wrestlers who served in the military

However, before he showed up in professional wrestling, Colter was a member of theU.S. Armys 25th Infantry Division. He then started competing on the independent circuit. Trending pages Montez Ford DT Porter Randy Orton Bobby Lashley Ashante Adonis Sgt. 10. 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. Nov 11, 2020 happy Veterans Day Randy Orton (marines) Lacey Evans (marines) Jaxson Ryker (marines) Montez Ford (marines) Bobby Lashley (army) 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. Ford was also enrolled in his high school's JROTC and enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduation. All four have unique stories of their service that came before, after and even in between their time at Oklahoma State. Your login session has expired. WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley has a long list of accomplishments outside the wrestling business. Youve got to understand: Thats Sgt. In 2016, Trish Adora started wrestling in a few promotions like IGNITE Wrestling, American Combat Wrestling, and Go Wrestle. Making sure all the, uh, the grunts dont [go] AWOL on us, and keep em all in line., After Remus claimed that the Sgt. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. 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. 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. Mr. Kennedy currently runs a wrestling school known as The Academy. A disappointingly large number of comments on the topic of Remus military service have examined the topic as shallowly as possible, with The Undertaker isnt really dead, either kind of responses. I found it interesting, but I didnt think much of it since the extent of Slaughters claims werent at the forefront of my mind. NXT has recently been graced with the presence of some military alumni. 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. Did any WWE wrestlers serve in the military? In California, he was known as "The Freeway Killer.". He served as a member of the Philippine House of . 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. During that process, he came across not just the, article but also Remus more recent claims to have genuinely served. 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. Instead, he pursued a career in pro wrestling. However, he also has military background. Perry Saturn is one of only a handful of wrestlers who have had success in the original ECW, WCW, and WWE. In 2016, she made a one-off appearance on Monday Night RAW, competing against Nia Jax. Regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time, Pacquiao has also been involved in Philippine politics throughout his athletic career. Stars And Stripes: 15 WWE Wrestlers Who Served In The Military. WWE is a lot of things, but stupid enough to send a valor thief to military events isnt one of them. She spent eight years in the military and served in Afghanistan. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois. Goldberg is one of the most popular figures of the late 1990s/early 2000s professional wrestling boom. It probably wont surprise you to learn that Sgt. Trish Adora never competed again in WWE. 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. Steven Cutler served in the Marine Corps, as did Montez Ford. He is one of the greatest name of wrestling history as he is entertaining the world for more than twenty years. He spent a long career, fighting professional matches for more than 20 years. After serving overseas, Nash returned to the United States where he emerged as one of the top big men of his generation. 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. Brandon Figueroa vs Mark Magsayo Purse Payouts | How Much Both Fighters Will Earn from PPV Fight? WWE - Current . The late wrestler Freddie Blassie has won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship during his professional career. Two tours of Vietnam, yeah. Nash was a big name in World Championship Wrestling and in WWE. Bobby has military background as his father was a drill sergeant in United Stated Army. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1997 and was a member of the wrestling team. However, very few wrestling fans know that he was also a platoon sergeant in command of thirty-three Marines in US Army Marine Corps. I really did! A Highly Questionable Cultural History of Richard Geres Ass Gerbil, The Unexpectedly Sweet Story Behind Those Viral Semi-Truck Pregnancy Photos. Pee Wee Reese, Phil Rizzuto, and Hugh Casey. Stationed in the Pacific Theater for more than three years, Blassie won the 7th Naval District Championship for boxing and wrestling while serving. Before his wrestling career, Ryker served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a machine gunner during the war in Iraq. . Jessie The Body Ventura is a retired pro wrestler out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attributes his discipline and work habits to the military. 