Howlin' Wolf, circa 1970s. After serving overseas, Nash returned to the United States where he emerged as one of the top big men of his generation. 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. Shamil Jabrayilov - Executive Protection, Close Protection, High-Risk Trish Adora kicked off her wrestling career in 2016 after training at the Team 3D Academy, under WWE Hall of Famers The Dudley Boyz. 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 Before his career in WWE, Kirchner enlisted as a paratrooper with the elite 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, N.C. It probably wont surprise you to learn that Sgt. Did any WWE wrestlers serve in the military? He snuck the, uh, Twinkies in the barracks. As we noted, the former WWE champion did not serve in the army. 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. As a wrestler, The Hollywood Fashion Plate captured the prestigious NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. Later on, she joined WWE in 2016 and performed magnificently so far in her professional appearances. Oh yeah, yeah, Ive been in one, Remus replied. Follow him on twitter @goodeals79. Swole lost the match. Freddie loved his country more than his personal profits. Top 10 Wrestlers who have served in the military - Amino That is, to show that Slaughter was even lying to his fellow wrestlers about serving. 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. This includes former and current professional wrestlers with an ex-military background. 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. One of the famous name of World Wrestling Entertainment history Road Dogg is also present in the list. After all, it is just a wrestling gimmick right? Few current WWE Superstars have served in the United States military in the past two decades. Wrestlers That Served in the Military. How Much Jon Jones Earn Per Fight? 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. {2}{B} Enchantment Aura Curse // Creature Leech Horror Enchant player As this permanent transforms into Curse of Leeches, attach it to a player. The wrestling star ran into some legal trouble in his youth and was forced to choose between either the military or prison. Top 10 Wrestlers who have served in the military He then started competing on the independent circuit. Let's take a look at the ten Superstars who served in the military before or after joining WWE. Before starting his wrestling career, Jesse was in United States Navy Underwater Demolition Team. UFC Fighters With Expensive Sponsorship Deals | How Much These Endorsements Help Them in their Careers? Colter served in Vietnam for a year before he came back home and started his wrestling career. He is best-known for his time in WCW and WWE. A year later, she made her WWE debut on the September 5 episode of NXT. Orton then decided to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a professional wrestler. 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. The 43-year-old WWE star comes from a military background. Recently, Evans competed in the Mae Young Classic, advancing to the second round after defeating Taynara Conti. Ventura later became governor of Minnesota and has never been one to shy away from investigating a conspiracy. He also described how it felt being in a combat zone. Bobby Lashley. This came up on the WON board, but I'll post here too. So, who are these patriots? Not everyone has the quality to wrestler with any weight category and then put up worth watching. The military-style business demeanor of Saturn could be attributed to his time serving in the U.S. Army. He probably did get the idea from The D.I., it just didnt remind him of his own such superior officer because he never had one. The 34-year-old served in Afghanistan. An injury he sustained during a game in Germany forced him to end his basketball career in 1981. The 57-year-old had two short stints in WWE. He was in the service during the Vietnam War but never saw combat during the conflict. Verne Gagne is a pioneer in professional wrestling whose influence is still felt to this day. In early 2016, a new class of WWE Performance Center recruits was announced. The late wrestler Freddie Blassie has won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship during his professional career. After his short stint in the military, Orton decided to continue the legacy of his father and grandfather, becoming a professional wrestler in 2000 and debuting for the Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association-Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling promotion in St. Louis. Which, of course, doesnt include him, no matter how much he says otherwise. 8 8 0 Randy Ortonthat is one name the military records should delete. Vince McMahon has also hired several former U.S. Army members over the years. Before Orton followed in the footsteps of his father Cowboy Bob Orton and his grandfather, Bob Orton Sr., however, The Viper enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. However, the former WWE champ had a rough go of it in the military. 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. I was, basically, just infantry, you know? 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. He later became a singles competitor, chasing the Hardcore and European Titles. WWE Hall of Famers Kevin Nash and Freddie Blassie are two examples of wrestlers who have served in the military before becoming pro wrestlers. Before embarking on a career in professional wrestling by wandering along the roads of U.S. Route 190 and long before he started pushing his cultural views on the WWE Universe Colter served as a member of the U.S. Armys 25th Infantry Division. WWE Hall of Famer "Classy" Freddie Blassie is proclaimed to be one of the greatest managers of all time. Not much. It turns out that a major market newspaper had explicitly reported the fact that Sgt. .) Lacey Evans is a legit badass tho!! Slaughter well, Robert Remus, the man behind the wrestling gimmick never served in the military. 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. Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane Salaries | Purse Payouts | How Much They Earn from Potential Bonus at UFC 285? He built his strong physique during his time as a professional wrestler in the WWE. 3 Sgt. Brandon Figueroa vs Mark Magsayo Purse Payouts | How Much Both Fighters Will Earn from PPV Fight? These days, the 55-year-old works for Major League Wrestling and appeared in 2021 for AEW. This is why I believe that the right women should continue to serve in combat arms roles under age- and gender-neutral, combat-focused standards. Slaughter., 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. Akash Kumar Choudhury LinkedIn: School meal programs struggle to TO ALL THAT HAVE SERVED THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS,HAPPY VETERANS DAY!#VeteransDay pic.twitter.com/HEzyECYpny. Road Dogg made his wrestling debut in 1986 following the path of his father Bob Armstrong who was also a wrestler. Orton would eventually be discharged, which is why there was so much pushback over him playing a Marine. Outside of wrestling, Randy Orton has also starred in two action movies; 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded and The Condemned 2. When I leave here, Im Bob Slaughter. However, WWE released him from his contract last February. Here are the complete details about the top 10 most popular WWE wrestlers who served in military. Stars And Stripes: 15 WWE Wrestlers Who Served In The Military 1 Jesse Ventura. I just wish I had more time to do that., And not just to the media either. Regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, Pacquiao has also been involved in Philippine politics throughout his athletic career. Following that, Mr. Kennedy signed with WWE in 2005 and he went on to capture the US Championship only a year after his debut. Honorable mentions: Verne Gagne Corporal Kirchner Konnan Zeb Colter Paul Bearer Crush Steven. FINALLY Someone Gets It FINALLY Someone Recognizes It FINALLY Someone Understands Who @_SgtSlaughter Is, he wrote, adding God Bless You @JackPosobiec and the same message for all who have served the country. Having won WWF European Championship and WWF Hardcore Championship, Perry Saturn is also present in the list for his services in United States 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. School meal programs struggle to serve growing number of students in need as food prices climb 113 Votes 42 Comments. It was at this time a heel known as the "Iron Sheik" emerged as the World Champion. Prior to chasing WWE gold, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps and served as a drill Sergeant. 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. He had a couple of unauthorized absences (UA) on his record and disobeyed an order. Here are five former WWE Superstars you might not know have served in the United States military. It's no surprise that some wrestlers have had other jobs outside of the ring, and some of them have even enlisted in the United States military. 5 former WWE Superstars who have served in the U.S military As such, in December 1984, Slaughter/Remus gave, , which would be syndicated nationwide throughout 1985 by Knight-Ridder and the Associated Press. Professional Wrestlers Who Served In The United States Military It was during this time that she discovered pro wrestling. Case in point: Yes, he responded when Jim Norton of Sirius XMs Jim and Sam Show asked him if he really served in the Marine Corps last February 18th. Nobodys talking about the Sgt. Stationed in the Pacific Theater for more than three years, Blassie won the 7th Naval District Championship for boxing and wrestling while serving. . (It doesnt help, though that, even then, he would make the distinction to reporters that he was a real Marine, like in a March 1981 Washington Evening Star story.) . Not much. That said, he further committed to military service, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame, in Waterloo, Iowa. He is still signed with promotion on Legends contract. 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. After that answer, the topic was mercifully brought back entirely to wrestling. Later on, he moved to WWE in 2000 and spent 2 years with them. Slaughter would return to the WWF shortly after the traffic jam, changing his villainous ways to a good guy after about a year. Was Randy Orton in the military? - Buzzsump However, before he showed up in professional wrestling, Colter was a member of the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division. A few current WWE Superstars have also had the same experience. Corporal Kirchner wasa paratrooper with the elite 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. When my wife got home from work, I had her take a disposable camera, take some pictures of me growling, and being bad, and took em over to a wrestling office , The article that set off the latest controversy was, originally published in the March 24, 1985, issue of the, , which featured Slaughter on the cover. After serving as a Leatherneck for a year at the end of World War II, Gagne returned to the University of Minnesota and became a successful NCAA amateur wrestler before beginning his professional wrestling career in 1949 in NWA. Sign up for Peacock to watch. Over the years WWEhas had an excellent relationship with the United States Armed Forces. Or in the world of wrestling, a "face" - also known as a babyface, one of the good guys. Blassie was also an accomplished competitor in his own right during the 1950s and 1960s. The WWE Universe remembers Jesse The Body Ventura as the colorful commentator calling the WWE action alongside Mr. McMahon in the 1980s. However, he also has military background. John Cena, Batista & Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton & Jeri . . 10 Wrestlers Who Served In The Military | RallyPoint Ill go into the Marine Corps, and Ill go to college when I get out. I got halfway there [and] ended up at a pro wrestling training camp on leave. A follow-up question asking if it was an easy transition for you from being a Marine to becoming a pro wrestler saw Remus avoid going further than the above implication that he may have only gone through basic training. He competed in ECW and WCW for several years before joining WWE in January 2000. Big Sexy joined the 202nd Military Police Company and was stationed at a NATO facility. What did the guy do? Norton followed up. Blassie was also an accomplished competitor in his own right during the 1950s and 1960s. If there is any change, we will make them available here. Later in his career, as part of a WWE storyline, he became an Iraqi sympathizer who defeated The Ultimate Warrior for the WWE World Championship. This has been true throughout the years, from Sgt. Be the first one to comment on this story. Professional Wrestlers Who Served In The United States Military Be the first one to comment on this story. She recently defeated Allie Katch on the September 21 episode of AEW Dark. Im a pretty regular guy. As the mouthpiece of The New Age Outlaws, Road DoggJesse James broke out as The Attitude Eras most boisterous degenerate. Ford served his country from 2008 to 2012. 