Joseph Ruud (born November 28, 1981) is an American
professional
A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and ski ...
wrestler performing as Erick Redbeard. Having previously wrestled in Japan, where he trained and performed for
Pro Wrestling Noah
(stylised as Pro Wrestling NOAH) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) ace Mitsuharu Misawa after he had led a mass exodus in which 24 of AJPW's 26 contracted wrestlers left the ...
, Ruud signed a contract with WWE in 2011. He was sent to its developmental territory,
Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
(FCW), before debuting on the
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
brand in 2012 under the
ring name Erick Rowan, a member of
the Wyatt Family
The Wyatt Family was an American professional wrestling stable in WWE originally composed of Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, and Luke Harper.
The Wyatt Family debuted in WWE's then developmental branch NXT in November 2012, with Harper and Rowan g ...
. He went on to become a
one-time NXT Tag Team Champion
The NXT Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It is defended on the NXT brand division, the promotion's developmental territory. Introduced on January ...
(with Harper) and a
two-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion
The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE' ...
(once with
Luke Harper
Jonathan Huber (December 16, 1979 – December 26, 2020) was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Luke Harper (later simply Harper) from 2012 to 2019, and in All E ...
and once with
Daniel Bryan). Ruud was released from WWE in April 2020, returning to the
independent circuit.
Early life
Joseph Ruud was born in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 28, 1981.
He grew up in
Montrose, Minnesota
Montrose is a small city in Wright County, Minnesota, United States. Montrose is surrounded by farmland, prairies, and lakes. The population was 2,847 at the 2010 census.
History
Montrose was platted in 1878, and named after Montrose, in Scotl ...
. He is of
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
descent, with his ancestors having emigrated to the U.S. from
Nannestad
Nannestad is a municipality in Akershus in Viken county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Teigebyen.
History
Nannestad was established as a municipality o ...
. He attended the
University of Minnesota Morris
The University of Minnesota Morris (UMN Morris) is a public liberal arts college in Morris, Minnesota. It is part of the University of Minnesota system and was founded in 1960 as a public, co-educational, residential liberal arts college offering ...
, where he played
football.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (2003–2011)
Ruud began his
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
career after training with
Eddie Sharkey
Eddie Sharkey (born February 4, 1936) is an American professional wrestling trainer. He is often called "The Trainer of Champions". He has been instrumental in training some of the biggest names in the sport. He was also the owner of Pro Wrest ...
in 2003. He debuted under the ring name "Thoruf Marius", competing for various
promotions throughout the
Midwest until 2007. He was invited to go to
Pro Wrestling Noah
(stylised as Pro Wrestling NOAH) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) ace Mitsuharu Misawa after he had led a mass exodus in which 24 of AJPW's 26 contracted wrestlers left the ...
's (NOAH) dojo in Japan to live, train, and wrestle. During this time, he competed in both
tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
and
singles matches. Following his tour in Japan, Ruud returned to the United States in 2008 and began competing for the Minnesota-based F1rst Wrestling promotion. Albeit, without much success. Upon joining the promotion, he began
feuding with Big Brody Hoofer, with the pair exchanging wins across several events.
World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE
Florida Championship Wrestling (2011–2012)
In February 2011, Ruud signed a developmental contract with
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and va ...
(WWE) and was assigned to their
developmental territory
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
(FCW) under the ring name "Erick Rowan". He made his ''FCW TV'' debut in August 2011 with a win over
Kenneth Cameron, while being accompanied by
Byron Saxton
Bryan Jesús Kelly (born August 20, 1981) is an American professional wrestling commentator, ring announcer, and former professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he works as a backstage interviewer on '' Raw'' and color comment ...
and James Bronson. To tie in with Saxton's feud with
Titus O'Neil
Thaddeus Michael Bullard Sr. (born April 29, 1977) is an American professional wrestler and former arena football player. He is the Global Ambassador of WWE and also performs for the promotion as a wrestler under the ring name Titus O'Neil. D ...
, Rowan and Bronson lost to O'Neil and
Leakee in a tag team match. Although Rowan continued to compete in both singles and tag team matches with Bronson, he was not involved in any further feuds and did not challenge for any titles on ''FCW TV''.
