Jesse Ventura

Real name: James George Janos
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 245 lbs.
Date of birth: July 15, 1951
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Pro debut: October 1975
Trained by: Eddie Sharkey
Finishing move: Body Breaker

Biography

– On June 8, 1976, Ventura and Bull Ramos defeated the Royal Kangaroos for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team title.
– In 1976, Ventura claimed two NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight titles; once by beating Jimmy Snuka on January 17, 1976, and other by defeating Dutch Savage on June 26, 1976.
– On April 10, 1976, Ventura and Bull Ramos defeated Savage and Snuka for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team title.
– Ventura and Buddy Rose defeated Savage and Snuka on October 25, 1976 to regain the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team title. Ventura and Rose regained the Pacific Northwest Tag Team title on January 15, 1977 from Savage and Snuka.
– On July 28, 1977, Ventura and Steve Strong in Honolulu, HI for the NWA Hawaiian Tag Team title.
– Ventura and Jerry Oates defeated Rose and Ed Wiskoski on March 21, 1978 to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team title.
– On July 20, 1980, the East West Connection (Ventura and Adrian Adonis) were awarded the AWA World Tag Team title via forfeit.
– On April 24, 1983, Ventura, Ken Patera, and Blackjack Lanza beat Rick Martel, Jim Brunzell, and Greg Gagne in St. Paul, MN.
– In 1984, prior to a scheduled Madison Square Garden main event match against Hulk Hogan, Ventura was rushed to a San Diego hospital with a pulmonary embolism.
– At the December 19, 1985 taping of “Saturday Nights Main Event,” Ventura, Roddy Piper, and Bob Orton beat Hillbilly Jim, Uncle Elmer, and Cousin Luke.
– Due to his blood clot, Ventura was forced to retire from the ring, and replaced Angelo Mosca Sr. in the WWF announcing booth.
– In 1986, Ventura co-started in “Predator” with Arnold Schwarzenagger.
– During the summer of 1990, Ventura and the WWF parted ways. Ventura returned to the announcing booth in November 1991, but this time with WCW.
– Ventura left World Championship Wrestling in 1994.
– In November 1998, Ventura won a tight race to become the 38th Governor of Minnesota.
– Ventura returned to wrestling at Summerslam 1999 to officiate the Steve Austin-Triple H-Mankind match.
– On August 2, 2003, Ventura received the Frank A. Gotch award in Newton, IA.
– Ventura was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 13, 2004.
– Ventura was voted into the GERWECK.NET Hall of Fame on November 1, 2010.