Johnny Rodz
Encyclopedia
Johnny Rodriguez is a retired American professional wrestler
. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name
Johnny Rodz.
(WWWF) from its early years, appearing on WWWF cards as far back as 1965. He wrestled Bob Backlund
in Madison Square Garden
while working for the WWWF at the time. He was dubbed "the fire brand from the Bronx" by TV announcer Ray Morgan. For much of the next two decades through mid-1985, Rodz was a mainstay of the federation, though largely used as a jobber
. In 1980's Showdown at Shea, he was defeated by Ivan Putski
.
's NWA Hollywood Wrestling in the '70s. He won a greater share of matches wrestling as 'Arabian Wildman' Java Ruuk and even won the promotion's battle royal
in 1976.
by Arnold Skaaland
.
On the March 1, 2007 episode of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
's Impact
showed The Latin American Xchange (LAX) attacking Rodz as part of their feud with Team 3D
. Ten days later at Destination X, he accompanied Team 3D to the ring for their Ghettobrawl match with LAX at a Destination X pay-per-view.
. Rodz has trained many students that have gone on to have successful careers in the ring and behind the scenes. Some of Rodz' students have even gone on to train other future superstars. Rodz founded the independent wrestling promotion known as World of Unpredictable Wrestling.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Johnny Rodz.
World Wide Wrestling Federation
He was part of the World Wide Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWWF) from its early years, appearing on WWWF cards as far back as 1965. He wrestled Bob Backlund
Bob Backlund
Robert Lee "Bob" Backlund is an American professional wrestler with an in ring career that spanned over 30 years. Over that time, he went on to become a two-time WWWF/WWF Champion...
in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
while working for the WWWF at the time. He was dubbed "the fire brand from the Bronx" by TV announcer Ray Morgan. For much of the next two decades through mid-1985, Rodz was a mainstay of the federation, though largely used as a jobber
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
. In 1980's Showdown at Shea, he was defeated by Ivan Putski
Ivan Putski
Józef Bednarski , is a Polish former professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is known by the ring name Ivan Putski and was given the nicknames "The Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power"....
.
NWA Hollywood
For a time, he also worked with Mike and Gene LeBellGene LeBell
Ivan Gene LeBell is a former American Judo champion, instructor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, and professional wrestler born in Los Angeles, California. LeBell has worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows, and has authored a number of books.In 2000, he was promoted to 9th Dan in US Ju-Jitsu...
's NWA Hollywood Wrestling in the '70s. He won a greater share of matches wrestling as 'Arabian Wildman' Java Ruuk and even won the promotion's battle royal
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
in 1976.
Post-retirement
In 1996, Rodz was inducted into the WWF Hall of FameWWE Hall of Fame
The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
by Arnold Skaaland
Arnold Skaaland
Arnold Skaaland was an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling manager.-Career:Skaaland served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. After a short-lived attempt to make a living through boxing, he became a professional wrestler and debuted in 1946 as "Arnold Skaaland"...
.
On the March 1, 2007 episode of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
's Impact
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
showed The Latin American Xchange (LAX) attacking Rodz as part of their feud with Team 3D
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
. Ten days later at Destination X, he accompanied Team 3D to the ring for their Ghettobrawl match with LAX at a Destination X pay-per-view.
Training
Johnny Rodz has been training students for over 24 years, out of "The World's Famous" Gleason's Gym in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. Rodz has trained many students that have gone on to have successful careers in the ring and behind the scenes. Some of Rodz' students have even gone on to train other future superstars. Rodz founded the independent wrestling promotion known as World of Unpredictable Wrestling.
Wrestlers trained
- Big VitoVito LoGrassoVito Joseph LoGrasso is an American professional wrestler, of Italian origin, best known for his work in World Championship Wrestling as Big Vito and more recently World Wrestling Entertainment and working for their "developmental territories" Ohio Valley Wrestling and Deep South Wrestling as...
- Damien DementoPhil TheisPhillip "Phil" Theis is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his stint in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Damien Demento.-Early career:...
- Tommy DreamerTommy DreamerThomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
- Big Dick DudleyAlex RizzoAlex Rizzo was a professional wrestler, best known for his work in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Big Dick Dudley, the eldest of the Dudley Family.-Professional wrestling career:...
- Brother Ray
- Brother Devon
- Bill DeMottBill DeMottWilliam Charles "Bill" DeMott II is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment as Hugh Morrus and Bill DeMott respectively and as Crash The Terminator in Extreme Championship Wrestling and Japan...
- ElektraDonna AdamoDonna Adamo better known as Elektra is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling manager and adult model who is best known for her time spent in Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Early career:...
- Jason KnightJason KnightRonald Jason Knight is an American professional wrestler and manager. He is best known for his stints in Eastern / Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he was a one time World Television Champion.-World Wrestling Federation :...
- Matt StrikerMatthew KayeMatthew Kaye is an American actor, wrestling commentator and semi-retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Matt Striker. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as the host of WWE NXT....
- Prince NanaPrince NanaPrince Nana Osei Bandoh is an American professional wrestler of Ghanaian extraction, better known by his ring name, Prince Nana. He has stated that he is an Ashanti prince.-Professional wrestling career:...
- Big Bill currently signed to WWE developmental as Colin Cassady
- Spanish Angel
- Taz
- Ricky VegaRicky VegaEphraim Vega is an Puerto Rican American professional wrestler and is best known working Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Machete, and in independent promotions under the name Ricky Vega. Vega was a standout high school football star, and was named to All-Section, All-conference,...
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Diving headbutt
- Signature moves
- Diving single foot stomp
Championships and accomplishments
- Cauliflower Alley ClubCauliflower Alley ClubThe Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America....
- Other honoree (1995)
- Lutte Internationale
- Canadian International Heavyweight ChampionshipCanadian International Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Canadian International Heavyweight Championship was the top singles title in the Montreal-based wrestling promotion Lutte Internationale . It was a continuation of the Montreal Athletic Commission's old International Heavyweight Championship, which became inactive after the Commission's...
(1 time)
- Canadian International Heavyweight Championship
- Northeast Championship Wrestling
- NCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time, last)
- Northeast Championship Wrestling (Tom Janette)
- NCW Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- World Wrestling CouncilWorld Wrestling CouncilThe World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
- WWC World Tag Team ChampionshipWWC World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWC World Tag Team Championship is the tag team title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council.-Title history:-External links:***...
(1 time) - with Super Medico IJose Estrada, Sr.Jose Estrada, Sr. is a semi-retired Puerto Rican professional wrestler who was a longtime mainstay of the World Wrestling Council as well as having stints in North American promotions including International World Class Championship Wrestling and the World Wide Wrestling Federation holding the now...
- WWC World Tag Team Championship
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF Hall of FameWWE Hall of FameThe WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw television program...
(Class of 1996)
- WWF Hall of Fame