 Slaughter in 2022 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Rudolph Remus[5] (1948-08-27)August 27, 1948 (age 77) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Bob Remus[1] Bob Slaughter[2] The Executioner Sgt. Slaughter[1] Super Destroyer Mark II[1] Matt Burns |
| Billed height | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)[3] |
| Billed weight | 305 lb (138 kg)[3] |
| Billed from | Parris Island, South Carolina[4] |
| Trained by | Verne Gagne[1] |
| Debut | 1972[2] |
| Retired | 2014 |
Robert Rudolph Remus (born August 27, 1948), better known asSgt. Slaughter, is an Americanvoice actor and retiredprofessional wrestler. He is signed toWWE in the ambassador program.[6]
From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, Slaughter had success in theNational Wrestling Alliance,American Wrestling Association, and theWorld Wrestling Federation. He won theWWF Heavyweight Championship and headlinedWrestleMania VII in 1991. Slaughter also captured theNWA United States Heavyweight Championship twice. He is aWWE Hall of Famer, inducted as part of the class of 2004. As Sgt. Slaughter, Remus became known for his darksunglasses, hiscampaign hat, and his Vietnam War-era militaryfatigues. In the 1980s, analternate version of the Sgt. Slaughter character was incorporated into theG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toy line as well as itsanimated series andcomic books.
Thegimmick of Sgt. Slaughter is that of a formerU.S. Marine who fought in theVietnam War. Remus himself never served in the military. He received several draft deferments and even opposed the war, often protesting and demonstrating within the antiwar movement. This has caused controversy because, at times, Remus has talked about military service while seeming to be speaking as himself, and not in character.[7][8]
Remus was born on August 27, 1948, inDetroit,Michigan, and grew up in a farm inMinneapolis,Minnesota.[5][4][9] At a young age, he became a fan of professional wrestling after watching it on television with his father.[2] He attendedEden Prairie High School in nearbyEden Prairie, where he wrestled and played football, graduating in 1966.[9][10]
After training withVerne Gagne andBilly Robinson in Minnesota in 1972, he began working for theAmerican Wrestling Association (AWA) under his real name.[1][2] He wrestled as "Beautiful" Bobby Remus, competing inPortland andVancouver.[2] Remus held numerous regional titles early in his career and experienced major success in theNational Wrestling Alliance (NWA). However, he briefly stopped wrestling when his mother was diagnosed withcancer, going back home to run his father's roofing company.[2][4]
During his time off, Remus came up with the gimmick of adrill sergeant,Sgt. Slaughter, inspired by the 1957 filmThe D.I. and named afterJackie Gleason's character from the 1963 filmSoldier in the Rain. He pitched the idea to Gagne, who liked the idea as it reminded him of his own drill instructor.[4][2]Harley Race then called Remus to compete as Bob Slaughter inKansas City.[2]
In 1978, Remus returned to the AWA under a mask asSuper Destroyer Mark II.[2] He was initiallymanaged byLord Alfred Hayes, whom he dismissed and replaced withBobby Heenan, leading to a feud between the two managers with Hayes as the babyface.[1]
In 1980, Sgt. Slaughter signed with the WWF after receiving a call fromVincent J. McMahon and was pushed as avillainous character.[2] Under the guidance of theGrand Wizard, he quickly rose to the status of number one contender on the strength of his "cobra clutch" challenges where he would seat wrestlers in a chair in the ring and apply the hold, offering$5,000 to anyone who could break it. He would eventually faceBob Backlund for theWWF World Heavyweight Championship across the WWF territory in 1980, earning two-of-three falls main event matches in most markets, but failed to win the title.[11] He also wrestledBruno Sammartino in his final match inMadison Square Garden.[3]
Slaughter then engaged in a feud withPat Patterson, which stemmed from Slaughter calling Patterson "yellow" and offering him $10,000 (double the usual amount) to try to break the cobra clutch. Patterson accepted on television and was escaping from the hold when Slaughter released it and put a beat-down on Patterson. This started a hot feud that culminated in an "Alley Fight" between the two in Madison Square Garden, which has been described as "one of the most brutal and bloody matches in WWE history".[4][12] The match ended when the Grand Wizard threw in the towel, awarding Patterson the victory.[3]
In September 1981, Slaughter joined the NWA for its flagship territoryJim Crockett Promotions (JCP). The following month, he won a tournament to determine a newNWA United States Heavyweight Champion, defeatingRicky Steamboat in the finals for the vacant title.[1] He would hold the title for over seven months, before losing the title toWahoo McDaniel in May 1982.[13] In September, Slaughter and partnerDon Kernodle were awarded theNWA World Tag Team Championship, claiming a title victory overAntonio Inoki andGiant Baba inTokyo.[14] They were involved in a heated rivalry with the team of Steamboat andJay Youngblood, who defeated them for the titles in a steel cage match on March 12, 1983.[14] Following the rivalry, Slaughter left JCP.