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. So I thought, Well, thats probably what Ill do. Jacques graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2003, with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. Sign up for Peacock to watch. Having won WWF European Championship and WWF Hardcore Championship, Perry Saturn is also present in the list for his services in United States military. Military policies should only be developed for one purpose: fighting and winning our nation's wars. He served in the US Marine Corps for ten years and had 18 UFC fights. Ventura was a member of the United States Navy from 1969 to 1975. A few current WWE Superstars have also had the same experience. He was known for coming to the ring in his military fatigues and finishing his opponents with his signature move, the Cobra Clutch. Today we're counting down my picks for the Top 10 Wrestlers that have served in the military, let's get it started! But to the US Air Force, he was a hero. Slaughter was never in the USMC. By way of his choice of retweets and who he chooses to send positive vibes to when he responds to tweets, hes been stumping for the bad faith and/or uninformed take that he was just playing his gimmick like any other old-school wrestler. out of this orbit perry saturn super kick followed by a spin cycle fisherman's buster to crash holly. Throughout 1984, then, Slaughter was, at a minimum, as big of an attraction as Hulk Hogan, if not bigger. Stars And Stripes: 15 WWE Wrestlers Who Served In The Military, 10 WWE Champions With The Least Matches In The Company, Jaxson Ryker's Babyface Character On WWE RAW Is One Of The Worst In Years, 10 Terrible Wrestling Names These WCW Stars Had To Endure, The 10 Most Influential Wrestling Families Of All-Time, Every Version Of Bobby Lashley, Ranked From Worst To Best, Venuta would later enter the world of politics, 5 Wrestling Couples That Were Really Married (And 5 That Werent). 113 Votes 42 Comments. 10 Wrestlers Who Served In The Military - YouTube 0:00 / 3:19 10 Wrestlers Who Served In The Military Top10Wrestling 224K subscribers Subscribe 3.3M views 6 years ago Hello and welcome to the. 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. Slaughter, thats not me, Remus said of his TV wrestling persona. 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. Former professional wrestler, actor and governor of Minnesota, Jesse "The Body" Ventura served in the Navy from 1969 to 1975 during the Vietnam War. Vernon Logan: Logan won individual NCAA titles for Oklahoma State in 1940 and 1942 at 155 pounds. He would go on to become a star in his own right after teaming up with Billy Gunn and forming The New Age Outlaws. WWE is a lot of things, but stupid enough to send a valor thief to military events isnt one of them. 12/15 * Steven Cutler. on television. Slaughter is a wrestling star who rose to prominence in the 1980s. Today we take a look at the top 5 wrestlers that served in the military. . During his appearance on the popular pro wrestling program, "The Raging Bull" opened up about his Vietnam military service, shoots on Jim Cornette saying he didn't serve, clears up rumors claiming he was going to marry Ann or Nancy Wilson of the rock band 'Heart,' as well as his bloody fight with Invader 3 in Puerto Rico, working with the . So I went down to my locker box, pulled out my campaign cover and got my swagger stick out, he explained. The 54-year-old has not competed since 2013. His first WWE run lasted for nearly a year between 1993 and 1994. Konnan has not performed in WWE, but also in Impact Wrestling, Major League Wrestling and many other promotions. 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. , it just didnt remind him of his own such superior officer because he never had one. Cutler is also a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Sgt. He is a certified graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School and he was also a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger. Hes not Butch Cassidy, that was just a role he played. Montez Ford enrolled in his high school's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps and after his graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. A year later, she made her WWE debut on the September 5 episode of NXT. However, most fans today remember him as a WWE (then WWF) manager in the 1980s representing stars like The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. v. t. e. James Daniel Jordan (born February 17, 1964) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Ohio's 4th congressional district since 2007. Kirchner ended up winning a Flag Match against Nikolai Volkoff at WrestleMania 2. Corporal Kirchner wasa paratrooper with the elite 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He managed many legendary wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik and even boxing legend Muhammad Ali. Slaughter dodges all questions about his armed service record for good reason., The Sun 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., In the fall of 1984, though, when Congress passed a law prohibiting the use of the Marine Corps emblem and insignia by civilians, it gave the Marines more leverage, and Farrars office fired off a letter demanding that Slaughter stop because his actions reflect discredit on those who have served. Farrar, for his part, did concede that going further, like prosecuting Remus, might not be worth it given the nature of the Slaughter character. For those who don't have time to read, he did not. After serving overseas, the former WWE Champion returned to the US and got into pro wrestling. What a lot of people might not know, however, is that Bobby Lashley has a military background. Ford served his country from 2008 to 2012. Military experience: Served in the U.S. Air Force for nearly ten years, flying combat missions during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. 