His first WWE run lasted for nearly a year between 1993 and 1994. Goldberg is one of the most popular figures of the late 1990s/early 2000s professional wrestling boom. 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. WWE Wrestlers Who Served In Military | How It Impact Their Careers In 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. 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. And no. Orton did not adapt well to military life and left the service a year later. He managed many legendary wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik and even boxing legend Muhammad Ali. I found it interesting, but I didnt think much of it since the extent of Slaughters claims werent at the forefront of my mind. 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. He had already begun wrestling at the time but decided to put his in-ring career on hold. Let's take a look at the ten Superstars who served in the military before or after joining WWE. At the beginning of enchanted player's upkeep, they lose 1 life and you gain 1 life. 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. 10. WWE Hall of Famers Kevin Nash and Freddie Blassie are two examples of wrestlers who have served in the military before becoming pro wrestlers. As a veteran, I'd like to give a huge thank you to @_SgtSlaughter for creating an amazing character that inspired millions of Americans, many of whom ended up serving. 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. 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. Hes not, , that was just a role he played. So, who are these patriots? . News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Best Topics She recently defeated Allie Katch on the September 21 episode of AEW Dark. Prior to chasing WWE gold, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps and served as a drill Sergeant. He debuted as a member of The Radicalz, alongside Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, and Chris Benoit. Stars And Stripes: 15 WWE Wrestlers Who Served In The Military. 8/15 Randy Orton. Proudly serving on the frontlines, Cutler did two tours in Afghanistan before being honorably discharged. Lacey Evans, the Lady of NXT, also served in the Marine Corps. 113 Votes 42 Comments. After all, it is just a wrestling gimmick right? He held a world title in both companies and main evented various PPVs. The Outlaws would join the legendary stable D-Generation X and capture the WWE World Tag Team Championship 6 times. He served in the US Marine Corps for ten years and had 18 UFC fights. Adora is a United States Army veteran. Marine Corps wrestler who served on Okinawa will compete in Tokyo Evans was introduced to pro wrestling by one of her colleagues who promoted indy wrestling shows on the side. Lashley had a very impressive career in MMA and he was also successful in amateur wrestling. 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. For those unfamiliar, the school is essentially 61-days of intense leadership training. Oh yeah, yeah, Ive been in one, Remus replied. 30. Sgt. Stars And Stripes: 15 WWE Wrestlers Who Served In The Military Vince McMahon has also hired several former U.S. Army members over the years. Lacey Evans Lacey Evans is an outstanding professional wrestler who has had several successes in the ring. The True History of Sgt. Slaughter's Stolen Valor - MEL Magazine 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. The next man on our list is Randy Orton who is currently active and holding an expensive contract deal with WWE under RAW brand. As such, in December 1984, Slaughter/Remus gave an interview to Ray Didinger of the Philadelphia Daily News, which would be syndicated nationwide throughout 1985 by Knight-Ridder and the Associated Press. 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, article, wrestling historian J. Steve Hicks , . This came up on the WON board, but I'll post here too. The 57-year-old enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went through basic training. 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. 3 Sgt. 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. Blassie was also an accomplished competitor in his own right during the 1950s and 1960s. article didnt involve the company and he even told other wrestlers for decades that hed served. After serving overseas, the former WWE Champion returned to the US and got into pro wrestling. pic.twitter.com/bIpik22dln, SoCal UNCENSORED (@socaluncensored) January 14, 2020. convention, Slaughter gave him a similar story, one that, even as someone with family who served in the Marines, he bought. 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. Enter America's Drill Instructor: Sgt. After that answer, the topic was mercifully brought back entirely to wrestling. Bobby Lashley is an American professional wrestler and a mixed martial artist. Watch WrestleMania and other WWE Premium Live Events on Flow. He would eventually earn the rank of Petty Officer Second Class and spent over three years in the Pacific Theater. The late, great Freddie Blassie had a successful career as both a wrestler and a manager. 