The big history of WWE's little people (2024)

Sports-entertainment has always been a big man’s game, but there was a very special and unique group that showcased their talents well before WWE became a global juggernaut. With names like Lord Littlebrook, Little Tokyo and The Haiti Kid, these competitors weren’t the largest guys in the locker room, but that didn’t stop them from stealing the show night after night.

Welcome to the world of the little guys and gals!

Whenever these little people were a part of a live event, one could be assured to go on a veritable roller coaster ride of fun and frolic. Their antics throughout their matches would have the audience enjoying themselves to the highest degree. By and large these competitors knew their roles were to entertain and provide a “feel good” moment for the patrons in the audience, and they did just that. ( WATCH)

The history of these talented performers can be traced back to the decade of the 1950’s when the province of Quebec, Canada gave the world two of the biggest little people of all time. There was Sky Low Low, a baldheaded 86-pound package of dynamite, and Little Beaver, who represented his Indian heritage proudly. And not to be denied, England’s contribution was Lord Littlebrook, a British dynamo whose aerial assaults were both legendary and revolutionary for a man of his size. ( PHOTOS)

Others, such as Fuzzy Cupid, Frenchy Lamont, Little Brutus and Cowboy Lang, entered the industry in the 1960’s, and the overall popularity of this special group continued to soar. Even WWE Hall of Famer The Fabulous Moolah devoted some of her time and effort to training little ladies like Diamond Lil, Darling Dagmar and Princess Little Dove.

As the 1960’s became the 1970’s, the wrestling industry was territorial in scope. Promoters knew of the novelty that these individuals possessed, and they were continually traveling from one organization to another. It was not uncommon to see a group pup their tents in the World Wide Wrestling Federation for a few weeks, then pick up stakes and venture to the American Wrestling Association (AWA), then fly to Japan for an appearance. And oftentimes in the “Land of the Rising Sun,” the wrestling events featured a very talented performer who went by the name of Little Tokyo. This was all part and parcel of the popular demand that they were in.

In the 1980’s, when WWE became “what the world was watching,” another diminutive grappler came onto the scene with prominence. The Haiti Kid quickly established himself as a dynamic performer inside the squared circle, and that led to some notable engagements. At WrestleMania 2, he was a corner man for Mr. T in the actor’s boxing match against Rowdy Roddy Piper. Then, a year later at WrestleMania III, he was involved in a wild Mixed Tag Team Match, as Haiti Kid, Little Beaver and Hillbilly Jim faced King Kong Bundy, Lord Littlebrook and Little Tokyo in front of more than 93,000 WWE fans. ( WATCH)

Arguably the most successful individual of his group in the late 1980’s and early ’90s was a man named Claude Giroux. He portrayed two personas during that timeframe that became lovable to the WWE Universe. One was Tiger Jackson, smaller than small, but full of energy and enthusiasm. Then Giroux hit a homerun as Dink the Clown — the mischievous sidekick of his big pal, Doink. It earned him a match at WrestleMania X, as Doink and Dink faced Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon. Then, at the 1994 Survivor Series, Doink was joined by Dink, Pink, and Wink in a team collectively known as “Clowns R Us”. They took on “The Royal Family,” which consisted of Jerry “The King” Lawler, Sleazy, Queasy, and Cheesy.

Towards the beginning of the new millennium, an influx of Mexican minis entered WWE, and this grouping brought a most interesting, yet different style of operation in the ring. The most recognizable of this entourage was Max Mini, and he was joined by the likes of Mascarita Sagrada, El Torito and La Parkita.

And since 2006, one man has continued the tradition of the mirth and merriment that has lasted for what seems to be a lifetime, and that is Hornswoggle. No matter whom he’s been involved with or what he’s been involved in, the diminutive Irishman has proven that good things do indeed come in small packages. Hornswoggle is arguably the most successful and recognizable competitor from his fraternity.

One of the mottos that WWE is proud of is that of “putting smiles on people’s faces”. And there is no doubt that that has held true with the performances of these very special people who through the years have stood tall, and hopefully will continue to do so in years to come.