Sgt. Slaughter
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- This article is about the wrestler Robert Remus. For the G.I. Joe character (which was based on Remus), see Sgt. Slaughter (G.I. Joe).
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Wrestling Career
Sgt. Slaughter (real name Robert Remus) is an American professional wrestler. From the late 1970's to the early 1990's, Slaughter enjoyed success in the NWA, WWF, and AWA.
Slaughter held numerous regional titles early in his career and would experience his first major success in the NWA capturing the NWA World Tag Team Champion with Don Kernodle.
Slaughter would then sign with the WWF and originally be pushed as a heel. He was a top contender to Bob Backlund's WWF Championship, and engaged in a classic feud with Pat Patterson, culminating in a famous "streetfight" between the two which would go down as one of the most violent and innovative matches of its time. But his career would truly take off after he defended America's honor against the hated Iron Sheik in 1984. As a result, Slaughter would go on to become one of the most popular and recognized stars in wrestling. However, with the emergence of Hulk Hogan as the WWF Champion and lead face within the company, Slaughter would leave for the AWA.
It was rumored that Slaughter left because he couldn't secure a title shot with then WWF Intercontinental Champion Greg Valentine, but contractual issues were probably the real reason behind his departure. Slaughter would receive a considerable push in the AWA throughout 1985 and 1986, becoming the AWA America's Heavyweight Champion, defeating Larry Zbyszko, shortly after his arrival. He would go on to defend the title against wrestlers like Zbyszko, Kamala, Boris Zukhov, and Nick Bockwinkel (before the belt was inactivated) and feud with Shiek Adnan Al-Kaissey and his stable of wrestlers, the Road Warriors, and Col. DeBeers. He would even challenge Stan Hansen for the AWA title.
In 1987, Slaughter was less active in the ring, having signed a contract with Hasbro to do voice overs for his self-titled character in the popular cartoon series G.I. Joe. His character also became a part of the Hasbro product line.
In 1988, Slaughter returned to wrestling in the AWA, resuming some of his past feuds with the likes of Shiek Adnan Al-Kaissey, the Iron Sheik and Col. DeBeers. He would also become a top contender to the AWA World title during Larry 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.
However, in the summer of 1990, Slaughter's gimmick as as that of a patriotic American soldier was turned upside down, when his character temporarily turned against America and became an Iraqi sympathizer. Slaughter's heel persona was one of the most hated in wrestling history, though many people believe the predictability of the storyline heavily contributed to the poor ticket sales of WrestleMania VII.
Slaughter captured the WWF Championship at the 1991 Royal Rumble, defeating The Ultimate Warrior by nefarious means ("Macho King" Randy Savage interfered), but lost the belt in a bloody match against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VII. After finishing the Hogan feud, Slaughter became a face again, saying "I want my country back." After a hiatus, he returned to WWF television circa 1997 to assume the role of on air commissioner, this title was handed over to Shawn Michaels mid 1998. Slaughter still occasionally wrestles for WWE, but his primary role in the promotion now is that of a road agent.
Sgt. Slaughter was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 13, 2004, the night before WrestleMania XX.
The Sarge made a special appearance on the 31st October edition of RAW to take part in the "Masterlock Challenge". The Sarge was on the verge of being the first person to break the devastating "Masterlock" (Full Nelson), when Masters dropped him and hit him with a steel chair, then again locking in the Masterlock and causing the Sarge to pass out. The Sarge returned again on the December 5th edition of RAW, where he and Michael Hayes confronted Edge. Edge briefly taunted Slaughter by calling him "Mr. Yo-Joe." He also wrestled all three generations of Ortons, Bob Orton Sr., Cowboy Bob Orton Jr. and Randy Orton, and beat the senior two but lost to Randy. Since his retirement Slaughter has put on weight considerably, but has lost quite a few pounds in the last 2 years.
Commercial Success
Sgt. Slaughter was also part of the G.I. Joe cartoon, as a member of the G.I. Joe team and first appeared in an episode entitled "Arise, Serpentor, Arise!" and along with the traditional merchandising of WWE superstars, Sgt. Slaughter is one of few real people (fellow WWE Hall Of Famer William "The Refrigerator" Perry is another) to be immortalized as a G.I. Joe figure, and even appeared in G.I. Joe: The Movie. Slaughter also appeared as a special guest on the Super Mario Brothers Super Show.
Quotes
- "Shut your hole puke and listen up!!"
- "...And that's an order!"
- "At ease..."
- "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." (Attributed to Thomas Jefferson
[1])
- "MAGGOTS"!
Previous Managers
Finishing and signature moves
Slaughter Cannon (clothesline or top rope clothesline)
Titles/Accomplishments
- 1-time WWF Championship
- 2-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion (Toronto Version) (first-ever)
- 3-time NWA Central States Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time NWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time NWA United States Tag Team Champion (with Buck Robley) (Tri-State Version)
- 1-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Mid-Atlantic Version) (with Don Kernodle)
- 1-time AWA America's Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time USA Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion
- 1-time NWF American Heavyweight Champion
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked him # 34 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003. PWI also ranked him # 29 of the best tag teams of the "PWI Years" with Don Kernodle.
- Slaughter won the 1984 PWI Most Inspirational Wrestler Award and the 1991 PWI Most Hated Wrestler Award.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- 1981 Match of the Year (vs Pat Patterson)
| Preceded by: The Ultimate Warrior | WWF Champions | Succeeded by: Hulk Hogan |