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. Ventura is also a politician and from 1999 to 2003, served as the governor of Minnesota. 12/15 * Steven Cutler. Blassie served in the Navy during World War II. Few current WWE Superstars have served in the United States military in the past two decades. Stars And Stripes: 15 WWE Wrestlers Who Served In The Military The second reason is the main reason Orton was recast in that role, his Dishonorable Discharge. Akash Kumar Choudhury LinkedIn: School meal programs struggle to Before he became a WWE Superstar, The Body served in the U.S. Navy. 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 opted to join the United States Navy and even served on one of the ships that were bombed in Beruit, back in 1983. U.S. Air Force. He then started competing on the independent circuit. Peyton Walsh prepare for. Well, I always thought he was in the Marines! exclaimed the former member of the WWF creative team and talent relations department through laughter. It was brilliant in its simplicity: After the Iron Sheik, 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. His conduct eventually led to his premature dismissal. He is currently signed to the 'World Wrestling Entertainment,' and performs under their brand, 'Raw.'. Following that, Mr. Kennedy signed with WWE in 2005 and he went on to capture the US Championship only a year after his debut. He also has an amateur wrestling background and currently holds a certification in Krav Maga. He worked a lot with a young Baron Corbin, losing almost every time before he got a chance to shine as the Forgotten Sons in 2018 with Wesley Blake and Jackson Ryker. Like Mr. Armstrong, Road Dogg served in the U.S. Marine Corps, putting his wrestling career on hold. pic.twitter.com/K7IaKYn4. 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. UFC Fighters With Expensive Sponsorship Deals | How Much These Endorsements Help Them in their Careers? . 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. 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. He was known for coming to the ring in his military fatigues and finishing his opponents with his signature move, the Cobra Clutch. (FWIW: Available newspaper records dont shed any light on what Remus really did during his service other than. 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. However, during his college days, he decided to give another action-packed job a try. 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. He had a couple of unauthorized absences (UA) on his record and disobeyed an order. A post shared by Steve Maclin (@stevemaclin). Saturn enlisted in the military at the age of 17. Trained in sports and martial arts, I have awards and ranks in boxing and wrestling. Slaughter was a character separate from the real person who portrayed him, and that the real person still was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. Ford served his country from 2008 to 2012. Here are the complete details about the top 10 most popular WWE wrestlers who served in military. Jessie "The Body" Ventura is a retired pro wrestler out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The 39-year-old has held a version of the WWE World Championship an impressive 13 times and counting. In early 2016, a new class of WWE Performance Center recruits was announced. He is best-known for his time in WCW and WWE. Lacey Evans co-main evented WWE Extreme Rules in 2019 and since that time she has challenged for a championship multiple times. Before pursuing a career in professional wrestling, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash was a basketball player. The 34-year-old joined Impact Wrestling last June. A few wrestlers, however, had duties and responsibilities that exceeded the rest. After the troll put Slaughter on a pedestal as having always been there for the troops, the wrestler responded in very Boomer-y fashion. Former professional wrestler, actor and governor of Minnesota, Jesse "The Body" Ventura served in the Navy from 1969 to 1975 during the Vietnam War. Rocker Ted Nugent evaded the draft in the 1960s by taking drugs and acting crazy. 1. Armed Forces Wrestling - U.S. Department of Defense The former WCW Tag Team Champion spent only two years in WWE. WWE Hall of Famer "Classy" Freddie Blassie is proclaimed to be one of the greatest managers of all time. His father was a former US Army Drill Sergeant. Trish Adora kicked off her wrestling career in 2016 after training at the Team 3D Academy, under WWE Hall of Famers The Dudley Boyz. 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. 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. A Look at the Military Service of Four Former Oklahoma State Wrestlers Preparing himself to become a CIA agent, Raven joined the University of Delaware to study criminal justice. 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. But mostly yes. Recently, Evans competed in the Mae Young Classic, advancing to the second round after defeating Taynara Conti.