Thunderbolt Patterson
Real name: Claude Patterson
Date of birth: July 8, 1941
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Trained by: Pat O’Connor, Steve Kovacs
Pro debut: 1964
Retired: 1994
Biography
– Patterson began his working life at a John Deere factory in his home town before turning to wrestling in the early 1960s.
– Patterson debuted for Kansas City promoter Gus Karras in 1964, working under his real name against Don Soto
– In 1966, Patterson joined the Los Angeles territory under the name ‘Thunderbolt Patterson’
– On February 9, 1966, Patterson & Alberto Torres defeated Gorilla Monsoon & El Mongol to win the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On February 17, Patterson & Torres defeated Luke Graham & Lonnie Mayne to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On March 3, Patterson & Torres defeated Gorilla Monsoon & Krusher Karlsson to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– On March 17, Patterson & Torres defeated Nikita Mulkovitch & El Mongol to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– The next day, Patterson & Torres defeated Buddy Austin & The Mighty Atlas to retain the WWA Tag Team Titles
– In 1967, Patterson moved to the Vancouver territory, working as ‘Thunderbolt Peters’, but would revert to his former name upon a return to the US later that year
– On October 5, 1967, Patterson defeated The Lawman in a Chain Match to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On November 2, Patterson defeated Eddie Graham to retain the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On February 21, 1968, Patterson defeated PY Chung to retain the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On May 30, after a stint in Australia, Patterson defeated Kurt Von Brauner to regain the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On May 26, 1970, Patterson defeated Jose Lothario to win the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title
– On July 7, Patterson defeated Louie Tillet to retain the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title
– The next day, Patterson defeated Eddie Graham to retain the NWA Florida Brass Knuckles Title
– On October 15, Patterson defeated Bob Griffin to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On October 29, Patterson defeated Dory Funk to retain the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On November 4, Patterson again defeated Dory Funk to retain the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– The next day, Patterson defeated Bob Griffin to retain the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On November 8, Patterson defeated Terry Funk to retain the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On November 11, Patterson defeated The Lawman to retain the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title
– On July 19, 1971, Patterson & Toru Tanaka defeated Wahoo McDaniel & Johnny Valentine to win the NWA American Tag Team Titles
– On July 30, Patterson & Tanaka defeated McDaniel & Valentine to retain the NWA American Tag Team Titles
– On October 2, 1973, Patterson defeated Dusty Rhodes to win the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title, but would lose it back a week later
– On March 5, 1974, Patterson defeated The Missouri Mauler to retain the ASWA United States Title
– On March 26, Patterson defeated Ox Baker to retain the ASWA United States Title
– On January 27, 1976, Patterson defeated Frank Goodish to win the NWA Florida Title
– On February 4, Patterson defeated Frank Goodish to retain the NWA Florida Title
– On February 10, Patterson defeated King Curtis to retain the NWA Florida Title
– On February 17, Patterson defeated Frank Goodish to retain the NWA Florida Title
– On February 21, Patterson defeated King Curtis by DQ to retain the NWA Florida Title
– On March 4, Patterson defeated The Missouri Mauler to retain the NWA Florida Title
– On March 17, Patterson defeated Pak Song by DQ to retain the NWA Florida Title
– On March 22, Patterson defeated King Curtis to retain the NWA Florida Title
– On November 19, 1976, Patterson defeated The Sheik to win the NWA Toronto United States Title
– On December 5, Patterson defeated The Sheik by DQ to retain the NWA Toronto United States Title
– On April 1, 1977, Patterson defeated Lars Anderson by DQ to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On April 15, Patterson defeated Anderson to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On April 29, Patterson & Mr Wrestling defeated The Andersons (Gene & Ole) to win the NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles
– On May 2, Patterson defeated The Great Malenko to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On May 6, Patterson & Mr Wrestling defeated The French Angel & The Assassin to retain the NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles
– On May 27, Patterson defeated The French Angel to regain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On July 5, Patterson defeated Ole Anderson by DQ to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On March 31, 1978, Patterson & Tommy Rich defeated The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Lars & Ole Anderson) to win the NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles
– The next day, Patterson defeated Stan Hansen to win the NWA Mid-South Brass Knuckles Title
– On May 2, Patterson defeated Ole Anderson to win the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On May 5, Patterson & Tommy Rich defeated The Minnesota Wrecking Crew (Lars & Ole Anderson) to win the NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles
– On May 13, Patterson & Rich defeated Ole Anderson & Stan Hansen to retain the NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles
– On May 15, Patterson defeated Abdullah The Butcher to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On May 19, Patterson defeated Bobby Duncum to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On May 22, Patterson defeated Abdullah The Butcher to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On May 24, Patterson & Tommy Rich defeated Ole Anderson & Stan Hansen to retain the NWA Georgia Tag Team Titles
– On May 30, Patterson defeated Ole Anderson to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On June 18, Patterson defeated The Asssassin to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On August 11, Patterson defeated Ole Anderson to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On September 5, Patterson defeated Angelo Mosca to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On September 8, Patterson defeated Ernie Ladd to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On September 29, Patterson defeated Stan Hansen to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On October 2, Patterson defeated The French Angel to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title-
– On January 1, 1979, Patterson defeated Luke Graham to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On January 8, Patterson defeated Gene Anderson to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On January 22, Patterson defeated Ole Anderson in a Handcuff Match to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– On January 30, Patterson defeated Luke Graham to retain the NWA Georgia Television Title
– Patterson found himself blacklisted from wrestling in the early 1980s. According to Patterson, this was due to his attempts to unionise the locker room
– On January 11, 1985, Patterson & Ole Anderson defeated The Long Riders (Bill & Scott Irwin) to win the NWA National Tag Team Titles
– On February 5, Patterson & Anderson defeated The Hollywood Blondes (Ted Oates & Rip Rogers) to retain the NWA National Tag Team Titles
– On February 7, Patterson & Anderson defeated Rip Rogers & Scott Irwin to retain the NWA National Tag Team Titles
– On February 17, Patterson & Anderson defeated Scott Irwin & Kareem Muhammad to retain the NWA National Tag Team Titles
– Patterson announced his retirement as a full-time wrestler in the summer of 1985
– Patterson returned to the ring at the 1993 Slamboree Legends Reunion event, teaming with Brad Armstrong to defeat Ivan Koloff & Baron Von Raschke
– Patterson wrestled two matches for North Carolina’s New World Wrestling in 1994 before retiring for good
– On July 27, 2019, Patterson was inducted into the 2019 Class of the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in his hometown of Waterloo.
– On March 13, 2024, it was announced that Patterson would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
