Maltese-Canadian former show wrestler Mikel Scicluna, 80, died on Saturday, after reportedly losing a battle with cancer.

Mr Scicluna was a wrestler on the famous WWE circuit in America during the 1970s, and in 1996 was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Born in Malta in 1929, the six-foot wrestler started his career under the Mike Valentino alias. In 1965, when he went to America to join the World Wide Wrestling Federation, he reverted to his Maltese name. He was living in Pittsburgh in recent years.

The Baron, as he was known, used to enter the ring with a blue cape slung over his shoulder, and was noted for his use of foreign objects in his fighting, with his trademark weapon being a roll of coins.

Throughout his career, Mr Scicluna's biggest successes came as a tag team wrestler, where shortly after his WWE debut he won the US Tag Team Championship with Smasher Sloan in 1966; six years later, he and King Curtis Iaukea won the World Tag Team Championship.

Mr Scicluna's career went on until 1984. His legacy will not be forgotten any time soon, however, as his nephew, known by the name Malta the Wrestler, is following in his footsteps and flying the Maltese flag in rings.