Wyatt Family (2012–2014)
![WWE Erick Rowan Sheep Mask](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/WWE_Erick_Rowan_Sheep_Mask.jpg)
After FCW was
rebranded
Rebranding is a marketing strategy in which a new name, term, symbol, design, concept or combination thereof is created for an established brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investors ...
to
NXT Wrestling
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* '' WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spi ...
,
Rowan made his debut on the December 12, 2012 episode of ''
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
'' as a follower of
Bray Wyatt
Windham Lawrence Rotunda (born May 23, 1987) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Bray Wyatt.
Rotunda is a third-generation professional wrestler, fo ...
, who introduced Rowan as his "second son". As a member of The Wyatt Family, Rowan formed a
tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
with Wyatt's "first son"
Luke Harper
Jonathan Huber (December 16, 1979 – December 26, 2020) was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Luke Harper (later simply Harper) from 2012 to 2019, and in All E ...
, and they defeated
Percy Watson
Nicholas Christopher McNeil (born August 19, 1981), better known by his ring name Percy Watson, is an American professional wrestler, commentator, and former professional football player. He is best known for his time with WWE as a commentato ...
and
Yoshi Tatsu
Yoshi is a fictional dinosaur who appears in video games published by Nintendo. Yoshi debuted in ''Super Mario World'' (1990) on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick. Yoshi is the title character of the List of Y ...
on the January 9, 2013 episode of ''NXT''. On the January 23 episode of ''NXT'', Harper and Rowan again defeated Watson and Tatsu in the opening round of the
NXT Tag Team Championship tournament.
Following a win over
Bo Dallas
Taylor Michael Rotunda (born May 25, 1990) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Bo Dallas. Rotunda is a third-generation professional wrestler; his grandfather Bla ...
and
Michael McGillicutty in the semi-finals after Wyatt's interference, Harper and Rowan were defeated in the finals by
Adrian Neville
Benjamin Satterley (born 22 August 1986), better known by his ring name Pac, is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he was the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion. He is one-third of the ...
and
Oliver Grey
Joel Pettyfer (born 21 February 1987), is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Joel Redman. Pettyfer is best known for his work on the independent circuit in the United Kingdom, where he is a former Unified British T ...
. On the May 2 episode of ''NXT'', Harper and Rowan won a
triple threat elimination tag team match by last
pinning Pinning may refer to:
* Pinning, the effect of certain weapons that cause their targets to be pinned down
* Pinning ceremony (nursing), a symbolic welcoming of new graduates into the nursing profession
* Pinning force, a force acting on a pinned ...
Adrian Neville.
On the May 8 episode of ''NXT'' (which was taped on May 2), Harper and Rowan defeated Adrian Neville and Bo Dallas (who was filling in for the injured Oliver Grey) to win the
NXT Tag Team Championship
The NXT Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It is defended on the NXT brand division, the promotion's developmental territory. Introduced on January 2 ...
, Rowan's first
professional wrestling championship
A championship or title in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.
Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in predetermined rivalr ...
.
On the June 5 episode of ''NXT'', Harper and Rowan successfully retained their championship against
Corey Graves and
Kassius Ohno
Cassius may refer to:
People
* Cassius, an ancient Roman family name, see Cassia gens
**Gaius Cassius Longinus (died 42 BC), Roman senator and a leader of Julius Caesar's assassination
** Avidius Cassius (130–175), usurper Roman Emperor
* Cass ...
, and on the June 19 episode of ''NXT'', The Wyatt Family defeated the team of Neville, Graves and Ohno. On the July 17 episode of ''NXT'' (which was taped on June 20), Harper and Rowan lost the NXT Tag Team Championship to Neville and Graves.
From the May 27 episode of ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
'', WWE aired
vignettes
Vignette may refer to:
* Vignette (entertainment), a sketch in a sketch comedy
* Vignette (graphic design), decorative designs in books (originally in the form of leaves and vines) to separate sections or chapters
* Vignette (literature), short, i ...
promoting the upcoming
main roster debut of The Wyatt Family. The vignettes showed The Wyatt Family's
backwoods origins and Rowan wearing a sheep mask. On the July 8 episode of ''Raw'', The Wyatt Family made their debut by assaulting
Kane. Rowan made his WWE in-ring debut on the July 26 episode of ''
SmackDown
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes sim ...
