Sgt. Slaughter

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This article is about the wrestler Robert Remus. For the G.I. Joe character (based on Remus), see Sgt. Slaughter (G.I. Joe).
Sgt. Slaughter
An image of Sgt. Slaughter.
Statistics
Ring name(s) Sgt. Slaughter
Super Destroyer Mark II
Matt Burns
Bob Remus
Bob Slaughter
Bobby Remus
Billed height 6 ft 3 in (193 cm)
Billed weight 286 lb (130 kg)
Born May 25, 1948 (1948-05-25) (age 60)
Detroit, Michigan
Resides Parris Island, South Carolina
Trained by Verne Gagne
Debut 1972

Robert Remus (born May 25, 1948) is an American WWE employee, and semi-retired professional wrestler better known by the ring name Sgt. Slaughter. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Slaughter enjoyed success in the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, and World Wrestling Federation. He is currently working for WWE as a road agent on its RAW brand. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.

Contents

Wrestling career

Slaughter held numerous regional titles early in his career and experienced his first major success in the NWA capturing the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Don Kernodle. During the late 1970s, Remus worked the AWA territory under a mask as Super Destroyer Mark II with manager Lord Alfred Hayes.

World Wrestling Federation (1980–1984)

He then signed with the WWF and was pushed as a heel. Between 1980 and 1981, Slaughter wrestled in the WWF under the guidance of the Grand Wizard and engaged in a feud with Pat Patterson, culminating in a "Alley Fight" in New York City's Madison Square Garden between the two. In late 1981, Slaughter joined Mid Atlantic Wrestling and won the NWA United States Heavyweight Title and the NWA World Tag Team Titles with Don Kernodle. Upon returning to the WWF-again with the Grand Wizard as his manager- in 1983, Slaughter was a top contender to Bob Backlund's WWF Championship. However, his career took off after he turned face and defended America's honor against the hated Iron Sheik in 1984. Slaughter and the Iron Sheik engaged in many matches throughout 1984, culminating in a boot camp match which took place before a sold out Madison Square Gardens that summer. However, with the emergence of Hulk Hogan as the WWF Champion and lead face within the company, Slaughter left for the AWA. On Vince McMahon's McMahon DVD, Slaughter said he was fired by McMahon in Toronto after no-showing an event in protest of McMahon's refusal to give him six weeks of paid vacation

American Wrestling Association

1985-1986

He received a considerable push in the AWA throughout 1985 and 1986, becoming the AWA America's Heavyweight Champion, defeating Larry Zbyszko shortly after his arrival. He defended the title against wrestlers like Zbyszko, Kamala, Boris Zukhov, and Nick Bockwinkel (before the belt was retired) and feud with Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey and his stable of wrestlers, the Road Warriors, and Col. DeBeers. He even challenged Stan Hansen for the AWA title.

1988-1990

In 1988, Slaughter returned to wrestling in the AWA, resuming some of his past feuds with the likes of Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissey, the Iron Sheik, and Col. DeBeers. He also became a top contender to the AWA World title during Larry Zbyszko's reign in 1989 and was a team captain for the AWA's ill-fated Team Challenge Series during the first half of 1990. The AWA even teased fans with Slaughter appearing to win the World title from Zbyszko live on ESPN, only to have the decision reversed on technicality (a booking practice the AWA had been employing for years).

World Wrestling Federation (1990–2001)

In the summer of 1990 Slaughter returned to the WWF, but shortly after making his televised return, Slaughter's gimmick as that of a patriotic American soldier was turned upside down, when his character temporarily turned against America to become an Iraqi sympathizer. Slaughter announced he was disgusted with his country, claiming America had "gone soft" for accepting the Soviet Union's Nikolai Volkoff, who in Slaughters absence had recently split from his tag partner Boris Zhukov, then turned face and embraced America (due in part the fall of the wall. Slaughter aligned himself with a (kayfabe) Iraqi military general, General Adnan, and entered a feud with Volkoff (which saw Slaughter win the majority of their encounters at house shows), leading to a match at that year's Survivor Series which saw The Alliance (Volkoff, Tito Santana, and The Bushwhackers) defeat The Mercenaries (Slaughter, Boris Zhukov, and The Orient Express).

Slaughter captured his only WWF Championship at the 1991 Royal Rumble, defeating The Ultimate Warrior following a run-in by "Macho Man" Randy Savage. He thus became the thirteenth WWF Champion, but lost the belt in a match against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VII. Slaughter soon introduced his newest ally, former nemesis The Iron Sheik, who was now calling himself Colonel Mustafa. Slaughter and company went on to feud with Hogan for months, including having a three-on-two handicap match at SummerSlam 1991, which saw the team of Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior prevail over Slaughter, Adnan, and Mustafa.

After finishing the Hogan feud, Slaughter became a face again, appearing in vignettes next to American landmarks, saying "I want my country back." During an episode of Superstars, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan was under attack from The Nasty Boys, and Slaughter made the save. Duggan and Slaughter teamed up to defeat the Nastys and continued to team over the next several months.

