The 57-year-old enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went through basic training. He was in the service during the Vietnam War but never saw combat during the conflict. To make things official, he later, saved Eddie Gilbert from the Sheiks antics. The others are the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy. 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. 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. The Road Dogg Jesse James is a Hall of Famer who rose to prominence during WWEs Attitude Era. A year later, she made her WWE debut on the September 5 episode of NXT. David Bixenspan is a freelance reporter who lives in Brooklyn. In a 2015 interview with KMEL radio, 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 The D.I. He managed many legendary wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik and even boxing legend Muhammad Ali. article didnt involve the company and he even told other wrestlers for decades that hed served. Before stepping to the ring, the Sassy Southern Belle served as a military police officer in the United States Marine Corps for five years. When he was just 17, Saturn enlisted in the United States Army and went on to attend (and graduate from) U.S. Army Ranger School. It was less disorienting than usual, though, because he grounded the tall tales in enough ostensible reality connecting everything to wrestling stories, e.g., getting the Sgt. Jesse The Body Ventura served in the U.S. Navy before embarking on a career in pro wrestling. Bobby Lashley has had success as both a professional wrestler and a mixed martial artist. What Percentage Of Americans Have Served In The Military? Raven doesnt get enough credit for being one of the best characters WCW had. 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. 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. His best came out in World Wrestling Entertainment. After serving overseas, Nash returned to the United States where he emerged as one of the top big men of his generation. . Proudly serving on the frontlines, Cutler did two tours in Afghanistan before being honorably discharged. Is kayfabe still kayfabe when the lie bleeds over into the wrestlers personal life? .) Military policies should only be developed for one purpose: fighting and winning our nation's wars. He finally won the WWE Championship in 2021. While Hart included the account of this November 29, 1984, dinner to note that Slaughter warned him to watch your back because Vince [McMahon] is a ruthless guy, it serves a different purpose now. Seven years before becoming a WWE Superstar, Cutler was in the military. In the 1990s, Perry Saturn won championships in the three major sports-entertainment organizations WWE, WCW and ECW. Slaughter was never in the USMC. A few current WWE Superstars have also had the same experience. Before they became pro wrestlers, some former WWE Superstars have served in the United States military. 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. After retiring from in-ring competition, Ventura became a commentator in WWE. 8 Randy Orton. When I leave here, Im Bob Slaughter. His conduct eventually led to his premature dismissal. 6 Kevin Nash. . He opted to join the United States Navy and even served on one of the ships that were bombed in Beruit, back in 1983. The WWE Hall of Famer out of St. Louis, Missouri began his wrestling career all the way back in 1952. Tim Kennedy. Remus may have, at least briefly, had regrets after that one. One of the famous name of World Wrestling Entertainment history Road Dogg is also present in the list. Lacey Evans competed in NXT before moving to the main roster where she had her first feud with one of WWE's biggest stars, Becky Lynch, for the RAW Women's Championship. AEW (All Elite Wrestling) (w)Rest of Wrestling. This led to his recruitment into the United States Army. I like my privacy, I like to play golf and listen to music. The Sassy Southern Belle also competed in the first women's match in Saudi Arabia when she collided with the Natalya at WWE Crown Jewel in 2019. Former WWE Superstar Raven has also served in the United States military. 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. Today we're counting down my picks for the Top 10 Wrestlers that have served in the military, let's get it started! UFC Referees Salaries | Herb Dean Highest Paid MMA Official With $500k Salary, Most Expensive UFC Fighters Contracts Deals. 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. These wrestlers served in different branches, including the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. Jacques graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2003, with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. In 2016, she made a one-off appearance on Monday Night RAW, competing against Nia Jax. In NXT, he ended up forming The Forgotten Sons faction, with the gimmick as former military veterans whose country turned its back on them. 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. Colter served in Vietnam for a year before he came back home and started his wrestling career. He served in the US Marine Corps for ten years and had 18 UFC fights. As for what hes said since things have really blown up over the last few weeks? 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. These days, the 55-year-old works for Major League Wrestling and appeared in 2021 for AEW. His job included handlingDefense Travel System plans for his battalion. He started his career in 1990 after signing the deal with United States Wrestling Association. This came up on the WON board, but I'll post here too. Howlin' Wolf, circa 1970s. Wrestling boards archives (2005-2006) Off-Topic archives (2015) Off-Topic archives (2014) Off-Topic archives (2013) Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. . Instead, he focused on how go[ing] through the calisthenics and everything that goes along with it to see if you really want it benefited his transition. She spent five years in service and completed his bachelors degree. However, Randy faced premature dismissal due to disobeying an order and multiple absents during the training session. RULES. Thats why, he put his professional career on hold and after getting enlisted in US Navy, entered world war 2 and achieved the rank of Petty Officer. Valentina Shevchenko vs Alexa Grasso Purse Payouts | What Will be there share in UFC 285 Potential Bonus? Youve got to understand: Thats Sgt. Slaughter ever served in the Marines. Hes not Butch Cassidy, that was just a role he played. He is probably best remembered as a member of Ravens Flock in WCW and for his storyline in WWE where he fell in love with a mop named Moppy. #OTD in 1969 Bob Kalsu, who started nine games at right guard during his 1968 rookie season, has left the Buffalo Bills to be inducted into the Army. Slaughter, he perfected the act, becoming one of the biggest stars and top villains in the business almost overnight. 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. Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID) #94 Illustrated by . 11/15 * Zeb Colter. The 43-year-old WWE star comes from a military background. 