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"Rowdy" Roddy Piper (born Roderick George Toombs on
April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian professional wrestler
of Scottish descent. He was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. His alter ego
hails from Glasgow, Scotland, which included wearing a kilt and walking to the
ring to bagpipe music. The Scottish surname Piper refers to one who plays the
bagpipes. He earned the nickname "Rowdy" by displaying his trademark "Scottish"
rage, spontaneity and quick wit, and is also nicknamed "Hot Rod". He currently
makes occasional apperances for World Wrestling Entertainment.
****
Ring name(s) The Masked Canadian
The Piper Machine
Roddy Piper
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 106 kg (234 lb)
Born April 17, 1954
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Resides Hillsboro, Oregon
Billed from Glasgow, Scotland
Trained by Tony Condello
Stu Hart
Debut 1969
Retired 2001
****
Career
After being expelled from junior high and having a
falling out with his father, Toombs hit the road and stayed in youth hostels
wherever he could find them. By the age of 15, he started to become a pro
wrestler and had his first ever match, with Larry Hennig. He lost the match in
ten seconds.
In the early 1970s, Piper was a jobber in Texas
working for Paul Boesch's NWA Houston Wrestling promotion and in Dallas working
for Fritz Von Erich's Big Time Wrestling. By late 1974 and early 1975 Piper
found success working for Mike Lebell's & Gene Lebell's NWA Hollywood Wrestling
and Roy Shire's NWA San Francisco Wrestling from the legendary Olympic
Auditorium in Los Angeles and The Cow Palace in San Francisco. Los Angeles was
where Piper developed his Rowdy Character as one of the most hated heels in Los
Angeles not seen since the days of Classy Freddy Blassie. Piper also served as
manager for several heels in Los Angeles and occasionally work as a referee from
time to time. Piper feuded with all the faces in the area and had a long and
bloody feud with Chavo Guerrero.
During Piper's California stint, he would go on to
win: the legendary Americas (Los Angeles Version) title 5 times, the U.S. title
(San Francisco Version) (1), NWA World Light Heavyweight Title (1), Americas Tag
Team Title (7) with various partners like Crusher Verdu (2), Adrian Adonis (1),
Ron Bass(1), Pak Choo (1), The Hangman (Gene Lebell) (1), and one time with
Chavo Guerrero with Piper as The Masked Canadian. Finally in 1978 Piper along
with Ed Wiskoski won the prestigious NWA World Tag Team Titles (San Francisco
Version).
By 1979, he left the California promotions for even
more fame in Don Owens’s Pacific Northwest Territory were he teamed with Killer
Tim Brooks, Rick Martel and Mike Popovich to win The NWA Pacific Northwest Tag
Title (5) and Piper went on to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title
with victories over both Lord Jonathan Boyd and Playboy Buddy Rose.
Piper entered the WWF in 1984 as a manager but soon
started wrestling full-time. Later that year, he was given his own interview
segment called Piper's Pit, in which he talked to other superstars, and which
would frequently end in a fight between Piper and his guest.
The Piper's Pit' segments were very popular and
helped create the feuds Piper would have with other wrestlers. He even went as
far as insulting superstars, such as, André the Giant, Mr. T, and preliminary
wrestler Frank Williams.
In one Piper's Pit, Piper had an infamous interview
with "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. Piper started insulting Snuka's heritage by
bringing out pineapples, bananas, and dropping coconuts onto the table. Snuka
took offense to this, and Piper then attacked Snuka by hitting him over the head
with a coconut, and shoving a banana in his face. He followed this up by
whipping Snuka with his belt. Piper then left before Snuka could fight back.
This incident led to a long feud between the two.
Another feud, this time between Piper and Hulk
Hogan erupted soon after, and became what was at the time the highest-profile
feud in wrestling history, thanks to the involvement of pop singer Cyndi Lauper.