'', where he teaming up with Harper to defeat Tons of Funk (
Brodus Clay
George Murdoch (born February 21, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and cable news personality known by his ring/stage name Tyrus. As a wrestler, he is signed to the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), where he is the reigning NWA World ...
and
Tensai
Matthew Jason Bloom (born November 14, 1972) is an American retired professional wrestler and professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
Bloom ...
) in a tag team match.
Over the next few months, Rowan and Harper competed as a tag team and went on a winning streak over many teams, until
Cody Rhodes and Goldust
Cody and Dustin Rhodes (also known as Cody Rhodes and Goldust, The Brotherhood, The Rhodes Brothers, and Gold and Stardust) were an American professional wrestling tag team consisting of Cody Rhodes and Dustin Rhodes. They are also known for th ...
handed them their first loss on the October 11 episode of ''SmackDown''. In early 2014, Rowan took part in The Wyatt Family's feud with
The Shield
''The Shield'' is an American crime drama television series starring Michael Chiklis that premiered on March 12, 2002, on FX in the United States, and concluded on November 25, 2008, after seven seasons. Known for its portrayal of corrupt pol ...
, while also supporting Bray Wyatt in his feud against
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
. While Cena and Wyatt's feud continued, Rowan and Harper also started a feud with
The Usos
The Usos (born August 22, 1985) are an American professional wrestling tag team composed of twin brothers Joshua Samuel Fatu and Jonathan Solofa Fatu, who are known professionally by their respective ring names Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso. They ar ...
, unsuccessfully challenging for the
Tag Team Championship
A championship or title in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.
Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in predetermined rivalr ...
at
Money in the Bank and
Battleground.
Feud with the Authority (2014–2015)
Beginning on September 29, vignettes were shown of Rowan and Harper being "set free" by Wyatt, marking the dissolution of The Wyatt Family and the transition of its members into singles competition. On the November 17 episode of ''Raw'', Rowan turned
face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
and had a brief feud with
the Authority when he joined Team Cena for
Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the se ...
, going after his former Wyatt Family partner Luke Harper, who had joined Team Authority. At Survivor Series, Rowan scored no eliminations and was himself eliminated by Harper, with the assistance of
Seth Rollins
Colby Daniel Lopez (born May 28, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Seth Rollins (often referred to as Seth "Freakin" Rollins).
Prior to signing ...
; however, Team Cena later won the match. Afterwards, Rowan started a feud with
Big Show
Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as an in-ring performer, and as a commentator for its web television show, '' AEW Dark: Elevation,'' under ...
, the team member who had betrayed the rest of Team Cena at the event. At
TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, Rowan was defeated by Big Show in a
stairs match.
On the January 5, 2015 episode of ''Raw'', Rowan, along with
Dolph Ziggler
Nicholas Theodore Nemeth (born July 27, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and stand-up comedian. He is currently signed to WWE under the ring name Dolph Ziggler, where he performs on the Raw brand.
After a prolific career in amateur ...
and
Ryback
Ryback Allen Reeves (né Ryan; born November 10, 1981) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE where he performed under the ring name Ryback.
One of the eight finalists on WWE's '' Tough Enough 4'', Reeves ...
were (
kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe, as a noun, is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically the portrayal of competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants as being genuine and not staged ...
) fired by The Authority for being a part of Team Cena. On the January 19 episode of ''Raw'', Rowan, Ziggler and Ryback were rehired after Cena won a
3-on-1 handicap match against Seth Rollins, Big Show and Kane following assistance from
Sting. On the January 22 episode of ''SmackDown'', Rowan lost to Luke Harper in a qualifying match for the
2015 Royal Rumble. Despite this, Rowan appeared during the
Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic Battle Royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
and attacked number 6 entrant
Curtis Axel
Joseph Curtis Hennig (born October 1, 1979) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Curtis Axel. Hennig signed with WWE in 2007 and wrestled at their developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) and was ...
