Rip Oliver

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.

In Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW), he set a record for holding the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship more than anyone. 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. 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 Erich where he broke Von Erich'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.

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.{{cite web | access-date=May 17, 2015 | publisher=WWE | url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/snme/history/1985to1992/nov261988| title=Saturday Night Main Event – Nov. 26, 1988}} 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.{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/pacific-northwest-star-rip-oliver-enters-hospice-care-305056| title=PACIFIC NORTHWEST STAR RIP OLIVER ENTERS HOSPICE CARE | author=Meltzer, Dave | author-link=Dave Meltzer | date=February 26, 2020 | access-date=February 26, 2020 | work=Wrestling Observer Newsletter}} He wrestled his last match on October 12, 1991, losing the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship to Demolition Crush.{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pnw/nwa/pnw-h.html | title= NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title | work=Wrestling-Titles.com | access-date=March 6, 2020}}

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.{{cite web|title=WWE sued in wrestler class action lawsuit featuring Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka, Paul 'Mr Wonderful' Orndorff|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/what-the-fox/wwe-sued-in-wrestler-class-action-lawsuit-featuring-jimmy-superfly-snuka-paul-mr-wonderful-orndorff/news-story/079fbd7db16f9cd71b7b569672baa4a5|work=FoxSports.com|date=July 18, 2015|access-date=July 20, 2016|publisher=Fox Entertainment Group (21st Century Fox)}} US District Judge Vanessa Lynne Bryant dismissed the lawsuit in September 2018.{{cite web|title=Piledriver: WWE uses 'Hell in a Cell' as springboard to future shows|url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/2018/09/22/wwe-uses-hell-cell-springboard-future-shows/1394073002/|work=Montgomery Advertiser|last=Robinson|first=Byron|date=September 22, 2018|access-date=October 28, 2018}}

In early 2020, it was revealed that Oliver had entered into hospice care due to end-stage heart failure. He died on March 5, 2020, surrounded by his family.

• NWA All-Star Wrestling
• NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) (2 times) - with Fidel Cortez (1) and Buddy Rose (1){{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0112-outsiders-win-wcw-tag-team-titles-301496 | title=Pro wrestling history (01/12): The Outsiders win WCW Tag team titles | date=January 12, 2019 | access-date=January 18, 2019 | work=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online | first=Brian | last=Hoops}}{{cite web| last=Tanabe | first=Hisaharu | title= N.W.A. Canadian Tag Team Title (Vancouver) |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/bc/nwa/bc-can-t.html | publisher=Wrestling-Titles.com | access-date = 2007-07-16}}
• Oregon Wrestling Federation
• OWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=2000|edition=4th | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}
• Pacific Northwest Wrestling
• NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (12 times){{cite book | first1=Royal | last1=Duncan | first2=Gary | last2=Will|title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present |chapter=(Oregon & Washington) Portland: NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title [Owens] |pages=315–317 | location=Waterloo, ON|publisher=Archeus Communications | year=2000 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/pnw/nwa/pnw-h.html|title=NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title|access-date=February 26, 2020}}
• NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (16 times) - with Fidel Cortez (1), David Sierra (7),{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0117-vader-wins-iwgp-heavyweight-title-301956 | title=Pro wrestling history (01/17): Vader wins IWGP heavyweight title | date=January 17, 2019 | access-date=January 18, 2019 | work=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online | first=Brian | last=Hoops}} Buddy Rose (2), Matt Borne (2),{{cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/other-wrestling/daily-pro-wrestling-history-0116-arn-anderson-bobby-eaton-win-wcw-tag-team-titles | title=Pro wrestling history (01/16): Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton win WCW Tag Team Titles | date=January 16, 2019 | access-date=January 18, 2019 | work=Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online | first=Brian | last=Hoops}} Bobby Jaggers (1), Mike Miller (1), Super Ninja (1), and Larry Oliver (1){{cite book | first1=Royal | last1=Duncan | first2=Gary | last2=Will|title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present |chapter=(Oregon & Washington) Portland: NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title [Owens] |pages=317–320 | location=Waterloo, ON|publisher=Archeus Communications | year=2000 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}
• Ring Around The Northwest Newsletter
• Tag Team of the Year (1981–1984) with Buddy Rose and The Assassin{{cite web |url=http://www.kayfabememories.com/Regions/pnw/pnw16-2.htm |title=Regional Territories: PNW #16 Page #2 |author=Rodgers, Mike |date=2004 |website=KayfabeMemories.com |publisher= }}
• Wrestler of the Year (1982–1984, 1986)
• World Class Championship Wrestling
• WCCW Television Championship (1 time){{cite book | first1=Royal | last1=Duncan | first2=Gary | last2=Will|title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present |chapter=Texas: WCWA Television Title |page=396 | location=Waterloo, ON|publisher=Archeus Communications | year=2000 | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/wccw/am-tv.html | title=World Class Television Title | access-date=November 19, 2016 | publisher=Wrestling-titles.com}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://archive.today/20061105072659/http://www.cwfarchives.com/Wrestler.php?id=490 CWF Archives]
• {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
• [http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1991/october_12_1991_165726.html Brainy History]

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Category:1952 births

Category:2020 deaths

Category:American male professional wrestlers

Category:People from Citrus County, Florida

Category:Sportspeople from Florida

Category:Professional wrestlers from Portland, Oregon

Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni

Category:WCWA Television Champions