In 1985, MTV broadcast "The War To Settle The
Score", featuring a main-event matchup between Piper and Hogan. This event set
up the very first WrestleMania, which pitted Piper and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul
Orndorff against Hogan and Mr. T. Piper would once again face Mr. T in a boxing
match at WrestleMania 2 in 1986. Piper lost the match by disqualification after
bodyslamming Mr. T.
Following a leave of absence from the WWF, Piper
returned to find his Piper's Pit segment replaced by The Flower Shop, a segment
hosted by effeminate wrestler Adrian Adonis. Piper (by now a face) stormed the
set of Adonis' show, and destroyed it. This led to their Hair versus Hair match
at WrestleMania III, which was billed as Piper's retirement match. Piper won the
match, with the assistance of the newly turned face, Brutus "The Barber"
Beefcake.
Piper would return to the WWF with a live Piper's
Pit at WrestleMania V. He also wrestled part-time, while serving as an on-air
host and commentator.
At the 1992 Royal Rumble, Piper defeated The
Mountie for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, but lost it soon after to
Bret "The Hitman" Hart at WrestleMania VIII, in what is regarded as one of the
best matches in Wrestlemania history. Disappearing from the WWF, he soon
re-emerged in 1994 at WrestleMania X as guest referee for the WWF Championship
match between Hart and Yokozuna. Notable during the course of the match, was
commentator Jerry "The King" Lawler, remarking that he hated Piper. Lawler would
continue to taunt Piper on his King's Court segment on Monday Night RAW,
eventually culminating with Lawler bringing out a skinny teenager in a Piper
T-shirt and kilt and forcing him to kiss his feet. Enraged, Piper agreed to
wrestle Lawler at the King of the Ring, where Piper emerged victorious.
Leaving the WWF again, he soon returned in 1995 at
WrestleMania XI, once again in a referee capacity, for the submission-only match
between Hart and Bob Backlund. The appearance would turn out to be a
one-time-only deal.
In 1996, Piper was named as interim WWF President,
following Vader's malicious assault of Gorilla Monsoon, following the Royal
Rumble. As president, Piper had become the object of affection for Goldust.
Enraged, Piper claimed he would "make a man" out of Goldust, and would do so at
WrestleMania XII, in a "Hollywood Backlot Brawl." While the contest began in an
alleyway behind the Arrowhead Pond, Goldust would jump into his gold Cadillac
and run Piper over, ultimately escaping (allegedly) onto the highways of
Anaheim. Piper pursued in his white Ford Bronco, which when viewed from aerial
footage, looked amazingly similar to the O.J. Simpson "slow-speed" chase from
two years prior. (The WWF had attempted to be humourous and recycle the footage
with Vince McMahon quipping on commentary, "This footage looks awfully
familiar.") The two would eventually return to WrestleMania XII, where Piper
disrobed Goldust, effectively ending the confrontation. With Gorilla Monsoon
back in control of the WWF by the end of WrestleMania XII, Piper would once
again leave the Federation. (Ironically, this match was meant to be Razor Ramon
(Scott Hall) vs. Goldust, however, Hall suddenly gave his notice that he was
leaving for WCW and he was replaced by Piper.)
Later in 1996, Piper joined WCW. He appeared at
Halloween Havoc to "break Hogan's monotony." In his first appearance, Piper
famously asked Hogan, "Do you think they would've loved you so much if they
hadn't hated me?"
Piper's WCW tenure is best remembered for his
long-running feud with Hogan-at the time a heel-over which of them was
wrestling's true icon. Piper and Hogan wrestled in a non-title match as the main
event of 1996's Starrcade, WCW's biggest pay-per-view event of the year. Piper
defeated Hogan with a sleeper hold.
Piper would once again face Hogan in a non-title
steel cage match at Halloween Havoc 1997. Promos showed Piper locking himself in
the Alcatraz prison and vigorously exercising in order to prepare for the highly
anticipated match. Piper was featured prominently in WCW, and eventually
received a title shot against Hogan. However, he never held the WCW
Championship.