During this period, Slaughter also touredGermany andAustria for theCatch Wrestling Association (CWA), twice unsuccessfully challengingCWA World Heavyweight ChampionOtto Wanz.[15]
Slaughter returned to the WWF in March 1983, immediately targeting Backlund, who was still the reigning WWF World Heavyweight Champion. Their feud heightened when, at a television taping, Slaughter attacked Backlund while he was in the process of completing theHarvard step test, hitting him repeatedly with his riding crop and leaving bruises on his back.[16] Although he won several matches by disqualification, he never won the title.[1]
In early 1984, Slaughter's career took off after he turnedface and defended America's honor againstThe Iron Sheik fromIran, leading to a series of matches between the two. They had many matches throughout the year, culminating in a boot camp match that took place before a sold-out Madison Square Garden that summer.[1][2]
OnVince McMahon's DVD,McMahon, 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.[17] Other interviews with Slaughter and McMahon have revealed that Slaughter left the company more over a dispute that emerged due to the WWF not allowing Slaughter's role in the G.I. Joe toy line.[1]
He received a considerable push in the AWA throughout 1985 and 1986, becoming theAWA America's Heavyweight Champion by defeatingLarry Zbyszko shortly after his debut. Sports editor and columnistLew Freedman wrote of Slaughter's popularity in the wake of his face turn in August 1985: "Talk about your overnight sensations. Slaughter had been wrestling for 10 years and suddenly he was hotter thanDwight Gooden".[18] He defended the title against wrestlers like Zbyszko,Kamala,Boris Zukhov andNick Bockwinkel (before the belt was retired) and feuded with SheikAdnan Al-Kaissey and his stable of wrestlers,The Road Warriors andColonel DeBeers.[1] He was also involved in the short-livedPro Wrestling USA promotion, winning a 25-man battle royal for the right to challengeRic Flair for theNWA World Heavyweight Championship, which he did not win.[19]
In 1988, Slaughter returned to wrestling in the AWA, resuming some of his past feuds with the likes of Al-Kaissey, the Iron Sheik and DeBeers. At theSuperClash IIIpay-per-view on December 13, he defeated DeBeers in a Boot Camp match.[20] He became a top contender to theAWA World Heavyweight Championship during 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.[21] The AWA teased fans with Slaughter appearing to win the world title from Zbyszko live onESPN, only to have the decision reversed on a technicality (a booking practice the AWA had been employing for years).[1]
In June 1990, Slaughter returned to the WWF as a heel.[22] The August 1990invasion of Kuwait byBa'athist Iraq triggered a political crisis that would lead to the 1991Gulf War, in which Kuwait was freed bya U.S.-led military coalition. A decision was made to have Slaughter support the Iraqi cause, not for the actual political reasons, but more for the fact that Slaughter liked "brutality" and the Iraqi government was "brutal" while the United States regime was said by Slaughter to have become "soft" and "weak". Slaughter aligned himself with an Iraqi enthusiast andkayfabe Iraqi military general, General Adnan (his old rival who left the AWA shortly after Slaughter did).[1][2] They entered a feud with Volkoff, with Slaughter winning the majority of their encounters athouse shows.[22] On November 22, atSurvivor Series, The Alliance (Volkoff,Tito Santana andThe Bushwhackers) defeated The Mercenaries (Slaughter,Boris Zhukov andThe Orient Express).[23] As part of his character change, Slaughter began wearing Arab headdresses to the ring, adopted thecamel clutch as one of his finishers, and was (kayfabe) photographed meeting withSaddam Hussein. While portraying aturncoat, Slaughter and his family received numerous death threats and he could not go anywhere in public without wearing a bullet-proof vest, having to be surrounded with security personnel at all times.[2][9]
By the end of the year, Slaughter set his sights on theWWF Championship, held byThe Ultimate Warrior. At theRoyal Rumble on January 19, 1991, days after theGulf War air campaign had begun, Slaughter defeated the Warrior to win the WWF Championship after interference from"Macho King" Randy Savage.[1][24] He was immediately challenged by Royal Rumble winnerHulk Hogan, who was furious that Slaughter had (kayfabe) desecrated the American flag (off-screen) as part of his victory celebration. Hogan demanded a match against Slaughter atWrestleMania VII on March 24 inLos Angeles,California, where Slaughter lost the WWF Championship to Hogan.[25] After WrestleMania, Slaughter introduced his newest ally, Colonel Mustafa (his old nemesis The Iron Sheik), teaming with him and Adnan in a three-on-two handicap match against Hogan and Warrior atSummerSlam on August 26, which they lost.[26]
