Birth name Johnny Rodriguez Billed weight 230 lb (100 kg) Name Johnny Rodz Retired 1999 | Billed height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Debut 1964 Role Professional wrestler Billed from The Bronx | |
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Born May 16, 1938 (age 85)
New York City, New York ( 1938-05-16 ) Ring name(s) Java Ruuk
Johnny
Super Medico II Residence Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States | ||
Old school wrestler johnny rodz on mma pro wrestling
Johnny Rodriguez (born May 16, 1938) is a retired American professional wrestler. He has previously worked as a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Rodz.
Contents
- Old school wrestler johnny rodz on mma pro wrestling
- Wwe classics johnny rodz trainee tazz
- World Wide Wrestling Federation
- NWA Hollywood
- Post retirement
- Training
- Wrestlers trained
- In wrestling
- Championships and accomplishments
- References
Wwe classics johnny rodz trainee tazz
World Wide Wrestling Federation
He was part of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (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. He also went by the moniker "The Unpredictable". He was a solid worker and the consummate "heel" or bad guy. Johnny would often "tag-team" with Jose Estrada, and Frank "the Gypsy" Rodriguez. For much of the next two decades through mid-1985, Rodz was a mainstay of the federation, though largely used as a JTTS (jobber to the stars). On August 9, 1980 Showdown at Shea, he was defeated by "Polish Power" Ivan Putski.
NWA Hollywood
For a time, he also worked with Mike and Gene LeBell'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.
Post-retirement
In 1996, Rodz was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame 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.
Training
Johnny Rodz has been training students for over 24 years, out of "The World's Famous" Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn. 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.