Peter Stilsbury

Biography

Peter Stilsbury is an Australian former professional wrestler, best known for appearing in WWE as Outback Jack from 1986 to 1988. He portrayed a northern Australian bushman coming to America to compete in WWE. Stilsbury started his career in Canada with Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in November 1986. He was brought into WWE that month in response to the mainstream popularity of the Australian film Crocodile Dundee. Wearing an Australian bush jacket, he appeared in several vignettes hyping his debut by showing him in the wilds of the Australian Outback—specifically, the Northern Territory. In the vignettes, he drove a Jeep and drank beer with cows. In addition, as part of the storyline, he claimed to have learned survival skills from the Aborigines. Stilsbury, as Outback Jack, made his WWE debut in November 1986. His wins mainly came over jobbers such as Jose Estrada, Steve Lombardi, Barry O, Barry Horowitz and "Iron" Mike Sharpe. However, Outback Jack also defeated well-known superstars such as Nikolai Volkoff and former WWE Champion The Iron Sheik. Eventually, Stilsbury started becoming a jobber himself, losing matches to high-level superstars such as "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Rick Rude. Outback Jack feuded with Frenchy Martin, and the two had matches featured on May 4 and May 25, 1987 episodes of WWE Prime Time Wrestling, both of which Outback Jack won. During this time, he also feuded with Killer Khan. On August 3, episode of Prime Time Wrestling, Outback Jack rescued Tito Santana from an attack by Ron Bass, leading to a match between him and Bass later in the show, which Bass won. The pair continued to face each other into the following year. Outback Jack made one appearance on the interview segment The Snake Pit with Jake "The Snake" Roberts on June 6. On May 7, 1988 episode of WWE Superstars of Wrestling, Outback Jack competed in his final televised match, teaming with Brady Boone and Steve Blackman in a loss to The Islanders; this was the only match in which The Islanders competed as a team of three, as they were joined by new Islander Siva Afi. On May 15, Outback Jack wrestled his last match in Kissimmee, Florida, against Greg Valentine. The outcome of his rematch with Valentine remains a mystery although Valentine had pinned him three days prior at the Columbus Municipal Auditorium. WWE had LJN Wrestling Superstars create an Outback Jack action figure to be produced and distributed worldwide. His sudden departure from WWE has led to him being described as "one of the most asked about people in the business". Stilsbury is blind in one eye due to a helicopter crash, and has limited vision in his other due to diabetes.