Profile of Roddy Piper on Famous Like Me

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper (Roderick George Toombs)
Statistics
Stage names	The Masked Canadian The Piper Machine Roddy Piper Hot Rod The Hot Scot
Height	6'2" (188 cm)
Weight	235lbs (106.6 kg)
Born	April 17, 1954
Hometown	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Billed from	Glasgow, Scotland
Trained by	Self-Trained
Debut	1972

Roderick George Toombs (born on April 17, 1954 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), best known by his stage name of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian professional wrestler of Scots descent. 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 called "Hot Rod."

Career

After being expelled from junior high and having a fallout with his father, Toombs hit the road and stayed in youth hostels in 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.

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 legendary and helped create the feuds Piper would have with other wrestlers. He even went as far as insulting superstars, such as, Andre the Giant, Mr. T, and preliminary wrestler Frank Williams.

In one Piper's Pit legendary interview with "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, Piper started insulting Snuka's heritage by bringing out pineapples, banannas, 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, then shoved a banana in his face. He followed up by whipping Snuka with his belt. Piper then left before Snuka could fight back. This incident led to a long angle between the two.

A feud 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 featured a match between Piper and Paul Orndorff versus Hogan and Mr. T. Piper would face Mr. T in a boxing match at WrestleMania 2 in 1986.

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 effiminate wrestler Adrian Adonis. Piper stormed the set of Adonis' show, and destroyed it. This led to their match at WrestleMania III, which was billed as Piper's retirement match.

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 Hart at WrestleMania VIII.

Piper was always known for his charismatic attitude and ability to match wits with absolutely anyone, as well as holding a resilience in the ring matched only by a very few.

Later in 1996, Piper left the WWF for WCW. He appeared at "Halloween Havoc" to "break Hogan's monotony." 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, WA, 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 smashed a coconut over the head of Rikishi. Around the same time on 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 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 Roddy Piper was to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the night before WrestleMania 21, along with "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Jimmy Hart, and Hulk Hogan.

Piper also recently held an edition of "Piper's Pit" at Wrestlemania 21 where he interviewed Stone Cold Steve Austin. The interview was interrupted by Carlito Caribbean Cool, who was promptly beaten up by both Piper and Stone Cold.

Piper has acted in several movies through the years. His best-known role is as the hero of the 1988 John Carpenter science fiction film They Live. Notable in his movie appearances is his refusal to doff his wedding band for a role, despite the character he is portraying.

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 week the programme was to be cancelled, but instead was moved to sunday morning to finish its final episodes.

On Monday night Raw 7/11/05 The "Rowdy One" returned with Piper's Pit to ask then heel, Shawn Michaels why he blind sided Hulk Hogan a week before only to be blind sided himself at the end of the segment. As a result Piper turned face once more.

He returned at the WWE Homecoming, with an edition of The Piper's Pit with Mick Foley. They were both attacked by Randy Orton and Bob Orton Jr., setting up a match for that week's Smackdown, between Piper and The Ortons. Piper won that match after The Undertaker sent a message to the Ortons, catching them off guard which allowed Piper to take advantage and roll-up "Cowboy" Bob for the win. There are rumours of a legends match between Piper and "Cowboy" Bob Orton JR at the Survivor Series.

Finishing/Signature Moves

• Sleeper Hold
• Eye Poke
• Kick to Groin
• Piledriver
• Punch Combination

Previous Managers

• "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Jr.

Quotes

• "Just when they think they know all the answers, I change the questions."
• "Real men wear kilts."
• "You ain't seen nothing yet!"
• "I have come here to kick ass and chew bubble gum... and I'm all out of bubble gum."
• "You don't throw rocks at a man with a machine gun!"
• "I am your reality check!"
• "I'm the reason Hulk Hogan lost his hair!"
• "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."

Piper's Pit

Piper's Pit was an interview segment featuring Rowdy Roddy Piper which was mainstay on WWE (when 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

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 interviews jobber Frankie Williams, tells him that he's worthless and beats him up.
• 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.

Movies

• 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/Accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance

• 2-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion
• 1-Time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion (San Francisco version)
• 4-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (2-time with Ed Wiskoski, 1-time with Keith Franke, 1-time with Ron Bass)
• 1-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (San Francisco version) (with Ed Wiskoski)
• 3-time NWA Americas Champion
• 6-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-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
• 4-time NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champion (1-time with Killer Tim Brooks, 3-time with Rick Martel)

World Wrestling 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 Amateur 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).

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Roddy Piper