American professional wrestler (1952?2020)
Rip Oliver
|
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3c/Ripoliver_resize.jpg/220px-Ripoliver_resize.jpg) |
Birth name
| Larry Richard Oliver
|
---|
Born
| (
1952-10-06
)
October 6, 1952
Homosassa, Florida
, United States
|
---|
Died
| March 5, 2020
(2020-03-05)
(aged 67)
|
---|
|
Ring name(s)
| Rip Oliver
Super Ninja
The Gestapo
|
---|
Billed height
| 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
[1]
|
---|
Billed weight
| 209 lb (95 kg)
[1]
|
---|
Debut
| 1975
|
---|
Retired
| October 12, 1991
|
---|
Larry Richard Oliver
(October 6, 1952 ? March 5, 2020) was an American
professional wrestler
, known as "
Crippler
"
Rip Oliver
, who had success in
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
(PNW).
Early life
[
edit
]
Oliver was born in Florida. His father was Dennis Lee Oliver (December 1922 ? August 1980) and his mother was Sadie Lenore Head Oliver. His parents owned Independent Fish Company, located on Seminole Place on the
Homosassa River
. His parents are buried in Stagestand Cemetery in Homosassa.
Professional wrestling career
[
edit
]
In
Pacific Northwest Wrestling
(PNW), he set a record for holding the
NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship
more than anyone.
[2]
[3]
Oliver also had many titles in tag team competition, holding the
NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship
and the
NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship
a combined 18 times.
[4]
[5]
In 1985, Oliver went to World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas, where he was managed by Jim Cornette. Oliver was involved in a story line with Mike Von Eric where he broke Von Eric's arm which led to their big match at Texas Stadium. In 1985
Chris Adams
allowed his tag team partner
Gino Hernandez
to defend the
WCCW Television Championship
against
Billy Jack Haynes
, where he lost that title, but Oliver defeated and severely injured Billy to win the television title soon thereafter.
[6]
After wrestling in PNW, Oliver began to wrestle for the
World Wrestling Federation
(WWF), and worked mainly as a
jobber
. During his run, Oliver appeared once on
Saturday Night's Main Event XVIII
, going by the name of Super Ninja, challenging
The Ultimate Warrior
for the
WWF Intercontinental Championship
.
[7]
During his many title reigns Oliver faced many wrestlers such as
Rocky Johnson
,
Brett Sawyer
,
Billy Jack Haynes
,
Buddy Rose
,
Bobby Jaggers
,
Stan Stasiak
,
Larry Hennig
,
Curt Hennig
,
Brian Adams
,
Jay Youngblood
,
Steve Regal
,
Roddy Piper
,
Tom Zenk
, and
Buzz Sawyer
. After leaving the WWF Oliver would return to PNW in 1990.
[3]
He wrestled his last match on October 12, 1991, losing the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship to
Demolition Crush
.
[8]
Lawsuit
[
edit
]
In July 2016, Oliver was part of a
class action
lawsuit filed against WWE which alleged that wrestlers incurred traumatic brain injuries during their tenure and that the company concealed the risks of injury. The suit was litigated by attorney Konstantine Kyros, who has been involved in a number of other lawsuits against WWE.
[9]
US District Judge
Vanessa Lynne Bryant
dismissed the lawsuit in September 2018.
[10]
Death
[
edit
]
In early 2020, it was revealed that Oliver had entered into hospice care due to end-stage heart failure.
[3]
He died on March 5, 2020, surrounded by his family.
Championships and accomplishments
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
"Rip Oliver OWW profile"
.
OnlineWorldofWrestling
.
- ^
a
b
Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Oregon & Washington) Portland: NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title [Owens]".
Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present
. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. pp. 315?317.
ISBN
0-9698161-5-4
.
- ^
a
b
c
Meltzer, Dave
(February 26, 2020).
"PACIFIC NORTHWEST STAR RIP OLIVER ENTERS HOSPICE CARE"
.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
. Retrieved
February 26,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "(Oregon & Washington) Portland: NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title [Owens]".
Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present
. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. pp. 317?320.
ISBN
0-9698161-5-4
.
- ^
a
b
Tanabe, Hisaharu.
"N.W.A. Canadian Tag Team Title (Vancouver)"
. Wrestling-Titles.com
. Retrieved
2007-07-16
.
- ^
a
b
Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). "Texas: WCWA Television Title".
Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present
. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. p. 396.
ISBN
0-9698161-5-4
.
- ^
"Saturday Night Main Event ? Nov. 26, 1988"
. WWE
. Retrieved
May 17,
2015
.
- ^
"NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title"
.
Wrestling-Titles.com
. Retrieved
March 6,
2020
.
- ^
"WWE sued in wrestler class action lawsuit featuring Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka, Paul 'Mr Wonderful' Orndorff"
.
FoxSports.com
.
Fox Entertainment Group
(
21st Century Fox
). July 18, 2015
. Retrieved
July 20,
2016
.
- ^
Robinson, Byron (September 22, 2018).
"Piledriver: WWE uses 'Hell in a Cell' as springboard to future shows"
.
Montgomery Advertiser
. Retrieved
October 28,
2018
.
- ^
Hoops, Brian (January 12, 2019).
"Pro wrestling history (01/12): The Outsiders win WCW Tag team titles"
.
Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online
. Retrieved
January 18,
2019
.
- ^
Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000).
Wrestling Title Histories
(4th ed.). Archeus Communications.
ISBN
0-9698161-5-4
.
- ^
"NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title"
. Retrieved
February 26,
2020
.
- ^
Hoops, Brian (January 17, 2019).
"Pro wrestling history (01/17): Vader wins IWGP heavyweight title"
.
Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online
. Retrieved
January 18,
2019
.
- ^
Hoops, Brian (January 16, 2019).
"Pro wrestling history (01/16): Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton win WCW Tag Team Titles"
.
Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online
. Retrieved
January 18,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
Rodgers, Mike (2004).
"Regional Territories: PNW #16 Page #2"
.
KayfabeMemories.com
.
- ^
"World Class Television Title"
. Wrestling-titles.com
. Retrieved
November 19,
2016
.
External links
[
edit
]