Robert Roode

Robert "Bobby" Roode (January 1, 1977) is a Canadian professional wrestler, currently wrestling for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he is currently is a reigning co holder of the TNA World Tag Team Championship with James Storm as one half of Beer Money Inc. He is not related to the late Rick Rude, whose real surname was similar to Robert's (except spelled as Rood).

Career

He was trained in his hometown of Peterborough, Ontario, by fellow Ontarians Val Venis and Shane Sewell. He completed his training after a year and wrestled his debut match against Pete Rock, then went on to work for various Canadian independent promotions, as well as appearing for the Puerto Rican World Wrestling Council.

Roode began working for Real Action Wrestling in 2001, where he formed a heel stable known as The Kardinal Sinners along with Kingman and Mike Hughes. He would later rejoin these two as a part of a couple of shows run for their Wrestling Reality show to be aired on The Fight Network. Bobby will not be seen on these episodes due to contractual obligations with TNA. He went on to work a series of dark matches for World Wrestling Entertainment between 2001 and 2004. Robert's wrestling robe looks exactly the same as Terry Taylor's "Red Rooster" robe which Taylor wore during his stint in the WWF during the late 1980's.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2004-Present)

Team Canada's enforcer

In May 2004, Roode was brought into Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) by Scott D'Amore the owner of Border City Wrestling, a Canadian independent promotion which Roode had worked for on occasion. Roode debuted in TNA as part of the Team Canada stable, and took part in the World X-Cup, which was won by Team USA. Team Canada went on to feud with 3Live Kru and America's Most Wanted. As the biggest and most powerful member of Team Canada (until the addition of A-1 in May 2005), Roode acted as the "enforcer" of the group, a role popularised by Arn Anderson. In early 2006, recognizing his comparisons to Arn Anderson, he made the request that he be called "The Canadian Enforcer" from that point onward, and began coming to the ring in sequined robes reminiscent of the Four Horsemen and Rick Rude flashy style in the late '80s.

Roode began a feud with Dustin Rhodes in early 2005, losing to him at April's Lockdown pay-per-view in a best of three falls Steel cage match, with the third fall a blindfold match. After that Roode feuded with Lance Hoyt, who he defeated at Slammiversary, and The Naturals throughout the summer of 2005. After defeating Jeff Hardy at Unbreakable in September, Roode and the remainder of Team Canada resumed their feud with 3Live Kru.

While in TNA, Bobby Roode also wrestles at Blood, Sweat & Ears in Ontario, Border City Wrestling in Windsor, Ontario and at NWA Shockwave in New Jersey. He is the former BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Champion. On March 18 2006, he won the NWA Shockwave Internet Championship from Josh Daniels at an NWAS/New York Wrestling Connection cross-promotional event. Eight days later, on March 26, Roode won the vacant NWA Shockwave Heavyweight Championship at "Disturbing the Peace 2006" in a four-way match. Roode held both titles until May 21, when he dropped the Internet Title and successfully defended the Heavyweight Title against Slyck Wagner Brown. Due the restarting of the company, all the NWA Cyberspace Champions (Now known as NWA Shockwave) were vacated including Robert Roode's Heavyweight Title.

At Final Resolution 2006, Roode began a singles career, while still being linked to Team Canada, by defeating Ron Killings. Five months later, on the June 29th episode of "TNA Impact!", TNA Management Director Jim Cornette forced the break up of Team Canada, effectively forcing Roode into singles competition full time.

Feud with Eric Young

After the break up of Team Canada, Roode began referring to himself as "TNA's hottest free agent". Vignettes began playing with various TNA managers such as Simon Diamond, Jim Mitchell, and Shane Douglas putting over the idea of Roode being an NWA World Heavyweight Championship contender and stating their interest in becoming his manager, but he eventually dismissed them. Having chosen not to work with a current TNA manager, segments began airing with Roode interviewing legendary managers for the position; Bobby "The Brain" Heenan on September 7, Col. Robert Parker on September 14, and Sherri Martel on September 21. He revealed his chosen manager, Traci Brooks, at Bound for Glory, and promptly changed his name to "Robert Roode", with Traci Brooks now being referred to as "Ms. Brooks". His first feud after the name change was against Eric Young, whom he became jealous of when he realized fans still weren't cheering him but would cheer Young's every move. After Young beat Ms. Brooks in a bikini contest he demanded that Brooks "sign" Young to "Robert Roode Inc.". Finally, at Against All Odds 2007 Ms. Brooks successfully seduced Young into signing a contract with "Robert Roode Inc."