, before Axel could make his entrance to the ring, sparking a brief The Wyatt Family reunion with Harper and Wyatt, before all three men brawled. At
Fastlane, Rowan teaming up with Ziggler and Ryback in a
six-man tag team match
Much like the singles match, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace. Tag team ladder m ...
against Seth Rollins, Big Show and Kane, which they lost. Rowan participated in the second annual
André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is a namesake battle royal held as part of WrestleMania Weekend by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. The winner of the match receives the André the Giant Memorial Trophy. The inaugura ...
at
WrestleMania 31
WrestleMania 31 was the 31st annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on March 29, 2015, at Levi's Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Santa Clara, California. Nine ...
, but was eliminated by Big Show.
Return of the Wyatt Family (2015–2017)
![The Wyatt Family confronts The Rock at WrestleMania 32](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/The_Wyatt_Family_confronts_The_Rock_at_WrestleMania_32.jpg)
In May, Rowan reunited with former tag team partner Luke Harper after attacking Harper's opponent
Fandango
Fandango is a lively partner dance originating from Portugal and Spain, usually in triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has ...
, turning
heel in the process. In late June, Rowan suffered a torn
bicep, leaving him out of action. Rowan returned on the October 19 episode of ''Raw'' as a member of The Wyatt Family once again, against
Dean Ambrose
Jonathan David Good (born December 7, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Jon Moxley. He also makes appearances for New Japan Pro-Wres ...
,
Roman Reigns
Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa'i (born May 25, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and former football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Roman Reigns. He is the leader of The B ...
, and Seth Rollins, which his team won by disqualification after Ambrose attacked new The Wyatt Family member
Braun Strowman
Adam Joseph Scherr (born September 6, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and former strongman. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Braun Strowman.
In WWE, he is a one-time U ...
with a kendo stick. Rowan took part in The Wyatt Family's feud with
The Brothers of Destruction
The Brothers of Destruction were a professional wrestling tag team in WWE composed of storyline half-brothers The Undertaker and Kane.
With more deep-seated drama and dysfunction than other WWE tag team combinations, their relationship/brot ...
, after they kidnapped
The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway spent the vast majorit ...
at
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
, and Kane on the October 26 episode of ''Raw''. At
TLC: Tables, Ladders, and Chairs, The Wyatt Family defeated
ECW Originals
The ECW Originals were a professional wrestling stable that has made appearances in various wrestling promotions, such as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and most famously WWE.
The name of the stable derives from their affiliation with the orig ...
in an
eight-man tag team elimination tables match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
, with Rowan being the only Wyatt Family member eliminated from the match. On January 24, 2016, Rowan would go on to compete in the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
match with fellow The Wyatt Family members and was eliminated by
Brock Lesnar,
but he would later return to the ring along with another members to eliminate Lesnar.
On April 3, Rowan competed in his first ever WrestleMania singles match at
WrestleMania 32
WrestleMania 32 was the 32nd annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on April 3, 2016, at the AT&T Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. This was the last Wre ...
against
The Rock, after the latter confronted The Wyatt Family. Rowan was defeated by The Rock in six seconds, breaking the record for the quickest WrestleMania match of all time; after the match, when The Wyatt Family attempted to attack The Rock, a returning John Cena came to his aid. The next night on ''Raw'', The Wyatt Family attacked
The League of Nations
The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
, starting a feud between the heel factions.
Rowan and Strowman were set to compete in a match at
Payback
Payback may refer to:
* Revenge, a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance
Payback may also refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Payback, a member of the fictional comics superhero team Shadow ...
,
[ but Wyatt suffered a calf injury as well as Harper, who dislocated his ]patella
The patella, also known as the kneecap, is a flat, rounded triangular bone which articulates with the femur (thigh bone) and covers and protects the anterior articular surface of the knee joint. The patella is found in many tetrapods, such as ...
and tore his medial patellofemoral ligament
The medial patellofemoral ligament is one of the several ligaments on the medial aspect of the knee. It originates on the superomedial aspect of the patella and inserts in the space between the adductor tubercle and the medial femoral epicondyle ...
in late March. These injuries resulted in the suspension of the feud between The Wyatt Family and The League of Nations.[ The Wyatt Family (minus Harper) returned on the June 20 episode of ''Raw'', subsequently getting into a feud with The New Day, who interrupted Wyatt during his return speech. The feud culminated at Battleground, where The Wyatt Family defeated The New Day.
