Johnny Rodz Explained

Johnny Rodz
Birthname:John Rodriguez
Names:Java Ruuk
Johnny Rodz[1]
Super Medico II
El Shafto
Army Medic
Height:[2]
Weight:239lb
Birth Date:16 May 1941
Birth Place:New York City, U.S.
Billed:The Bronx, New York
Debut:1965
Retired:1997

John Rodriguez[3] (born May 16, 1941) is an American former professional wrestler. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Rodz.

Professional wrestling career

World Wide Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Federation (1965–1985)

He was part of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) from its early years, appearing on WWWF cards as far back as 1965.[2] He wrestled Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden while working for the WWWF at the time. Dubbed the "Fire Brand From the Bronx" and the "Unpredictable", he was a proficient worker and a solid heel. Johnny would often tag with Jose Estrada, and Frank "the Gypsy" Rodriguez.[4] For much of the next two decades through mid-1985, Rodz was a mainstay of the federation,[5] though largely used as enhancement talent,[6] [7] for which he was praised by some of his peers.[8] At times Rodz worked in Japan, Puerto Rico and other territories. On August 9, 1980, at the Showdown at Shea, he was defeated by "Polish Power" Ivan Putski.[9] [10] His last WWF match was a loss to Gama Singh on June 19, 1985.

NWA Hollywood Wrestling (1976-1978)

For a time, he also worked with Mike and Gene LeBell's NWA Hollywood Wrestling. He won a greater share of matches wrestling as "Arabian Wildman" Java Ruuk[11] [12] and even won the promotion's battle royal in 1976.[2]

Post-retirement

In 1996, Rodz was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame class of 1996[13] by Arnold Skaaland.[2]

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 the pay-per-view.

Training

Johnny Rodz has been training students for over 30 years, out of Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn. Rodz has trained many students who have gone on to have successful careers in and out of the ring for various wrestling promotions, serve as high-level executives at television networks, and some even went on to become high-level government officials at agencies such as FDA and FDIC. Wrestlers trained by Rodz include: Tazz, Tommy Dreamer, D-von Dudley, Damien Demento, Prince Nana, Marti Belle, Wendy Choo, Big Vito, Masha Slamovich, William Morrissey, Vince Russo, and many more.[14] [15] A few of Rodz' students have gone on to train other future superstars at their own wrestling academies.[16] Rodz founded the independent wrestling promotion known as World of Unpredictable Wrestling.[17] [18]

Wrestlers trained

Championships and accomplishments

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Interview with Prince Nana. Steve Urena. Wrestling Caricatures. 2008-03-20. January 6, 2006.
  2. Web site: WWE.com . Hall of Fame: Johnny Rodz .
  3. Web site: Dying to Drop-Kick And Body-Slam, And Make It Pay. Corey Kilgannon. NY Times. 2008-03-20. October 8, 2000.
  4. Book: Duggan. Hacksaw Jim. Hacksaw: The Jim Duggan Story. Williams. Scott E.. 2012. Triumph Books. 978-1-60078-686-0. en.
  5. Book: Mazer, Sharon. Professional Wrestling: Sport and Spectacle, Second Edition. 2020-01-27. Univ. Press of Mississippi. 978-1-4968-2660-2. en.
  6. Book: Backlund. Bob. Backlund: From All-American Boy to Professional Wrestling's World Champion. Miller. Robert H.. 2015-09-15. Simon & Schuster. 978-1-61321-696-5. en.
  7. Web site: The Profane Teachings Of Johnny Rodz, The Wrestler Who Jobbed His Way Into The Hall Of Fame. Benes. Ross. Deadspin. July 27, 2020. April 13, 2016.
  8. Book: Graham. Billy. Superstar Billy Graham: Tangled Ropes. Greenberg. Keith Elliot. 2006. Simon & Schuster. 978-1-4165-0753-6. en.
  9. Book: Zbyszko, Larry. Adventures in Larryland!. 2010-12-15. ECW Press. 978-1-55490-322-1. en.
  10. Book: Shields, Brian. Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s. 2010-06-15. Simon & Schuster. 978-1-4516-0467-2. en.
  11. Book: Piper, Roddy. In the Pit with Piper. 2002. Penguin. 978-0-425-18721-0. en.
  12. Book: Toombs. Ariel Teal. Rowdy: The Roddy Piper Story. Toombs. Colt Baird. 2020-03-03. Random House of Canada. 978-0-345-81621-4. en.
  13. Book: Dixon. James. Titan Shattered. Maughan. Lee. Richardson. Benjamin. Henry. Justin. 2015-07-14. Lulu.com. 978-1-326-35581-4. en.
  14. Book: Sammond, Nicholas. Steel Chair to the Head: The Pleasure and Pain of Professional Wrestling. 2005-01-13. Duke University Press. 978-0-8223-3438-5. en.
  15. Book: Kanyon. Chris. Wrestling Reality: The Life and Mind of Chris Kanyon Wrestling's Gay Superstar. Clark. Ryan. 2011. ECW Press. 978-1-77041-028-2. en.
  16. Book: DK. WWE Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment New Edition. 2020-09-29. Penguin. 978-0-7440-3510-0. en.
  17. Web site: World of Unpredictable Wrestling. World of Unpredictable Wrestling. en-US. 2018-11-05.
  18. Book: Chow. Broderick. Performance and Professional Wrestling. Laine. Eero. Warden. Claire. 2016-08-12. Taylor & Francis. 978-1-317-38507-3. en.
  19. Book: Loverro, Thom. The Rise & Fall of ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling. 2007-05-22. Simon & Schuster. 978-1-4165-6156-9. en.
  20. Web site: WrestlingClassics.com Message Board: Elektra Talks about the death of her ex-husband Big Dick Dudley on Chairshots radio. 2021-08-02. wrestlingclassics.com.
  21. Book: Russo, Vince. Forgiven: One Man's Journey from Self-Glorification to Sanctification. 2005. ECW Press. 978-1-55022-704-8. en.
  22. Book: Greenberg, Keith Elliot. Too Sweet: Inside the Indie Wrestling Revolution. 2020-09-01. ECW Press. 978-1-77305-576-3. en.
  23. Web site: Little Jeanne's destiny is old-school. https://archive.today/20130115100718/http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2004/08/06/pf-571552.html. usurped. January 15, 2013. Chris Sokol. SLAM! Wrestling. 2008-03-20. August 11, 2004.
  24. Book: Picarello, Robert. Monsters of the Mat. 2002. Penguin. 978-0-425-18594-0. en.
  25. Book: Shoemaker, David. The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling. 2014-11-04. Penguin. 978-1-59240-881-8. en.
  26. Web site: 2020-04-14 . Tales From The Mat Presents: Masha Slamovich's Life Sequestered Abroad In A Joshi Dojo . 2023-01-12 . Wrestling Inc. . en-US.
  27. Book: Royal Duncan & Gary Will. Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. 2000. 4th. 0-9698161-5-4.

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