After the Hogan feud, Slaughter became a face again, appearing invignettes next to American landmarks, saying "I want my country back".[4] During an episode ofSuperstars,Jim Duggan was under attack fromThe Nasty Boys, and Slaughter made the save. AtWrestleMania VIII on April 5, Slaughter, Duggan,Big Boss Man andVirgil defeated The Nasty Boys,The Mountie andRepo Man.[27] He would also feud with Adnan and Mustafa, with Slaughter and Mustafa being on opposite teams atSurvivor Series on November 27; Slaughter's team was victorious.[28] AtRoyal Rumble on January 19, 1992, he competed in theRoyal Rumble match, but was eliminated bySid.[29] Slaughter spent the remainder of the year on the house show circuit, suffering a string of losses against The Mountie.[30] Late in the year, Slaughter retired from full-time competition and started appearing as an on-air official until June 1994.[1][4]
After a hiatus, he returned to WWF television on the August 4, 1997 episode ofRaw Is War to assume the role of on-aircommissioner by (kayfabe) PresidentGorilla Monsoon.[31] He eventually became the target ofShawn Michaels andTriple H ofD-Generation X (DX), who called him "Sgt. Slobber". Slaughter lost to Triple H to a Boot Camp match atD-Generation X: In Your House on December 7.[32] In early 1998, Slaughter turned heel, joinedVince McMahon along withGerald Brisco andPat Patterson, and became the on-screen lackeys of McMahon; running errands for him and dishing out punishment to McMahon's rivals, namelySteve Austin.[1] His feud with Triple H continued intoWrestleMania XIV on March 29, where he handcuffed himself toChyna to prevent her from interfering with Helmsley's match againstOwen Hart. Slaughter's efforts ultimately proved futile, as Chyna threw powder into his eyes and hurled Slaughter into the front row.[33] Later that year, Slaughter relinquished the role of commissioner to Shawn Michaels and disappeared from television. Slaughter made an appearance atWrestleMania X-Seven on April 1, 2001, in the gimmickbattle royal, which was won by The Iron Sheik.[34]
On the November 24, 2003 episode ofRaw, Slaughter lost toRandy Orton, who was establishing himself as the "Legend Killer".[35] On the January 31, 2005 episode ofRaw, he lost to (kayfabe) Saudi Arabian wrestlerMuhammad Hassan.[36] He made a special appearance on the June 13 episode ofRaw to challengeChris Masters in his "Master Lock Challenge", which Slaughter lost.[37] He returned again on the December 5 episode ofRaw, where he andMichael Hayes confrontedEdge.[38] In mid-2006, he hosted a "Diva Boot Camp" segment as part of the2006 Diva Search Competition.[39][40]
He re-appeared on the October 2 episode ofRaw, defeatingNicky from theSpirit Squad with a roll-up whenD-Generation X (DX) distracted him from up on the TitanTron.[41] Slaughter appeared on the October 23 episode ofRaw in the corner ofRic Flair as he facedKenny of the Spirit Squad. After Kenny cheated to gain the victory, Slaughter,Dusty Rhodes andRoddy Piper cleared the tag champions from the ring.[42] Slaughter was one of three options between himself, Piper and Rhodes that fans could vote for as Flair's tag partner atCyber Sunday, but he did not win the vote.[43] AtSurvivor Series on November 26, Slaughter teamed with Flair, Rhodes andRon Simmons to take on four members of the Spirit Squad in aSurvivor Series match. Slaughter was eliminated in the match, but his team won with Flair as the sole survivor.[44]
AtVengeance: Night of Champions on June 24, 2007, Slaughter andJimmy Snuka facedDeuce 'n Domino for theWWE Tag Team Championship in a losing effort.[45] He faced Orton again in a losing effort on the July 30 episode ofRaw, and was wheeled out on a stretcher following a post-match assault by Orton.[46][47] On the 15th-anniversaryRaw special on December 10, Slaughter participated in the 15th-anniversary battle royal.[48] Slaughter, who had been working as a producer for WWE for the past several years, was released from his backstage producer duties with the company on January 13, 2009.[49]
His first appearance on theindependent circuit was in theAmerican Wrestling Federation (AWF) in 1994 until the promotion closed down in October 1996.[50] He appeared forNortheast Wrestling (NEW) at Renegades Rampage on October 2, 2004, defeatingKing Kong Bundy.[51] Slaughter appeared for the International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) at their Night of Legends 2 event on April 9, 2005, defeatingThe Honky Tonk Man.[52] On May 26, 2006, Slaughter defeatedThe Warlord at theEmpire Wrestling Federation (EWF) event Pro Wrestling Legends.[53] On March 28, 2009, he defeated his former rivalKamala at that year's IWC Night of Legends event.[54] Slaughter teamed withThe Patriot to defeat the Nigerian Nightmares at an NWA New Jersey show on December 2, 2011.[55] He returned to Northeast Wrestling for his last two matches; he teamed with Jeff Starr to defeatDalton Castle and Jake Manning in Slaughter's final match on March 29, 2014.[51]