On July 19, as part of 2016 draft, Rowan was drafted to ]SmackDown
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes sim ...
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...
along with Bray Wyatt, while Braun Strowman was drafted to Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
. While Rowan kept wrestling with Wyatt, in October Rowan underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and would be out of action for eight months. He made his return on the April 4, 2017 episode of ''SmackDown Live''. On April 10, The Wyatt Family disbanded again when Wyatt was moved to the Raw brand as part of Superstar Shake-up. The short rivalry between Rowan and Luke Harper was ended at Backlash
Backlash may refer to:
Literature
* '' Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women'', a 1991 book by Susan Faludi
* ''Backlash'' (Star Wars novel), a 2010 novel by Aaron Allston
* Backlash (Marc Slayton), comic book character
* ''Backla ...
on May 21, where Harper defeated Rowan.
Bludgeon Brothers (2017–2018)
On the October 10 episode of ''SmackDown Live'', Rowan returned to television in a vignette where he was once again aligned with Luke Harper. The duo were dubbed as The Bludgeon Brothers, where his ring name shortened to "Rowan". The team wrestled their return match on the November 21 episode of ''SmackDown Live'', defeating The Hype Bros
The Hype Bros was an American professional wrestling tag team which performed in WWE on its SmackDown brand. The team, composed of Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley, was formed in June 2015 on the development territory, NXT.
History NXT (2015–201 ...
(Zack Ryder
Matthew Brett Cardona (born May 14, 1985) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). He is best known for his time in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Zack Ryd ...
and Mojo Rawley
Dean Muhtadi ( ar, دين موهتادي; born July 17, 1986) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and former American professional football player. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Mojo Rawle ...
). At the Clash of Champions
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). ...
pay-per-view event
Event may refer to:
Gatherings of people
* Ceremony, an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion
* Convention (meeting), a gathering of individuals engaged in some common interest
* Event management, the organization of e ...
, The Bludgeon Brothers defeated Breezango (Fandango
Fandango is a lively partner dance originating from Portugal and Spain, usually in triple meter, traditionally accompanied by guitars, castanets, or hand-clapping. Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has ...
and Tyler Breeze
Matthew Clement (born January 19, 1988) is a Canadian professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer. He is currently signed to WWE under the ring name Tyler Breeze as a trainer at the WWE Performance Center.
From 2010 to 2012, he pe ...
) in a squash match
Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable amount of jargon throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence ...
.
On March 11, 2018, The Bludgeon Brothers made an appearance at Fastlane, interfering during the SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE' ...
match between The Usos
The Usos (born August 22, 1985) are an American professional wrestling tag team composed of twin brothers Joshua Samuel Fatu and Jonathan Solofa Fatu, who are known professionally by their respective ring names Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso. They ar ...
and The New Day. The team won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 34
WrestleMania 34 was the 34th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event took place on April 8, 2 ...
from The Usos, a match also involving The New Day; this marked Rowan's first main roster championship win. They would go on to successfully defend the titles against The Usos at the Greatest Royal Rumble
WWE Greatest Royal Rumble was a professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brand divisions. The event took place on April 27, 2018, a ...
event, against Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson at Money in the Bank, and against Team Hell No
Team Hell No was an American professional wrestling tag team in the WWE. They performed on the SmackDown brand consisting of Kane and Daniel Bryan. The team's name is a reference to the two wrestlers' personas: Kane is portrayed as a violent py ...
at Extreme Rules.
The Bludgeon Brothers lost by disqualification in a championship defense against The New Day at SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
, resulting in them retaining the titles. Two nights later on the August 21 episode of ''SmackDown Live'', The New Day defeated The Bludgeon Brothers in a no disqualification match to win the championships, ending their reign at 135 days. The following day, it was announced that Rowan had suffered a torn right bicep and would have surgery later in the week.
Storyline with Daniel Bryan (2019–2020)
Rowan returned from injury at the Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
pay-per-view event on January 27, 2019, interfering on behalf of Daniel Bryan to help him retain the WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDow ...
against AJ Styles
Allen Neal Jones (born June 2, 1977), better known by his ring name AJ Styles (also stylized as A.J. Styles), is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Regarded as one of the best ...