At Lockdown Roode faced Petey Williams, the "friend" of Eric Young. Roode started off strong against Petey. Ms. Brooks was about to hand him a hockey stick when Young intervened and gave the stick to Petey. Roode eventually won using a Fisherman Suplex. The following week, Young proclaimed that Williams was not his "friend". Roode gave Young a week to tell him who his friend was or he'd be fired. The Friend turned out to be Jeff Jarrett. The next week he demanded Young to come to the ring, but instead Jim Cornette stated that Roode had invaded TNA contracts, so Cornette told Roode that he could go to court or be fired . Roode then attacked Cornette, followed by Young coming to the ring and getting attacked as well. Roode was about to hit Young with a guitar, but then Cornette interrupted Roode and announced that Roode would be facing Jeff Jarrett at Sacrifice. Roode went on to defeat Jarrett after hitting him with the Payoff.

Roode would eventually face Eric Young in a match at Slammiversary 2007. Roode appeared to score the pinfall after nailing Young with a steel chair. But, just as he was about to fire Young, Jim Cornette came out and ordered the match to be restarted. Young then pinned Roode with an inside cradle, in the process severing his ties with Roode. This was also the second time Roode lost to Eric Young after a reverse decision.

Roode (with Ms. Brooks) then began to join forces with Christian's Coalition to aid in their battles with Sting and Abyss, and on the July 26 edition of Impact, Mike Tenay stated that Roode had officially joined the stable. Weeks after that after Eric Young lost his (and "Wildcat" Chris Harris match against Team 3D, Roode came out (with Ms. Brooks) and "tarred and feathered Eric Young". On the 8/7/07 Edition of TNA Today Eric Young issued a "Humiliation Match" against Robert Roode at Hard Justice, in which the loser would be tarred and feathered. Roode did manage to win, but Ms. Brooks ended up tarred and feathered while Roode just watched from the stage, and as she questioned his loyalty after, his occasionally apparent bullying of her became a key storyline and prominent side angle.

Mistreatment of Ms. Brooks

Roode then entered a mini-feud with Frankie Kazarian, who had just left Serotonin. The story was that Kazarian was sick of watching Roode mistreat Ms. Brooks. Roode defeated Kaz at No Surrender. Soon afterwards, other wrestlers followed in Kaz's footsteps until it was revealed in an interview that the relationship between Robert Roode and Ms. Brooks was, in the words of Mike Tenay, "merely that of employer and employee," and that Ms. Brooks chose to put up with Roode's actions because she needed to raise money for her ill mother. Since then, the "superstars' protest" portion of the mistreatment angle has quietly faded, though Roode's egotistical bullying antics would actually get worse.

Roode participated in the Fight for the Right Tournament. He was last eliminated in the gauntlet section of the tournament by Eric Young and lost his opening tournament match to Junior Fatu via Fatu Driver. Around this time, Roode not only started mistreating Brooks even further, he started to show signs of full-blown misogyny in segments involving or referring to other women, such as Karen Angle and Gail Kim. In the loss to Fatu, the dissension was reciprocated by Brooks, who laughed as Fatu gave Roode a stinkface. On the November 8, 2007 edition of TNA Impact, Brooks finally stood up to Roode by shoving him away from his attack on Chris Harris, and herself attacking "Roode's #1 Fan".

Roode formed a partnership with Christian Cage against TNA newcomer Booker T, claiming that "has beens" like Booker T show up and gain main event status at the expense of long time Talent like himself. Roode and Cage then aligned themselves with Kurt Angle, after an invitation to join the Angle Alliance on Impact!. This would only last a one night, as the Angle Alliance would lose to the team of Samoa Joe, Kevin Nash, Kaz, Booker T and Eric Young with Nash pinning Roode after a Jackknife Powerbomb. Cage and Roode then had a face to face altercation in the ring which lead to Angle and Roode attacking Cage, thus kicking Cage out of the Angle Alliance and turning the Angle-Cage tension into a full-blown feud.

At Final Resolution 2008, Roode teamed up with Ms. Brooks in a mixed tag team match against Booker T and his wife Sharmell. After losing the match Roode finally completed his turn on Ms. Brooks and as Sharmell ran back into the ring to stop it, Roode turned around and hit her in the jaw, knocking her out. As Booker T ran to the ring to aid his wife, Roode escaped the ring, and looking back at the ring he realized what he had done. The following "Impact", Roode faced Ms. Brooks and fired her, but was stopped by Jim Cornette when he tried to lay hands on her. Subsequently, Roode's #1 Fan attacked Ms. Brooks when she was leaving the ring. Roode's fan would replace Ms. Brooks, with her name revealed as Ms. Payton Banks.

Feud with Booker T

After Final Resolution, and with Payton Banks by his side, Roode continued his feud with Booker T at Against All Odds , where the two faced off in a singles match. Roode would run from the ring and escape the arena in a car, only to further infuriate Booker. Booker and Roode would face off again at Destination X in a Stand By Your Man Strap Match, where the loser's manager (Banks for Roode, Brooks for Booker) would receive ten leather lashes from the winner's manager. Roode would win this after using a handcuff-armed fist, but Sharmell would return and whip everyone she could with a leather belt, including Jim Cornette. Next Thursday on Impact, Cornette punished her by putting her in a mixed tag team match with Booker against Roode & Banks at Lockdown, which Booker and Sharmell would win. After the match, Roode verbally abused Banks for losing, much like he used to abuse Ms. Brooks. Banks has been absent from TNA programming since then.