Slaughter was the special guest host ofRaw on August 10, 2009.[56] He made an appearance on the October 2Decade ofSmackDown in a backstage segment with the Iron Sheik.[57] Slaughter would appear on the November 15, 2010 episode ofRaw as the show went old school, losing toAlberto Del Rio.[58] He also quickly lost toJack Swagger on the June 27, 2011 episode ofRaw.[59] On the July 3, 2012 episode ofSmackDown, Slaughter,Jim Duggan andSantino Marella defeatedDrew McIntyre,Hunico andCamacho.[60] On the December 31 edition ofRaw, he unsuccessfully challengedAntonio Cesaro for theWWE United States Championship in his final match for WWE.[61]
On the January 6, 2014 episode ofRaw, he served as the special guest referee for a match betweenThe Great Khali andDamien Sandow.[62] Slaughter's next appearance was on the November 24 episode ofRaw, where he confronted United States ChampionRusev and his valet,Lana, and attempted to force them to recite thePledge of Allegiance (with the alternative, per an edict fromDaniel Bryan, who was running the show that night, being that he would be forced to defend his title against the entireRaw roster). Rusev refused and had a staredown with Slaughter, who stood his ground. Swagger and his manager,Zeb Colter, ran down to the ring and fended Rusev off. Swagger, Colter and Slaughter then finished reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.[63] Slaughter returned atTribute to the Troops on December 17, helpingDean Ambrose defeatBray Wyatt by giving Dean his steel-toe boot to use on Wyatt.[64]
AtMoney in the Bank on June 18, 2017, Slaughter and several other legends were shown at ringside during the WWE Championship match betweenJinder Mahal and Randy Orton.[65] Slaughter's next appearance was atRaw Reunion on July 22, 2019.[66] He was in attendance at the February 5, 2020 episode ofNXT.[67] On January 4, 2021, Slaughter made an appearance on theLegends Night special episode ofRaw.[68]
On July 25, 2025, he made an appearance on SmackDown during the tribute toHulk Hogan.[69]
Fictionalized versions of Sgt. Slaughter were part of theG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, animated series and comic books, as a member of theG.I. Joe team and first appeared in the five-part 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 produced as aG.I. Joe figure (NFL football playerWilliam "The Refrigerator" Perry, pro-wrestlerRoddy Piper, andastronautBuzz Aldrin are some of the others) and appeared inG.I. Joe: The Movie.[70] He was featured in the 1989 video gameSgt. Slaughter's Mat Wars byMindscape.[71]
Slaughter also appeared twice as a special guest onThe Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, which starred fellow wrestlerCaptain Lou Albano. He appeared in the episodes "All Steamed Up" (in "Butch Mario and the Luigi Kid") and "Caught in a Draft" (in "Bad Rap").
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 ofNeil Diamond's "America".[72]
A brief cross promotional stint in the late 1980s had Sgt. Slaughter and his "battling battalion" pitted against theBigfoot Monster Truck in a tug-of-war challenge. It is featured on Blood, Sweat, & Gears USHRA home video. This stunt was recently attempted again with Sgt. Slaughter using fans from the crowd at a Monster Truck show to tug-o-war with Bigfoot.
In the animated seriesCode 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 really was Black Steve, the company's accountant.
He appeared on episode #3.6 ofComedy Central'sTosh.0, when he clotheslinedDaniel Tosh and put David Wills (a.k.a. YouTube's "Crying Wrestling Fan") in a Cobra Clutch during Wills' "Web Redemption" segment.
In 2014, Sgt. Slaughter made a cameo appearance in theRadioShackSuper Bowl XLVIII commercial "The '80s Called".[73]
He later voiced Dr. Military in the 2013 animated seriesTeen Titans Go! in a two-part episode called "Teen Titans Vroom!"
Slaughter voiced an adult-oriented version of himself in the animated WWE Network Exclusive showCamp WWE.[70]
In 2021, Slaughter joined theMasters of the Universe brand, being added to the toyline Masters of the WWEternia. His figure came with similar armor to Man-At-Arms, the mentor to He-Man.
On March 3, 2024, Slaughter was the subject in an episode ofBiography: WWE Legends.[2]
Slaughter is a playable character in the following video gamesWWF Wrestlefest,WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain,WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw 2008,WWE Legends of WrestleMaina,WWE AllStars,WWE WrestleFest 2012,WWE 2K14,WWE SuperCard,WWE 2K15,WWE 2K16 andWWE Battlegrounds.[74]
Remus has two daughters with his ex-wife, Diane Kopp.[2] Remus also makes frequent appearances at comic book and wrestling conventions.[75]
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