, and forming an alliance with Bryan. On the February 26 episode of ''SmackDown Live'', Rowan competed in his first match since August 2018, teaming with Bryan in a losing effort to Kofi Kingston
Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah (born August 14, 1981) is a Ghanaian-born American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Kofi Kingston. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-ha ...
and Kevin Owens
Kevin Steen (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kevin Owens.
Steen began his career in 2000, at the age of 16. Prior to joining WWE in lat ...
. On the May 7 episode of ''SmackDown Live'', Rowan and Bryan defeated The Usos
The Usos (born August 22, 1985) are an American professional wrestling tag team composed of twin brothers Joshua Samuel Fatu and Jonathan Solofa Fatu, who are known professionally by their respective ring names Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso. They ar ...
for the vacant SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE' ...
, beginning their first reign as a team, and Rowan's second reign individually. At Money in the Bank, Rowan and Bryan were defeated by The Usos in a non-title match. The following month at Super ShowDown
WWE Super ShowDown (originally stylized as Super Show-Down) was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE, an American-based promotion. It was broadcast live and available only through pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE's livestreaming service, the ...
event, Rowan competed in the 51-man battle royal, but failed to win. At Stomping Grounds, Rowan and Bryan retained the SmackDown Tag Team Championship against Heavy Machinery ( Otis and Tucker
Tucker may refer to:
Places United States
* Tucker, Arkansas
* Tucker, Georgia
* Tucker, Mississippi
* Tucker, Missouri
* Tucker, Utah, ghost town
* Tucker County, West Virginia
Outer space
* Tucker (crater), a small lunar impact crater in the s ...
). At Extreme Rules, Rowan and Bryan lost the championship to The New Day in a triple threat match also involving Heavy Machinery, ending their reign at 68 days.
In August, Rowan and Bryan became involved in a storyline with Roman Reigns
Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa'i (born May 25, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and former football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Roman Reigns. He is the leader of The B ...
, as Reigns was being targeted for attacks by a mystery conspirator. Reigns suspected Rowan as his attacker due to testimony from Buddy Murphy
Matthew Adams (born 26 September 1988) is an Australian professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Buddy Matthews as a member of the stable House of Black. He is best known for his time with WWE w ...
, as well as seemingly incriminating video footage, but Bryan instead revealed that the attacker was merely a man who resembled Rowan. However, Rowan later turned on Bryan and revealed that he was the attacker the entire time, ending the alliance between the two. During this time, his ring name was reverted to Erick Rowan. Rowan would then face Reigns in a no disqualification match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
at Clash of Champions
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). ...
, which he won after interference from a returning Luke Harper. The feud concluded at Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
, where Reigns and Bryan defeated Rowan and Harper in a tornado tag team match
Much like the singles match, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace. Tag team ladder m ...
.
As part of the 2019 draft, Rowan was drafted to Raw, disbanding his team with Luke Harper, who remained on SmackDown. Starting in November, he would revert to his previous ring name Erick Rowan and began coming to the ring carrying a cage with a hidden cloth over it, as he would squash various local competitors, and Rowan would be shown to be very protective and affectionate of the creature in the cage destroying whoever tried to look inside the cage. Despite this, the creature would bite Rowan on multiple occasions which would force him to take out his pain on his opponents. At the Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
pay-per-view on January 26, 2020, Rowan entered Royal Rumble match at number 3, and was quickly eliminated by Brock Lesnar. On March 2 episode of ''Raw'' in a backstage segment with No Way Jose, Rowan revealed the mystery creature inside the cage to be a large spider. The next week on ''Raw'', Rowan competed in his final match against Drew McIntyre
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE I ...
, where mid-way through the bout, McIntyre crushed the cage with steel steps. On April 15, 2020, Rowan was released from his WWE contract along with several other superstars as a result of budget cuts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
,ending his 9-year tenure with the company.
Independent circuit (2020–present)
Following his release from WWE, Ruud began taking bookings under the ring name "Erick Redbeard". On October 21, 2020, it was announced that he would be competing in the United Wrestling Network World Title tournament. He would make his debut on October 31, losing to Fred Rosser
Frederick Douglas Rosser III (born November 2, 1983) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the current Strong Openweight Champion in his first reign. He is best known for his ...
in the first round of the tournament by disqualification.
