wrestlers who served in the military

However, she later decided to leave service and pursue a wrestling career. Naval Academy in 1989 and served in the Navy Supply Corps . WWE Hall of Famer Classy Freddie Blassie is one of the greatest managers of all time who guided many legends, including The Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan and even Muhammad Ali. . RULES. Wrestle Newz Published on Nov 11, 2018 at 5:00 AM by Joe Lisnow Share Tweet Pin It Share Email Print Image Credit: Provided via WWE.com {2}{B} Enchantment Aura Curse // Creature Leech Horror Enchant player As this permanent transforms into Curse of Leeches, attach it to a player. In 2016, Trish Adora started wrestling in a few promotions like IGNITE Wrestling, American Combat Wrestling, and Go Wrestle. Saturn teamed up in his last match with former WWE Superstar Raven to defeat Brady Pierce and Mad Man Pondo in a Raven's Rules Tag Team Match at RPW Lights Out. Other celebrities who served in the military are Navy veterans actor Jason Robards, jazz great John Coltrane, rapper MC Hammer, actor Humphrey Bogart, television host Johnny Carson, actor Kirk Douglas, television host Bob Barker, actor Henry Fonda, pro-wrestler Jesse Ventura, and baseball great Yogi Berra. Government records reveal Slaughter, a.k.a. At 19 years of age, Evans joined the United States Marine Corp. However, most fans today remember him as a WWE (then WWF) manager in the 1980s representing stars like The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. Was Road Dogg in the military? After serving overseas, the former WWE Champion returned to the US and got into pro wrestling. After leaving the Army, Saturn decided to become a professional wrestler and trained under the tutelage of the legendary Killer Kowalski. Slaughter name was given to him in the Marines and that the gimmick as presented was inspired by, , Norton asks him if he ever participated in any blanket parties a la. Having made his debut in World Wrestling Federation (now called WWE) in 1992, Konnan started his professional wrestling career. The Staff Sergeant booked her in a wrestling match on the show and that's where it all began. Despite being in the industry for a few years, she has already featured in the pay-per-views. Wrestling boards archives (2005-2006) Off-Topic archives (2015) Off-Topic archives (2014) Off-Topic archives (2013) Lacey Evans co-main evented WWE Extreme Rules in 2019 and since that time she has challenged for a championship multiple times. The 32-year-old then received a WWE tryout in 2017. He is still signed with promotion on Legends contract. There's no doubt that Lacey Evans will one day reach the top of the mountain in WWE by capturing her first Championship. Some controversy caused WWE to drop the gimmick, but Ryker returned in 2021 as a lackey for Elias before movingback into singles action and relying on his military past again. This led to his recruitment into the United States Army. Not much. WWE CEO (and owner) Vince McMahon is an outspoken supporter of the military. Vince McMahon has also hired several former U.S. Army members over the years. Here are five former WWE Superstars you might not know have served in the United States military. The wrestling star ran into some legal trouble in his youth and was forced to choose between either the military or prison. After competing in his first match in 1986, Road Dogg made the selfless decision to put his career on hold and join the United States Marine Corps. Making sure all the, uh, the grunts dont [go] AWOL on us, and keep em all in line.. Follow him on twitter @goodeals79. WWE is a lot of things, but stupid enough to send a valor thief to military events isnt one of them. Sarge invited me to join him; we talked about his family, his time in the business, his career as a real soldier he left the Army [sic] for wrestling.. Slaughter character or even Remus, frankly being a valor thief at his peak, when kayfabe was still strong, past a few mid-1980s Marines. He also has an amateur wrestling background and currently holds a certification in Krav Maga. Part of the issue, too, is that Slaughter is an undisputed legend in pro wrestling. Slaughter, thats not me, Remus said of his TV wrestling persona. WWE Hall of Famer "Classy" Freddie Blassie is proclaimed to be one of the greatest managers of all time. The current American politician Jesse Ventura has spent a wonderful career in professional wrestling world where he has his hands on multiple achievements. In his interview with WWE.com, he confessed that he loved being on the front line. . Throughout 1984, then, Slaughter was, at a minimum, as big of an attraction as Hulk Hogan, if not bigger. Your login session has expired. Servo won a 10-round decision as Ambers watched from ringside. Along the same lines, one wrestler of a younger generation, who requested anonymity, told me that more recently, at the annual Cauliflower Alley Club convention, Slaughter gave him a similar story, one that, even as someone with family who served in the Marines, he bought. 