Sporting a T-shirt reading "Reality Check," Piper
continued his role as a face, often grabbing the mic to criticize the likes of
Ric Flair or Eric Bischoff on their wrong doings. In the fall of 2000, WCW
terminated Piper's contract.
In November 2002, Piper's autobiography, In the Pit
with Piper: Roddy Gets Rowdy, was released. At WrestleMania XIX in Seattle,
Piper ran in during the Hulk Hogan-Vince McMahon bloodbath, and turned heel
again by attacking Hogan with a steel pipe. He brought back Piper's Pit on the
April 10, 2003 edition of "SmackDown!", and after aligning with Sean O'Haire,
Piper smashed a coconut over the head of Rikishi, a realtive of Snuka. At the
Backlash PPV that month, Rikishi returned the favor to Piper. Around the same
time on Monday Night RAW, Chris Jericho started The Highlight Reel a show
similar to Piper's Pit. In June 2003, WWE officially released Piper from his
contract, after a controversial interview with HBO in which Piper discussed the
darker side of the wrestling business.
In 2004 Piper appeared for the Total Nonstop Action
Wrestling promotion, hosting several "In the Pit with Piper" interview segments.
He interviewed former rival Jimmy Snuka at the company's first three-hour
pay-per-vew, Victory Road, where he dared Snuka to get revenge by hitting him
with a coconut. Instead, TNA wrestler Kid Kash eventually used the coconut on
Sonjay Dutt. Piper also served as one of their NWA Championship Committee
members, culminating in refereeing a match at their Final Resolution
pay-per-view event.
On February 21, 2005, it was announced that Piper
was to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Piper held an edition of Piper's
Pit] at Wrestlemania 21 where he interviewed "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. The
interview was interrupted by Carlito, who was promptly beaten up by both Piper
and Stone Cold. In April 2005, Piper co-presented Celebrity Wrestling in the
United Kingdom on ITV. This Saturday evening reality show saw celebrities learn
wrestling and compete in challenge matches. After a few weeks the programme was
to be cancelled, due to a huge drop in TV ratings but instead was moved to
Sunday mornings to finish its final episodes.
Piper continues to make periodic appearances on WWE
TV, occasionally wrestling but usually hosting Piper's Pit segments.
He is currently married with four children. On
April 4, 2006 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Piper was issued an award by the Mayor, Sam
Katz. Roddy Piper is currently on the road for a spoken word tour based upon his
autobiography. He will be starring in the motion picture Sin-Jin Smyth as U.S.
Marshal, Trent Polly. The film is due for release in October of 2006.
The WWE plans to release a DVD called, "Born To
Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story," on November 7, 2006
In
wrestling
Finishing and signature moves
The sleeper hold
Eye Poke
Unorthodox boxing skills
Wrestlers managed by Piper
Sean O'Haire
Virgil
Paul Orndorff
Dr.D. David Schultz
Big John Studd
Cowboy Bob Orton
Previous managers
"Cowboy" Bob Orton, Jr.
Quotes
"Just when they think they got the answers, I
change the questions."
"Real men wear kilts."
"You don't throw rocks at a man with a machine
gun!"
"I am your reality check!"
"Ric Flair, the Slim Whitman of Pro-Wrestling."
"I'm the reason Hulk Hogan lost his hair!"
"Russia gives us Nikolai Volkoff, and we give them
MTV and 2 Live Crew. Fair trade, huh?"
"Nature Boy, what's that? Do you run around the
forest like Euell Gibbons, eating bark or something?"
"Jerry Lawler walks in here with his crown - DA DA
DUM - Imperial Margerine - and talks about what he's going to do to me. Lawler,
if you think you're going to beat me, if you think you can do ANYTHING to me,
than you really are the king. King of FOOLS, jack!!"
"Rowdy Roddy cut his locks; but don't worry women,
he's still a fox."