All Elite Wrestling (2020, 2022)
Following the death of his former WWE tag team partner Luke Harper (who was performing in All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
under the ring name Mr. Brodie Lee) on December 26, 2020, Redbeard appeared on the memorial ''AEW Dynamite AEW or aew may refer to:
* Airborne early warning, airborne radar system for detecting aircraft
* Aerosvit Airlines, an airline based in Kyiv, Ukraine (ICAO airline designator: AEW)
* AEW Capital Management, a property investment management company
...
'' episode "Brodie Lee Celebration of Life
The Brodie Lee Celebration of Life was a professional wrestling memorial event and television special produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The event took place on December 30, 2020, at Daily's Place in Jacksonville, Florida and was broadcast o ...
" on December 30, where he protected Dark Order members from being attacked by Wardlow during a six-man tag team match. After the match, he embraced the Dark Order, cried, and held up a sign that read: "Goodbye for now, my brother. See you down the road." Redbeard returned to AEW on the March 4, 2022 episode of ''AEW Rampage
''AEW Rampage'', also known as ''Friday Night Rampage'' or simply ''Rampage'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). It airs every Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern Time ...
'' and aligned himself with Death Triangle
Death Triangle is a professional wrestling stable in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) consisting of Pac and The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fénix), alongside their manager Alex Abrahantes. The trio are the current AEW World Trios Cham ...
( Pac and Penta Oscuro). The trio would team against House of Black (Malakai Black
Tom Budgen (born 19 May 1985) is a Dutch professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Malakai Black. He is also known for his time in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Aleister Black from 201 ...
, Brody King
Nathan Troy Blauvelt (born March 17, 1987), better known by his ring name Brody King, is an American professional wrestler and musician signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of The House of Black. King was previously signed ...
, and Buddy Matthews
Matthew Adams (born 26 September 1988) is an Australian professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Buddy Matthews as a member of the stable House of Black. He is best known for his time with WWE w ...
) at Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
's "Buy-In" pre-show event. The match would end with Redbeard getting pinned by Black.
Personal life
Since 2019, Joseph Ruud has been married to his wife Leah Ruud. He has two children with his ex-wife. In his spare time, he plays guitar.
Other media
Filmography
Film
Television
Video games
Championships and accomplishments
* French Lake Wrestling Association
** FLWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
*Insane Wrestling Revolution
**IWR World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''
** Ranked No. 57 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
'' in 2014
* ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four W ...
''
** Best Gimmick (2013)
* WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
** WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship
The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, representing the SmackDown brand division. It is one of two male tag team championships for WWE ...
(2 times
"2 Times" is a song co-written and recorded by British Italian-based singer Ann Lee. It was released in 1999 as the lead single from her debut album, ''Dreams'' (1999). The single entered and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Outside ...
) – with Harper
Harper may refer to:
Names
* Harper (name), a surname and given name
Places
;in Canada
* Harper Islands, Nunavut
*Harper, Prince Edward Island
;In the United States
*Harper, former name of Costa Mesa, California in Orange County
* Harper, Il ...
(1) and Daniel Bryan (1)
** NXT Tag Team Championship
The NXT Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It is defended on the NXT brand division, the promotion's developmental territory. Introduced on January 2 ...
( 1 time) – with Luke Harper
Jonathan Huber (December 16, 1979 – December 26, 2020) was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Luke Harper (later simply Harper) from 2012 to 2019, and in All E ...
** Slammy Award
The Slammy Awards is a concept used by WWE, where awards, similar to the Academy and Grammy Awards, are given to professional wrestlers and other individuals within WWE, such as commentators and managers. Introduced in 1986, there have been 13 e ...
(1 time)
*** Match of the Year ( 2014) –
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rowan, Erick
1981 births
21st-century professional wrestlers
American male professional wrestlers
American male television actors
American people of Norwegian descent
Living people
NXT Tag Team Champions
People from Wright County, Minnesota
Professional wrestlers from Minneapolis
University of Minnesota Morris alumni