After a hiatus, he returned to WWF television on the August 4, 1997 episode of Raw is War to assume the role of on-air commissioner. Initially popular, he eventually became the target of D-Generation X, who called him "Sgt. Slobber". Slaughter challenged Triple H to a Boot Camp Match at the December pay-per-view, which he lost. His feud with Triple H continued into WrestleMania XIV where he handcuffed himself to Chyna to prevent her from interfering in Helmsley's match against Owen Hart. Slaughter's efforts ultimately proved futile as Chyna threw powder in his eyes, interfered in the match anyway, and hurled Slaughter into the front row.

When Vince McMahon turned heel in 1998, Slaughter, along with Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson, became the on-screen lackeys of McMahon; running errands for him and dishing out punishment to McMahon's rivals, namely "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. In late 1998, Slaughter relinquished the role of commissioner to Shawn Michaels and largely disappeared from television.

Slaughter still appeared from time to time in the ring, mostly at house shows. He appeared on Raw to put over younger wrestlers, such as Kurt Angle. Sgt. also made an appearance at WrestleMania X-Seven, in the Gimmick Battle Royal, which was won by The Iron Sheik. Slaughter got his revenge after the match by locking the Sheik in the cobra clutch.

WWE Hall of Fame

Sgt. Slaughter was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 13, 2004, the night before WrestleMania XX by long-time friend Pat Patterson.

World Wrestling Entertainment (2005-present)

He made a special appearance on the October 31, 2005 edition of RAW to challenge Chris Masters in his "Master Lock Challenge", which Slaughter lost. Then, he returned again on the December 5 edition of RAW, where he and Michael Hayes confronted Edge.

He also appeared on the July 14, 2006 episode of SmackDown! for a "Diva Boot Camp" segment, as a part of the 2006 Diva Search Competition.[1] He also appeared on the October 2 edition of RAW, defeating Nicky from the Spirit Squad with a roll-up when D-Generation X distracted him from up on the Titantron. Slaughter appeared on the October 23 RAW in the corner of Ric Flair as he faced Kenny of the Spirit Squad. After Kenny cheated to gain the victory, Slaughter, Dusty Rhodes, and Roddy Piper cleared the tag champions from the ring. Slaughter was one of three options between himself, Roddy Piper, and Dusty Rhodes that fans could vote for as a tag partner for Ric Flair at Cyber Sunday 2006. At Survivor Series 2006, Slaughter teamed with Ric Flair, Ron Simmons, and Dusty Rhodes to take on 4 members of the Spirit Squad in a Survivor Series Match. Slaughter was eliminated in the match, but his team won, with the sole survivor being Ric Flair. On December 18, 2006, Slaughter participated in a 30-Man Battle Royal for a chance to face John Cena in the main-event for the WWE Championship, but he was eliminated from the match and did not get the title shot.

At Vengeance 2007, he faced Deuce 'n Domino for the WWE Tag Team Championship, alongside Jimmy Snuka. However, they were unsuccessful in their attempt for the titles. He challenged Randy Orton on the July 30 edition of Raw, only to become another victim of the "Legend Killer", and was wheeled out on a stretcher. He briefly appeared on the September 14 edition of Smackdown, celebrating Theodore Long's wedding.

On Raw XV, the 15th-anniversary WWE Raw special on December 10, 2007, Slaughter participated in the 15th Anniversary Battle Royal.

In wrestling

Championships and accomplishments

Other media

Sgt. Slaughter was part of the G.I. Joe cartoon and comic book, as a member of the G.I. Joe team and first appeared in the TV episode entitled "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!" Along with the traditional merchandising of WWE superstars, Sgt. Slaughter is one of only a few real people to be immortalized as a G.I. Joe figure, (among the others being NFL football player William "The Refrigerator" Perry, pro-wrestler Roddy Piper, and astronaut Buzz Aldrin), and even appeared in G.I. Joe: The Movie. Slaughter also appeared as a special guest on the The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, which starred fellow wrestler Captain Lou Albano.

During the mid-1980s, Sgt. Slaughter released a full length LP, Sgt. Slaughter and Camouflage Rocks America. It featured a number of original songs, including "The Cobra Clutch," as well as a cover of Neil Diamond's "America."

In the animated series Code Monkeys, Slaughter appeared as Sgt. Murder. He and Bulk Brogan (Hulk Hogan), "Manly Man" Ricky Ravage (Randy "Macho Man" Savage), and Sergei the Giant (André the Giant) were hired by a video game company to take on their rivals. His brother, Tommy Murder, was killed by "The Black Shadow", who was actually Black Steve, the company's accountant.

Notes

  1. ^ WWE: TV Shows > SmackDown > Archive > 07/14/2006 > Articles > diva boot camp
  2. ^ AWA America's Title history At solie.org
  3. ^ AWA British Empire Heavyweight Title history At solie.org
  4. ^ NWA Central States Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  5. ^ NWA Canadian Heavyweight Title (Toronto) history At wrestling-titles.com
  6. ^ NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  7. ^ NWA World Tag Team Title (Mid-Atlantic/WCW) history At wrestling-titles.com
  8. ^ WWWF/WWF/WWE World Heavyweight Title history At wrestling-titles.com
  9. ^ WWF/WWE Hall of Fame inductees At wrestling-titles.com

External links

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