"I'm so quick, I could spit in the wind, duck, and
let it hit the old lady behind me."
"I don't need to know how tough I am to know how
tough I am."
"Ric Flair, you once called me a woman. Well how
does it feel to get beat by a woman?"
"I walk so fast, I talk so fast, I could turn the
light off and be in bed before the room's dark!"
"When you were young did your mommy and daddy place
the swing too close to the wall?"
"Your stupidity is something you're born with."
"The boss is back."
"My name is Rowdy Roddy Piper and you ain't seen
nothing yet!"
"I came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and
I'm all outta bubblegum."
Put it in your hand, brother!"
"I WAS ROWDY BEFORE ROWDY WAS COOL! HAA!!"
Piper's
Pit
Piper's Pit was an interview segment featuring
Rowdy Roddy Piper which was mainstay on WWE (then WWF) television from 1984 to
1987, although Piper also hosted similar segments while wrestling for other
promotions.
Piper's Pit returned during Piper's short return to
the WWE in 2003, and also in 2005 at Wrestlemania 21 and in a 2006 edition of
WWE Friday Night SmackDown!, interviewing John Layfield and The Boogeyman. Roddy
Piper was scheduled to interview one of his most legendary guests, The
Undertaker on the June 2, 2006 edition of Smackdown! about his loss to The Great
Khali. However, The Undertaker declined the invitation a few days before.
Instead, Piper had Daivari and The Great Khali as his guests. He insulted
Khali's Indian background, and ended up being knocked out by him.
In the Pit with Piper was introduced to TNA
Wrestling after leaving the WWE.
Several memorable Pit moments:
Piper smashes a coconut shell over Jimmy Snuka's
head.
Piper and bodyguard "Cowboy" Bob Orton kidnap The
Haiti Kid after a match and shave his head Mr. T-style on the Pit set.
In a Pit emanating from Madison Square Garden,
Piper playing mind games with his guest Mr. T, showing some rather humorous
cartoons of what the star of the A-Team may look like after their boxing match
at WrestleMania 2.
On a special Pit on Saturday Night's Main Event,
Piper berates and betrays "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff in the wake of their
recent loss to Mr. T and Hulk Hogan in the main event at the first Wrestlemania.
Piper then tries to jump Orndorff, but is beat to the punch. Orndorff goes off
on both Piper and bodyguard Orton, then attempts to piledrive Piper but is
blindsided by Orton and his cast from behind.
For home video only, Piper is on the set
interviewing his all-time favorite guest, himself, using the merged-screen
technique.
Adrian Adonis changes gimmicks on the spot,
foregoing his leather jacket for trades his bad-boy biker personna for the more
flamboyant, borderline homosexual gimmick that he would take on for the
remainder of his World Wrestling Entertainment tenure.
Special guest '80s pop star Cyndi Lauper attacks
Capt.Lou Albano and Piper himself after hearing enough insults from Albano.
Funny note: Piper kept calling Albano, "Albino" throughout, and this completely
goes over Albano's head.
Piper interviews jobber Frankie Williams, tells him
that he's worthless and beats him up. This is where Piper coins one of his
famous quotes: "Just when you think they've got the answers, I change the
questions."
A newly turned face Piper, while engaged in a
violent feud with "Adorable" Adrian Adonis, is brutally attacked and knocked
unconscious during the infamous "Flower Shop vs. Piper's Pit" showdown by Adonis
and former Piper allies Bob Orton Jr., and Don Muraco who then proceed to
destroy the set. A crippled yet enraged Piper would gain revenge by destroying
Adonis' "Flower Shop" set a week later.
Uninvited guest Jimmy Hart insults and distracts
Piper as Adonis comes out of nowhere to make a surprising return from a previous
Piper attack to ambush the Rowdy One, causing a brawl on the set. With Hart's
help, Adonis would eventually get the better of Piper, rendering him unconscious
with "The Goodnight Irene" sleeper hold. To add insult to injury, he put a
flower in Piper's mouth before he and Hart walked off-set.