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. Honorable mentions: Verne Gagne Corporal Kirchner Konnan Zeb Colter Paul Bearer Crush Steven. Knoxville, Tennessees Randy Orton began his wrestling journey back in 2000. Throughout 1984, then, Slaughter was, at a minimum, as big of an attraction as Hulk Hogan, if not bigger. Bryant then put in a Freedom of Information Act request about Remus, quickly resulting in. John Stefanowicz, bottom, and Capt. Recently, Evans competed in the Mae Young Classic, advancing to the second round after defeating Taynara Conti. His best came out in World Wrestling Entertainment. Vince McMahon has also hired several former U.S. Army members over the years. Freddie Blassie also achieved success as an in-ring competitor. A post shared by Steve Maclin (@stevemaclin). All of that resulted in the historian expressing discomfort with voting for someone who has brazenly been impersonating a Marine, and sharing the Sun clipping a few weeks ago on the Observers message board for subscribers. Despite never serving with the armed forces, John Cena strives to support those who serve and veterans in his professional ad personal life". I walked into a caf near the Holiday Inn in Oklahoma City and saw Sergeant Slaughter sitting quietly by himself,, , which is sourced almost entirely from his contemporaneous audio diaries. I first noticed the Sun story last February while doing research on Newspapers.com. He opted to join the United States Navy and even served on one of the ships that were bombed in Beruit, back in 1983. One detail of Colters typical tirades, however, is 100 percent accurate he served in the Vietnam War. 9. From 1999-2003 Jacques performed on the Florida independent pro wrestling circuit. 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. He will serve in Vietnam where he will be killed on July 21, 1970, one of two NFL players to be killed in Vietnam pic.twitter.com/xUILWIOsZV There was a lot of patriotism that came from the boxing ring,. Specialist_Cell_4067 Additional comment actions convention, Slaughter gave him a similar story, one that, even as someone with family who served in the Marines, he bought. 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. She was in the Marines. Despite never serving with the armed forces, John Cena strives to support those who serve and veterans in his professional and personal life. Making sure all the, uh, the grunts dont [go] AWOL on us, and keep em all in line.. Slaughter.. 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. WWE Hall of Famer "Classy" Freddie Blassie is proclaimed to be one of the greatest managers of all time. FAN Wrestling Forum. In 2007, he won the Money in the Bank contract at WWE WrestleMania 23, earning himself a World title opportunity but he had to drop it after sustaining an injury. Evans was introduced to pro wrestling by one of her colleagues who promoted indy wrestling shows on the side. Randy Orton, the legend killer, the apex predator. Is kayfabe still kayfabe when the lie bleeds over into the wrestlers personal life? 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. 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. He stayed in military during the years 1987 to 1993 and also performed duties during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Owing to his brilliance in the ring, he was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994. Kirshner worked in WWE in the '80s and worked originally as RT Reynolds until 1986 when he took on the military persona of Corporal Kirchner. Individuals formerly apart of any military branch of service. After his time with the military came to an end, Jesse Ventura pursued a career as a WWE Superstar. Slaughter using every ounce of military experience in his gimmick to Bobby Lashley, who you might only know he served if listening to out-of-character interviews. The current American politician Jesse Ventura has spent a wonderful career in professional wrestling world where he has his hands on multiple achievements. Before embarking on a career in sports-entertainment, Kevin Nash was an accomplished NCAA basketball player and also played in Europe. 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? 