The Formation of Beer Money Inc

On the June 12 edition of Impact, Roode, alongside James Storm, challenged LAX for the TNA World Tag Team Championship. Storm and Roode were successful in winning the match with Roode pinning Hernandez following a Last Call from Storm with a belt wrapped around his boot. Hector Guerrero, who was at ringside however, informed the referee about what happened and the match was restarted. LAX ended up retaining the titles following a powerbomb from Hernandez to Storm. Afterwards Roode, along with Storm and Jacqueline, attacked LAX with chairs and belts. The next week LAX challenged Storm and Roode to a Fan's Revenge Lumberjack match at Victory Road on July 13th. Roode and Storm then began calling themselves Beer Money (and later Beer Money, Inc.) based on their individual gimmicks (Storm for "Beer" and Roode for "Money"). On the July 3rd edition of "Impact!", Beer Money lost to both The Motor City Machine Guns, and then Samoa Joe and Kevin Nash later that night. The next week on "Impact!", Homicide challenged Roode to a Parking Lot Brawl, which he accepted. Although both James Storm and Hernandez were meant to be barred from the area, Storm interfered during the brawl, and the two dragged Homicide back into the arena and started to beat him down, but Hernandez made the save. At Victory Road, Beer Money lost their Fan's Revenge Lumberjack match to champions LAX. At Hard Justice, Beer Money became the new TNA World Tag Team Champions, defeating LAX after hitting Homicide with a beer bottle. The feud continued through No Surrender with Beer Money Inc. once again getting the win.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves
**"Northern Lariat" (Lariat to the back of an opponent's neck)
**"Payoff" (Bridging leg hook suplex – 2007–Present, a rolling cutter – 2006–2007 or a swinging neckbreaker – 2006)
**Diving knee drop
**Diving neckbreaker
**"Roode Awakening" (Hangman's neckbreaker)
**"Roode Bomb" (Spinning powerbomb)
**Rolling neck snap
**Rotating belly to back side slam
**Spinebuster

*With James Storm
**"D.U.I. – Driving Under the Influence" (Simultaneous powerbomb (Storm) / hangman's neckbreaker (Roode) combination)
**Double suplex

*Managers
**Coach D'Amore
**Eric Young
**Ms. Brooks
**Ms. Payton Banks
**Jacqueline

*Nicknames
**The Canadian Enforcer
**The Natural

*Entrance themes
**"No More Fears" by Dale Oliver
**"Sorry About Your Damn Luck" by Dale Oliver (Used as a part of Beer Money, Inc.)

Championships and accomplishments

*All–Canadian Pro Wrestling
**ACPW Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Atlantic Coast Wrestling
**ACW International Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

*Border City Wrestling
**BCW Can-Am Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [citeweb|url=http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/241/37/|accessdate=2008-08-11|title=BCW - BORDER CITY WRESTLING CAN-AM HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE HISTORY|publisher=Solie]
**BCW Can-Am Tag Team Championship (1 time) [citeweb|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/cautttbcw.html|accessdate=2008-08-11|title=BCW - BORDER CITY WRESTLING BCW - CAN-AM TAG TEAM|publisher=Solie] – with Petey Williams [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/other/2004-09.html | title=Independent Wrestling Results - September 2004 | accessdate=2008-07-05|publisher=onlineworldofwrestling.com]

*Maritime Wrestling
**Maritime Cup 1 winner in 2003 [cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/results/other/2003-10.html | title=Independent Wrestling Results - October 2003 | accessdate=2008-07-05|publisher=onlineworldofwrestling.com]

*NWA Shockwave
**NWA Cyberspace Heavyweight Championship (1 time) [citeweb|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/htcswf.html|accessagte=2008-08-11|last=Westcott|first=Brian|title=CYBERSPACE WRESTLING FEDERATION/NWA CYBERSPACE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE HISTORY|publisher=Solie]

*Pro Wrestling Illustrated
**PWI ranked him #71 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2007 [citeweb|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi50007.htm|accessdate=2008-08-11|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500 - 2007|publisher=Wrestling Information Archive]

*Real Action Wrestling
**RAW Heavyweight Championship (4 times)

*Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
**NWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) [citeweb|url=http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ttnwa.html|accessdate=2008-08-11|last=Duncan|first=Royal|title=NWA NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE NWA WORLD TAG TEAM TITLES HISTORY|publisher=Solie] – with Eric Young
**TNA World Tag Team Championship (1 time, current) – with James Storm

*Twin Wrestling Entertainment
**TWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time; First–ever champion)

*Universal Wrestling Alliance
**UWA Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
**UWA Tag Team Champion (1 time) – with Petey Williams

Notes

External links

* [http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/241/37/l TNA Profile]
* [http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBiosR/rude_bobby-can.html Bobby Roode at Canoe.ca]