André the Giant turns heel on Hulk Hogan and
challenges him to a match at WrestleMania III.
Piper "extinguishes" Morton Downey, Jr.'s cigarette
with a blast from a fire extinguisher at WrestleMania V.
At WrestleMania 21, Piper spit on Carlito using an
apple after Carlito interrupted the Piper's Pit segment interview (which
featured Stone Cold Steve Austin)
Piper and Sean O' Haire invite a fan from the
audience in the ring who was a fan of Mr. America then proceded to attack him,
which lead to his artificial leg being ripped off, thus introducing the world to
Zach Gowen
Movies
Sin-Jin Smyth {2006}
Three Wise Guys (2005)
Cyber Meltdown (2005)
Code Black (2005)
Shut Up and Shoot! (2005)
Jack of Hearts (2000)
Legless Larry and the Lipstick Lady (1999)
Shepherd (1999)
Hard Time (1998)The Bad Pack (1998)
Last to Surrender (1998)
Dead Tides (1997)
First Encounter (1997)
Sci-Fighters (1996)
Jungleground (1995)
Marked Man (1995)
Terminal Rush (1995)
Tough and Deadly (1995)
Back in Action (1994)
Immortal Combat (1994)
No Contest (1994)
Tag Team (1991)
The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage (1990)
Buy and Cell (1989)
They Live (1988)
The Highwayman (1987)
Hell Comes to Frogtown (1987)
Body Slam (1987)
The One and Only (1978)
Championships and accomplishments
National Wrestling Alliance
2-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion
1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion (San
Francisco version)
1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (San Francisco
version) (with Ed Wiskoski)
1-Time NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion
5-time NWA Americas Champion
7-time NWA Americas Tag Team Champion (2-time with
Crusher Verdu, 1-time with Adrian Adonis, 1-time with Chavo Guerrero, 1-time
with Kengo Kimura, 1-tme with Ron Bass, 1-time with The Hangman)
1-time NWA Canadian Tag Team Champion (with Rick
Martel)
3-time NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion
2-time NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion (with Big
John Studd)
2-time NWA Mid-Atlantic Television champion
2-time NWA Pacific Northwest Champion
5-time NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion
(1-time with Killer Tim Brooks, 3-time with Rick Martel, 1-time with Mike
Popovich )
World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
WWF Intercontinental Champion
WWE Hall of Famer (Class of 2005)
World Championship Wrestling
WCW United States Champion
World Class Championship Wrestling
1-time WCCW Tag Team Champion (with Bulldog Brower)
Other Titles
Manitoba Amateur Wrestling Championship (167lb)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 17 of
the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
Piper has won several PWI Awards over the years. He
won Most Inspirational in 1982, Most Hated Wrestler in 1984 and 1985, and Most
Popular Wrestler in 1986. He was also involved in the Match of the Year in 1985
(Piper & Paul Orndorff vs. Hulk Hogan & Mr. T).
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
He is a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)
1981 Best Interviews (tied with Lou Albano)
1982 Best Interviews
1983 Best Interviews
1984 Best Heel
1985 Best Heel
WWF Intercontinental Championship
Preceded by:
The Mountie First Succeeded by:
Bret Hart
Trivia
Although he never won the WCW World Heavyweight
Championship, Roddy Piper appears as the champion in the video game WCW/nWo
Revenge for Nintendo 64.
He has never won a world championship and is likely
the most famous professional wrestler never to do so.
In the cartoon series Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n
Wrestling, Piper is the leader of the villianous wrestling group.
When Roddy was a young jobber in the AWA in the
1970's, he was often fooled into thinking that the arena was up the block. So he
went to get the sandwiches at a store for the fellow wrestlers, and the Arena
ended up being 25 miles away. So Roddy had to hitchhike there.
* *
* *
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Date Article Copied:
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