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. . She is currently wrestling on the independent circuit. The late wrestler Freddie Blassie has won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship during his professional career. Updated on August 10, 2021, by Shawn S. Lealos: WWE has continued to push its connection with the military, including adding several instances of promoting the soldiers and veterans into storylines that emphasize their military careers. John Cena is without a doubt the best WWE ever had from all the Eras. That said, he further committed to military service, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame, in Waterloo, Iowa. How Much Jon Jones Earn from PPV Money? WWE Network. No, John Cena has never been a member of the military, but he does strive in both his personal and professional life to Was John Cena actually in the army? The former WWE Superstar also served in the reserves after college. At 6-foot-10, Detroit, Michigans Kevin Nash was one of wrestling's biggest stars in the 1990s both literally and figuratively. Perhaps the most decorated American wrestler was Brooklyn native Paul Boesch, who left wrestling to enlist in the Army, where he earned a Purple Heart, Silver Star and cluster, Bronze Star and cluster, and French Croix de Guerre for actions at the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest while serving with the 121st Infantry Regiment. He would eventually earn the rank of Petty Officer Second Class and spent over three years in the Pacific Theater. Slaughter, he perfected the act, becoming one of the biggest stars and top villains in the business almost overnight. The wrestling star ran into some legal trouble in his youth and was forced to choose between either the military or prison. Cutler is also a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Before stepping inside a WWE ring a few years ago, Big Swole served in the United States military. Randy is a Third generation superstar which will most certainly be in the hall of fame sooner or later but what a few people could maybe not know is that Randy . Read the Rules! Dwayne Johnson 'The Rock' did not serve in the military. He was elected governor with the Reform Party and is the party's only candidate to win a major . 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. Lacey Evans enlisted when she was 19 years old, and she went on to serve on the Marine Corps SWAT team. And no. 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 Verne Gagnes wrestling office., The article that set off the latest controversy was originally published in the March 24, 1985, issue of theBaltimore Suns Sun Magazine, which featured Slaughter on the cover. He had a couple of unauthorized absences (UA) on his record and disobeyed an order. It was at this time a heel known as the "Iron Sheik" emerged as the World Champion. Former WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, for example, joined the army after graduating from college, following in his father's footsteps. His first WWE run lasted for nearly a year between 1993 and 1994. Your login session has expired. From 1999-2003 Jacques performed on the Florida independent pro wrestling circuit. Im a pretty regular guy. I found this: "Also, John Cena incorporates military dress and mannerisms into his wrestling persona, driving the rumors of his service. After leaving the Army, Saturn decided to become a professional wrestler and trained under the tutelage of the legendary Killer Kowalski. His father was a United States Army drill sergeant and his sister served in the United States Air Force. 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. It turns out that a major market newspaper had explicitly reported the fact that Sgt. As a young man, Raven was looking for an action-packed job. Enlisting at age 17 and serving for four years, Saturn pushed himself to the limit to become an elite U.S. Army Airborne Ranger. There is no question that the 52-year-old Cleveland, Ohio product is a legit tough guy. 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. Please logout and login again. The Best Apps/Websites to Watch MF & DAZN X Series 005 Live Online | 5 March 2023, Comparison of BKFC, UFC, Bellator & PFL Fighters Payouts | UFC Currently Stands As Richest Promotion for Fighters Based PPV Contracts, Top UFC Women Fighters With Highest Fan Following On TikTok | How Much They Earn For Posting Video On Their Accounts. Blassie was also an accomplished competitor in his own right during the 1950s and 1960s. Reese, Rizzuto and Casey served three years in the Navy, from 1943 to '45, and saw combat in the Pacific Theater. Even while being interviewed by Keller, a veteran insider wrestling reporter, Slaughter stuck with his story, spinning his usual Marine yarns starting at the 24:57 mark of the podcast. However, his best work in WWF or WWE is as a manager in 1980s. The Outlaws would join the legendary stable D-Generation X and capture the WWE World Tag Team Championship 6 times. Jessie "The Body" Ventura is a retired pro wrestler out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Lacey Evans co-main evented WWE Extreme Rules in 2019 and since that time she has challenged for a championship multiple times. All four have unique stories of their service that came before, after and even in between their time at Oklahoma State. Kevin Nash has earned massive success during his wrestling career. A few current WWE Superstars have also had the same experience. Stars And Stripes: 15 WWE Wrestlers Who Served In The Military. But in 1985, Slaughter was mostly understood to be pretending to be a Marine strictly as a wrestling gimmick. But to the US Air Force, he was a hero. 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. A rising star in NXT and an imposing figure, Evans served in the U.S. Marine Corps before pursuing her career in WWE. Orton had great passion for joining the military and he struggled very hard to get into it. William George Bonin was a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War. Vernon Logan, Buddy Arndt, J. Robinson, and Randy Couture served in WW2, Vietnam and during the Cold War. Slaughter character or even Remus, frankly being a valor thief at his peak, when kayfabe was still strong, past a few mid-1980s Marines. 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. The now 60-year-old originally got his big break in WWE using the ring name Diesel. For those who don't have time to read, he did not. Photo credit: ihorror.com. Slaughter, hes clearly speaking as Bob Remus and still claims to have served in the Marine Corps. Perry Saturn is one of only a handful of wrestlers who have had success in the original ECW, WCW, and WWE. A Highly Questionable Cultural History of Richard Geres Ass Gerbil, The Unexpectedly Sweet Story Behind Those Viral Semi-Truck Pregnancy Photos. However, she later decided to leave service and pursue a wrestling career. Was Road Dogg in the military? Please logout and login again. 10/15 Lacey Evans. Nonetheless, before becoming a pro wrestler, Saturn spent four years in the United States army. Booker worked his way up from wrestling in local venues to national stardom, first with World Championship Wrestling, then WWE.