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 late, great Freddie Blassie had a successful career as both a wrestler and a manager. He served during the Vietnam War, where he reached the rank of Petty officer. Bobby Lashley is an American professional wrestler and a mixed martial artist. Blues legend Chester Arthur Burnett served in the Army for two and a half years. RELATED: The 10 Most Influential Wrestling Families Of All-Time. 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. While Gary Sinise never served in the military, his support of the troops is well-documented and impressive. He began his pro wrestling career in the 90s and he went on to win a championship in three of the biggest companies during that time. As Diesel, Nash was even able to capture the WWE (then WWF) Championship. 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. In early 2016, a new class of WWE Performance Center recruits was announced. After his release from WWE, he joined TNA (now IMPACT Wrestling) and competed as Mr. Anderson where he won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. 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. However, his time in the military didn't work out as he was discharged due to bad conduct. Before becoming a professional wrestler, Ford took part in other athletics, which he was successful in. After graduating from high school, wrote, Kevin Powers, young Robert Remus joined the United States Marine Corps where he earned the moniker Sgt. WWE Hall of Famers Kevin Nash and Freddie Blassie are two examples of wrestlers who have served in the military before becoming pro wrestlers. 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. Slaughter was also a member of G.I. 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. (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.) His father was a former US Army Drill Sergeant. Slaughter never served decades ago, even though Remus still claimed as recently as last summer that he was a real Marine. He snuck the, uh, Twinkies in the barracks. Like Trish Adora and Steve Cutler, Saturn also served in a combat zone. The 57-year-old enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went through basic training. Slaughter never served decades ago, even though Remus still claimed as recently as last summer that he was a real Marine. A post shared by (@trishadora202). A rising star in NXT and an imposing figure, Evans served in the U.S. Marine Corps before pursuing her career in WWE. I just wish I had more time to do that.. These days, the 55-year-old works for Major League Wrestling and appeared in 2021 for AEW. Konnan is a professional wrestler who was born in Santiago de Cuba. Having made his debut in World Wrestling Federation (now called WWE) in 1992, Konnan started his professional wrestling career. Its like Paul Newman. Perry has completed his bachelors degree from U.S. Army Ranger School and has served in the United States Army Rangers. Slaughter character or even Remus, frankly being a valor thief at his peak, when kayfabe was still strong, past a few mid-1980s Marines. Servo won a 10-round decision as Ambers watched from ringside. 13/15 * Jaxson Ryker. He held a world title in both companies and main evented various PPVs. (FWIW: Available newspaper records dont shed any light on what Remus really did during his service other than. As Diesel, Nash was even able to capture the WWE (then WWF) Championship. Zeb Colter is so uncompromisingly vocal about his beliefs and is never afraid to say what's on his mind so much sothat hed make Rush Limbaugh ill at ease. Ventura is also a politician and from 1999 to 2003, served as the governor of Minnesota. After Remus claimed that the Sgt. Later on, she joined WWE in 2016 and performed magnificently so far in her professional appearances. He was elected governor with the Reform Party and is the party's only candidate to win a major . 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. Remus may have, at least briefly, had regrets after that one. Best Topics 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. Randy Orton has also been a part of a few dominant groups in WWE such as Evolution, The Legacy, The Authority and The Wyatt Family. At 6-foot-10, Detroit, Michigans Kevin Nash was one of wrestling's biggest stars in the 1990s both literally and figuratively. Kevin Nash has earned massive success during his wrestling career. The 5-foot-8 WWE star was a military police officer who served for 5 years. UFC Fighters With Expensive Sponsorship Deals | How Much These Endorsements Help Them in their Careers? 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. 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. 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. Case in point: Yes, he responded when Jim Norton of Sirius XMs, him if he really served in the Marine Corps last February 18th. UFC Highest PPV Buys | Khabib vs McGregor Breaks All Records Generated $180m+ on PPV event day. Raven doesnt get enough credit for being one of the best characters WCW had. But they were probably so far removed from each other that you never thought of them together. The next man on our list is Randy Orton who is currently active and holding an expensive contract deal with WWE under RAW brand.