113 Votes 42 Comments. Slaughter would return to the WWF shortly after the traffic jam, changing his villainous ways to a good guy after about a year. Discharged after the war in 1946 as a Petty Officer Second Class, the WWE Hall of Famer initially began his wrestling career as Sailor Freddie Blassie before he became The Fashion Plate of Professional Wrestling. That last link is the most explicit, using his real name and putting him in a Veterans Day 2018 listicle of wrestlers who otherwise legitimately served. Nonetheless, fans might not know about a few other former WWE Superstars who have also joined the military. Click on any of the links to read more about wrestlers who served in the military: Verne Gagne Don Leo Jonathan Buddy Rogers Baron Von Raschke Research by Tim Hornbaker All Information is public information obtained through FOIA. Outside of wrestling, Randy Orton has also starred in two action movies; 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded and The Condemned 2. He started his career in 1990 after signing the deal with United States Wrestling Association. UFC Fighters With Expensive Sponsorship Deals | How Much These Endorsements Help Them in their Careers? Wrestler Military Information Gagne was also an accomplished athlete outside the squared circle and was recruited to play football at the University of Minnesota in 1943. At 6-foot-10, Detroit, Michigans Kevin Nash was one of wrestling's biggest stars in the 1990s both literally and figuratively. Not as a character backstory, mind you, but as, with multiple veterans organizations, refers to Slaughter as a, on its website and uses him as a company ambassador at military events. Every year, the company holds an event called Tribute to the Troops to honor and entertain the dedicated personnel in the United States Armed Forces. Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device. Still he is signed with Impact where he is a member of the creative team. . WWE Network. Be the first one to comment on this story. But in 1985, Slaughter was mostly understood to be pretending to be a Marine strictly as a wrestling gimmick. Zeb Colter worked as a territories star named Dirty Dutch Mantel before he came to WWE and served as a manager for men like Cesaro and Jack Swagger. Before joining the promotion, Ellenberger racked up a 12-0 MMA score. Slaughter is a wrestling star who rose to prominence in the 1980s. After serving a tour of duty, the former Intercontinental Champion made his return to sports-entertainment, competing in WCW and Smokey Mountain Wrestling before joining WWE. Bobby Lashley made his initial WWE debut in 2005 and his overall tenure in the company saw him becoming the ECW World Champion, United States Champion and Intercontinental Champion. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1997 and was a member of the wrestling team. David Bixenspan is a freelance reporter who lives in Brooklyn. After his service, Ford pursued a career as a WWE Superstar. Slaughter, thats not me, Remus said of his TV wrestling persona. After college, Bobby Lashley followed in his father's footsteps by enlisting in the military though he continued to compete in the army's World Class Athlete Program. Slaughter Iron Sheik Jesse Ventura All items (62) # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Other A Afa He was a heavy equipment mechanic in the army, and in the UFC, he was a matchup nightmare for many guys during his prime. Having won WWF European Championship and WWF Hardcore Championship, Perry Saturn is also present in the list for his services in United States military. It turns out that a major market newspaper had explicitly reported the fact that Sgt. In the early-90s he wrestled for WWE under the ring name Max Moon. In fact, every year the company holds its annual Tribute to the Troops, in an effort to show appreciation for the fighting men and women who serve. You may be interested in After that answer, the topic was mercifully brought back entirely to wrestling. 