segment for French WWF broadcasts known as 'Le Brunch de Pat'. Patterson made appearances in various storylines and matches, including an Evening Gown match at King of the Ring in 2000.

Patterson's versatility allowed him to adapt to different eras of WWE programming. His French-language segment "Le Brunch de Pat" in the 1980s saw him interview face wrestlers politely in English while mockingly commenting on them in French for Quebec audiences. Decades later, his appearance as a 78-year-old champion demonstrated his enduring connection to the WWE universe and his willingness to participate in its evolving product. His on-screen partnership with Gerald Brisco provided comedic relief during the Attitude Era, including infamous segments involving soiled underwear that led commentators to dub him "Poopstain Patterson".

Questions about Pat Patterson

What was Pat Patterson's real name?

Pat Patterson was born Pierre Clermont on January 19, 1941, in Montreal, Quebec. He began wrestling under the ring name Pat Patterson in 1958 and later legally changed his name to Pat Patterson in 2008. He grew up in a large, French-speaking family in an impoverished neighbourhood, beginning his wrestling training at the age of 14 at Loisirs Saint Jean Baptiste under Gilles "Cyclone" Samson. He was one of nine siblings living in a two-bedroom apartment with no hot water.

Why is Pat Patterson famous in WWE?

Pat Patterson is famous in WWE for several foundational contributions. He is officially recognized as the company's first Intercontinental Champion, having been awarded the title in 1979. He is also credited as the creator of the Royal Rumble match concept. After a celebrated in-ring career that included a Match of the Year in 1981, he served for decades as a key creative consultant and producer, acting as a right-hand man to Vince McMahon and helping shape the company's global growth.

Was Pat Patterson openly gay?

Yes, Pat Patterson was openly gay. He came out within the wrestling industry in the early 1970s, though it was not publicly acknowledged on WWE television until the finale of the Legends' House reality show in 2014. He is recognized as the first openly gay superstar in professional wrestling, with People magazine describing him as the "First Gay Wrestling Star. His longtime partner was Louie Dondero, with whom he was in a relationship for 40 years until Dondero's death in 1998.

How old was Pat Patterson when he won his last WWE title?

Pat Patterson was 78 years old when he won his last WWE title. On July 22, 2019, during the Raw Reunion episode, he pinned Drake Maverick backstage to win the WWE 24/7 Championship. This made him the oldest person ever to win a championship in WWE history, breaking the previous record held by The Fabulous Moolah who was 76. He lost the title later that same night to Gerald Brisco in an off-screen segment.

What happened to Pat Patterson in 1992?

In 1992, Pat Patterson and colleague Terry Garvin resigned from WWE following allegations of sexual harassment made by former announcer Murray Hodgson and former ring boy Tom Cole, who alleged Patterson groped him when he was 14. After Murray Hodgson rescinded his allegations, Patterson was rehired by the company. Terry Garvin was fired and later reached a settlement with WWE. Patterson returned to his backstage role and continued to be a major creative influence for the remainder of his career.

When did Pat Patterson die and what was the cause?

Pat Patterson died on December 2, 2020, at the age of 79. He passed away at a hospital in Miami, Florida. The cause of death was liver failure resulting from a blood clot. His passing was met with widespread tributes from across the professional wrestling community, honouring his immense impact both inside and outside the ring. He had undergone emergency heart surgery in August 2006 to remove a cyst from his coronary artery but had recovered.

Sources and further reading

• Pat Patterson (Wikipedia)
• Pat Patterson (thecanadianencyclopedia.ca)
• Oscar Eugene "Pat" Patterson (wheeler-woodlief.com)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-30.