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 starting his career in 1982, he was charged with drug selling and given options to serve in Navy or sent to prison. You may be interested in After his service, Ford pursued a career as a WWE Superstar. pic.twitter.com/bIpik22dln, SoCal UNCENSORED (@socaluncensored) January 14, 2020. Professional wrestling itself is a rigorous industry to work in, as it requires a lot of training, sacrifice and endurance. Off Topic. Armed Forces Wrestling - U.S. Department of Defense The current issue is: Remus has long given and continues to give out-of-character interviews where, despite being introduced as Sgt. Not as a character backstory, mind you, but as Bob Remus personal backstory. on television. article didnt involve the company and he even told other wrestlers for decades that hed served. Sgt. While most of his career was as a rough Southern brawler, WWE used his military experience as part of his gimmick with the Real Americans. Booker T - Career, Family & Facts - Biography After Remus claimed that the Sgt. Dwayne Johnson 'The Rock' did not serve in the military. Slaughter. Reese, Rizzuto and Casey served three years in the Navy, from 1943 to '45, and saw combat in the Pacific Theater. Slaughter was also a member of G.I. UFC Highest PPV Buys | Khabib vs McGregor Breaks All Records Generated $180m+ on PPV event day. While no, his real name is not Bob Slaughter, Remus was still making a clear distinction as early as late 1984 that Sgt. While Didingers statement that his subject was an actual veteran is made in passing (The 34-year-old Marine Corps veteran was dressed in slacks and a wind-breaker) and doesnt quote Remus/Slaughter, the wrestler would continue to claim until as recently as a few months ago that he was a genuine veteran, decades after he had started talking about the wrestling business in more surface-honest terms. The Most Comprehensive List of US Military-Veteran Musicians Ever 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. 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. In his interview with WWE.com, he confessed that he loved being on the front line. A post shared by Steve Maclin (@stevemaclin). AEW (All Elite Wrestling) (w)Rest of Wrestling. He would eventually earn the rank of Petty Officer Second Class and spent over three years in the Pacific Theater. 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. Wrestling News and Highlights Army Defeats U.S. Air Force, 38-9, to Claim Armed Forces Men's Freestyle Title Feb. 27, 2023 - The U.S. Army won nine of 10 bouts to defeat the U.S. Air Force, 38-9. Raw results, Feb. 27, 2023:Becky Lynch and Lita capture WWE Womens Tag Team Titles from Damage CTRL with help from Trish Stratus, SmackDown results, Feb. 24, 2023: Sami Zayn exposes further cracks in The Bloodline by surviving vicious SmackDown attack, WWE NXT results, Feb. 28, 2023: Carmelo Hayes beats Tyler Bate in showstopping main event, Roman Reigns conquers The Beast to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion on WrestleMania Sunday, Photos: See the latest WWE action figures from Mattel, Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair rivalry history. In 1980, though, he got his big break, heading to the WWF (now WWE) the biggest money promotion in the country, even then as the villainous Sgt. Randy Orton. There were some bad experiences, things I did [that] I never really would have done unless I was ordered to do it, he added, seemingly suggesting that he had regret and/or PTSD from committing war crimes or something close to it. I hope you and your families enjoyed @WWE doing what we do best. 16 Steve McQueen Shutterstock At age 17, The King of Cool joined the United States Marine Corps. convention, Slaughter gave him a similar story, one that, even as someone with family who served in the Marines, he bought. She spent eight years in the military and served in Afghanistan. Besides the normal cadets, many known wrestlers of history also remained the part of their respective countries forces before starting their career or even after taking the retirement. Still, he is working for WWE as Senior Vice President of Live Events. The Sheik is arguably one of wrestling's greatest villains ever - and every great villain needs a hero. Tim Kennedy (fighter) - Wikipedia But his wrestling career cut short due to the elbow injury he suffered in training. However, very few wrestling fans know that he was also a platoon sergeant in command of thirty-three Marines in US Army Marine Corps. Wrestlers That Served in the Military | Freakin' Awesome Network Forums WWE Hall of Famers Kevin Nash and Freddie Blassie are two examples of wrestlers who have served in the military before becoming pro wrestlers. During the 1980s, Corporal Kirchner displayed pride in his service and competed in WWE, including a memorable victory against Nikolai Volkoff in a Flag Match at WrestleMania 2. Slaughter, thats not me, Remus said of his TV wrestling persona. UFC Fighters Insurance | How Much UFC Pay To The Injured Fighters? Bobby Lashley is an American professional wrestler and a mixed martial artist. Read the Rules! Freddie Blassie also achieved success as an in-ring competitor. 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. So I thought, Well, thats probably what Ill do. Celebrities Who Served in the Military | USAMM 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. Military police as a SWAT officer badass #Raw pic.twitter.com/LDMKGB7DRC. Was John Cena In The Military? - South Slope News Slaughter, he perfected the act, becoming one of the biggest stars and top villains in the business almost overnight.