7 Freddie Blassie. When co-host Sam Roberts asked Remus how long he was out of the Marines when he started wrestling, the result was another halted answer: After he was on leave for six months, Remus claimed. Bobby Lashley has had success as both a professional wrestler and a mixed martial artist. He debuted as a member of The Radicalz, alongside Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, and Chris Benoit. Lacey Evans Lacey Evans is an outstanding professional wrestler who has had several successes in the ring. I just wish I had more time to do that.. The former WCW Tag Team Champion spent only two years in WWE. Perhaps most odiously, he responded in detail to infamous Pizzagate conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec. Reese, Rizzuto and Casey served three years in the Navy, from 1943 to '45, and saw combat in the Pacific Theater. NXT has recently been graced with the presence of some military alumni. From militia leaders, to colonels, to generals and more, here are 31 presidents that served in the military before they rose to lead it as commander-in-chief. Slaughter name from Jackie Gleasons Master Sergeant Maxwell Slaughter character in Soldier in the Rain that he sounded like himself and not the nervous, monosyllabic mess that he was in the Jim and Sam interview. But mostly yes. Proudly serving on the frontlines, Cutler did two tours in Afghanistan before being honorably discharged. Longtime wrestling reporter, clipping and set off a firestorm of internet discussion and wrestling news website articles. Still, the 1985 article was explicit and well-reported, and a legitimate veteran-turned-pro-wrestler, Jesse Ventura, would later state the truth about Slaughter in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 1991 and, nationally, on Comedy Centrals The Colbert Report in 2008. He won the Hardcore Championship twice and the European Championship once. 3 Sgt. I was, basically, just infantry, you know? I found this: "Also, John Cena incorporates military dress and mannerisms into his wrestling persona, driving the rumors of his service. My father suggested maybe I want to join the Corps, join the military service and maybe do college later, Remus told Fox. When I leave here, Im Bob Slaughter. Jaxson Ryker originally made his name in TNA, where he worked as Gunner and was part of Immortal, winning the TV title and tag team title before leaving for WWE NXT. During college times, Nash was a skillful basketball player and later on, he worked hard to get into Military Police Company in Germany where he reached the rank of specialist before turning pro in professional wrestling. He would go on to become a star in his own right after teaming up with Billy Gunn and forming The New Age Outlaws. All of that resulted in the historian expressing discomfort with voting for someone who has brazenly been impersonating a Marine, and sharing the, s message board for subscribers. He had a couple of unauthorized absences (UA) on his record and disobeyed an order. He was in the service during the Vietnam War but never saw combat during the conflict. Lacey Evans began her pro wrestling career in 2014 and she went on to sign with WWE in 2016. WWE has also employed several veterans, many of whom have gone on to have outstanding careers with the organization. After high school, Orton enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. She was in the Marines. During his tenure in WWE, he win the World, Intercontinental and Tag Team Championships which made him one of the most successful star of 90s history. RELATED:10 Terrible Wrestling Names These WCW Stars Had To Endure. The powerhouse out of Junction City, Kansas has had plenty of good fortune during his stints with WWE. Few current WWE Superstars have served in the United States military in the past two decades. Montez Ford currently competes on WWE Monday Night RAW as part of The Street Profits and as of writing, they are the reigning Tag Team Champions on the Red brand. convention, Slaughter gave him a similar story, one that, even as someone with family who served in the Marines, he bought. While Gary Sinise never served in the military, his support of the troops is well-documented and impressive. He spent a long career, fighting professional matches for more than 20 years. The veteran currently works as a backstage producer and writer in WWE. These days, the 55-year-old works for Major League Wrestling and appeared in 2021 for AEW. The former fire truck mechanic officially joined AEW in December 2019. Though not a SEAL, Ventura served as a UDT Frogman a group that was eventually merged with the SEALs and was stationed in the Philippines during the Vietnam War. His father was a former US Army Drill Sergeant. Slaughter ever served in the Marines. Blassie joined WWE in 1964 and worked as a manager from the 70s before his official retirement in 1984. Youve got to understand: Thats Sgt. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. Dwayne Johnson 'The Rock' did not serve in the military. Oh yeah, yeah, Ive been in one, Remus replied. Because during the same short New York media tour to promote WrestleMania-related events that would hit the city several weeks later, he danced around military-related questions in, a Fox News interview published eight days after he was on. In California, he was known as "The Freeway Killer.". Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID) #94 Illustrated by . After Big Swole graduated from high school, she went to college. Virginia . He was part of the 9th Cavalry Regiment, famously known as " Buffalo Soldiers ," and part of the Louisiana Maneuvers in 1941 the largest military exercise ever held in the US. Bobby Lashley even obtained a silver and gold medal in an event held by the International Military Sports Council during his third year in the army. At Anson High School in North Carolina, Ford holds several records in the 200-meter, 400-meter and 4x4 relay racesand was named 2007 Athlete of the Year. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. But very few become able to get into the defense as it requires a lot of skills and strong stamina alongside with high morale to tackle the difficulties. Since that time, he was gone on the become one of professional wrestlings biggest attractions. The Forgotten Sons' gimmick was that they were veterans who came back home and society overlooked them. Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane Salaries | Purse Payouts | How Much They Earn from Potential Bonus at UFC 285? In 2016, she made a one-off appearance on Monday Night RAW, competing against Nia Jax. I hope you and your families enjoyed @WWE doing what we do best. After serving overseas, Nash returned to the United States where he emerged as one of the top big men of his generation. After the troll put Slaughter on a pedestal as having always been there for the troops, the wrestler responded in very Boomer-y fashion. pic.twitter.com/K7IaKYn4. Slaughter character or even Remus, frankly being a valor thief at his peak, when kayfabe was still strong, past a few mid-1980s Marines. Following that, Mr. Kennedy signed with WWE in 2005 and he went on to capture the US Championship only a year after his debut. Prior to chasing WWE gold, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps and served as a drill Sergeant. In other words: Maybe you heard that Slaughter wasnt a genuine Marine at one point, and you heard him giving an out-of-character interview where he claimed real military service. As Diesel, Nash was even able to capture the WWE (then WWF) Championship. While some wrestlers, such as Lacey Evans, tried to focus on a character outside of her military experience, others, including Jackson Ryker, brought the personality directly into their WWE personas. He later became a singles competitor, chasing the Hardcore and European Titles. Orton had great passion for joining the military and he struggled very hard to get into it. In WWE, he is part of the Street Profits, using catchphrases like "we want the smoke" and bringing out red drink cups when they enter the arena for their matches. 5 Konnan. Lacey Evans has only been wrestling since 2014 and is already headlining pay-per-views. . Bobby Lashley. After leaving service, she started wrestling. Jay Swingler vs Nicholai Perrett Purse Payouts | How Much Both Earn from PPV Money? Military policies should only be developed for one purpose: fighting and winning our nation's wars. Today we take a look at the top 5 wrestlers that served in the military. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon himself is a supporter of the U.S. military. Several months after I first spotted the Sun article, wrestling historian J. Steve Hicks he uses the pen name Karl Stern online was researching Slaughters case for induction in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. From the battlefields of the Revolutionary War, to the beaches of Normandy on D-Day to the front lines of today, American Indians and Alaska Native people have defended this country for centuries. In fairness to both the WWE generally and individual staff like Powers, it seems unlikely that anyone involved in such things has any idea that Remus hasnt served, especially since the Sun article didnt involve the company and he even told other wrestlers for decades that hed served. Bobby Lashley is an American professional wrestler and a mixed martial artist. , it just didnt remind him of his own such superior officer because he never had one. Adora went head-to-head with Kairi Sane but came up short. In the 1990s, Perry Saturn won championships in the three major sports-entertainment organizations WWE, WCW and ECW. His duties included arranging travel for Marines if they needed training. WWE - Current . But his wrestling career cut short due to the elbow injury he suffered in training. WWE Hall of Famers Kevin Nash and Freddie Blassie are two examples of wrestlers who have served in the military before becoming pro wrestlers. Randy Orton, the legend killer, the apex predator. When I leave here, Im Bob Slaughter. Be the first one to comment on this story. Like Mr. Armstrong, Road Dogg served in the U.S. Marine Corps, putting his wrestling career on hold. He also joined Army college and after showing his brilliant fighting skills in inter-college competitions, started his professional career. To make things official, he later saved Eddie Gilbert from the Sheiks antics, after which he announced, IRON SHEIK, I DECLARE WAR ON YOU! and led the fans in the Pledge of Allegiance. To make things official, he later, saved Eddie Gilbert from the Sheiks antics. John Stefanowicz, bottom, and Capt. WWEs sassy Southern belle" was recently involved in a storyline with Becky Lynch one of WWEs top stars. Evans was introduced to pro wrestling by one of her colleagues who promoted indy wrestling shows on the side. Trained in sports and martial arts, I have awards and ranks in boxing and wrestling. Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow. I first noticed the Sun story last February while doing research on Newspapers.com. Jesse The Body Ventura served in the U.S. Navy before embarking on a career in pro wrestling. A post shared by (@trishadora202). Recently, Evans competed in the Mae Young Classic, advancing to the second round after defeating Taynara Conti. It was brilliant in its simplicity: After, , the evil (and genuine) Iranian Greco-Roman standout won a match, he and Slaughter, met in the aisle and started jawing at each other, , instantly turning Sarge face. That said, he further committed to military service six months ago on the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast, recorded before a live audience at the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa. Tickle Me Kaczynski: How the Inventor of the Ultimate Elmo Toy Became a Unabomber Suspect. He attributes his discipline and work habits to the military. There was a lot of patriotism that came from the boxing ring,. In, , for example, the interviewer called him a genuine veteran who had military experience. Slaughter then replied, I didnt even think about using that character when he first broke into wrestling, instead having an epiphany watching 1957s Jack Webb vehicle, So I went down to my locker box, pulled out my, out, he explained. Professional Wrestlers Who Served In The United States Military In honor of Veterans Day, we decided to salute 13 wrestlers from different decades who fought for their country before battling inside a WWE ring. It did not take him long to find his calling and surpass the legacies of both his father and grandfather in becoming WWEs Apex Predator. All of which misses the point. William George Bonin was a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War. Owing to her great skills, she reached the rank of Sergeant and served as a United States Marine Corps Military Police officer before getting discharged in 2014. We may earn some commission if you were to buy something via our affiliate links, Top 10 Most Popular WWE Wrestlers Who Served In Military. Preparing himself to become a CIA agent, Raven joined the University of Delaware to study criminal justice. In NXT, he ended up forming The Forgotten Sons faction, with the gimmick as former military veterans whose country turned its back on them. 4 Bobbly Lashley. Blassie served in the Navy during World War II. Slaughter, he perfected the act, becoming one of the biggest stars and top villains in the business almost overnight. 2 Road Dogg. 16 Steve McQueen Shutterstock At age 17, The King of Cool joined the United States Marine Corps. WWE is a lot of things, but stupid enough to send a valor thief to military events isnt one of them. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019 as a member of D-Generation X. Perry Saturn is among the few wrestlers who competed in WCW, ECW, WWE and TNA. Please logout and login again. . Knoxville, Tennessees Randy Orton began his wrestling journey back in 2000. AEW (All Elite Wrestling) (w)Rest of Wrestling. Sign up for BINGE to watch. Not everyone has the quality to wrestler with any weight category and then put up worth watching. If you know me & my preferences when it comes to wrestlers . Gary Sinise has 40 years invested in his career as an actor, and his advocacy for service members is as long. It was at this time a heel known as the "Iron Sheik" emerged as the World Champion. Nonetheless, WWE released him from his contract in January 2003. Outside the squared circle, Blassie enrolled in the United States Navy during the Second World War and served in the Pacific Theater for over three years. He was a member of the Underwater Demolition Team during the Vietnam War in the 20th century and was stationed in the Philippines. 10. His first WWE run lasted for nearly a year between 1993 and 1994. But to the US Air Force, he was a hero. WWE released Saturn in November 2002. A few current WWE Superstars have also had the same experience. Wrestlers That Served in the Military. Because during the same short New York media tour to promote WrestleMania-related events that would hit the city several weeks later, he danced around military-related questions in a Fox News interview published eight days after he was on Jim and Sam. Aug 31, 2019 259 Dislike Save My Master 1.25M subscribers All 13+ WWE Wrestlers Who Served In The Military [HD] Have you recognized that a lot of our WWE superstar actually started their career. TO ALL THAT HAVE SERVED THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS,HAPPY VETERANS DAY!#VeteransDay pic.twitter.com/HEzyECYpny. Despite never serving with the armed forces, John Cena strives to support those who serve and veterans in his professional and personal life. Sgt. So I thought, Well, thats probably what Ill do. The now 60-year-old originally got his big break in WWE using the ring name Diesel. Yet the discovery of a 35-year-old article clarifying his status has had fans asking questions recently about the foremost drill instructor in sports entertainment. Before he became a WWE Superstar, The Body served in the U.S. Navy. Raven doesnt get enough credit for being one of the best characters WCW had. Your login session has expired. After a successful year-long run doing strong business with great matches (primarily against, in the Carolinas, another famously lucrative territory, eventually, Slaughter would return to the WWF shortly after the traffic jam, changing his villainous ways to a good guy after about a year. While its fine that he portrays a character that was a Marine, him doing non-kayfabe interviews claiming to serve 2 tours in Vietnam, that he was a drill instructor, etc. The gimmick wasnt entirely new: When he first became Bob Slaughter in 1976 in the Kansas City territory, he was. Randy Orton. The son of WWE Hall of Famer Bullet Bob Armstrong, Road Dogg has always had sports-entertainment in his blood. Pro wrestler Sgt. Robert Remus, never served time in the U.S. Marine Corps, though he claims to have been a drill instructor from 1966 to 1973, wrote Michael Davis and Mike Klinganman. The Viper is definitely a future WWE Hall of Famer. Bryant then put in a Freedom of Information Act request about Remus, quickly resulting in a letter confirming that, indeed, the wrestler never served. He spent the remainder of his teenage years leaping out of airplanes and training for intense combat situations. As for what hes said since things have really blown up over the last few weeks? Vince McMahon has also hired several former U.S. Army members over the years. My father suggested maybe I want to join the Corps, join the military service and maybe do college later, Remus told Fox. Slaughter dodges all questions about his armed service record for good reason., also spoke to then-USMC Captain Jay Farrar of the Public Affairs Office, who added that weve been interested in Slaughter for a couple of years, since he began using our paraphernalia, but the guy has been very elusive. Farrars office had received 50 complaints in the past year from true-blue Marines, citing Slaughters abuse of the uniform, which Farrar said mainly stemmed from when his opponents staged attacks on people wearing dress blue uniforms, whom we strongly believe were not Marines., story last February while doing research on Newspapers.com. Former WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, for example, joined the army after graduating from college, following in his father's footsteps. Big Daddy Cool then decided to enlist in the 202nd Military Police Company and was stationed at a secure North Atlantic Treaty Organization facility where he served for two years. Slaughter never served decades ago, even though Remus still claimed as recently as last summer that he was a real Marine. Government records reveal Slaughter, a.k.a. After his service, Montez Ford embarked on a career in professional wrestling. WWE NXT fans know that Montez Ford is an incredibly gifted athlete. Despite the differences, these men and women mostly served their countries with honor. Nov 11, 2020 happy Veterans Day Randy Orton (marines) Lacey Evans (marines) Jaxson Ryker (marines) Montez Ford (marines) Bobby Lashley (army) He chose first options and remained the part of US Navy and discharged later on in 1984. U.S. Air Force. Brandon Figueroa vs Mark Magsayo Purse Payouts | How Much Both Fighters Will Earn from PPV Fight? Zeb Colter, more commonly famous for the ring name of Dutch Mantel is an American retired professional wrestler who started his career in 1972.

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