Daniel Rodimer
Encyclopedia
Daniel Rodimer is an American
former professional wrestler
better known by the ring name
Dan Rodman. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE) wrestling on its Raw
brand
(via Raw's sister program Heat
).
, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha
fraternity. Rodimer also played semi-pro football for the Tampa Bay Barracudas, played for Arena Football League, and worked as a personal trainer. He got into wrestling by becoming a finalist in the 2004 Tough Enough competition, which was won by Daniel Puder
, and also featured current RAW wrestlers Mike Mizanin
and Ryan Reeves
. After the competition, he wrestled on the independent circuit for Pro Championship Wrestling where he won the company's tag team titles with Rhino
Rodimer spent the first half of 2007 wrestling primarily in Ohio Valley Wrestling
, a WWE developmental territory. He feuded with Atlas DaBone
throughout February and March. They faced each other as part of a tag team match on February 17, which Rodimer and his partner won. On February 28, DaBone won an arm-wrestling match against Rodimer. One week later, DaBone was victorious again, as he beat Rodimer in a tug of war. Rodimer gained revenge, however, as he defeated DaBone in a weight lifting contest and a grudge match later that month.
Rodimer's contract with WWE enabled him to face several of the company's veterans. On February 2, Rodimer made his debut on Heat
, losing to Eugene
. Rodimer then returned to OVW, where he lost a match against Mark Henry
on February 21. On the April 20, 2007 edition of Heat, Rodimer appeared as Dan Rodman, losing to Val Venis
. On the May 25 edition of Heat, Rodman won his first on air match, defeating Eugene. Rodman wrestled John Cena
for the WWE Championship
on a house show
on June 17, but ended in a losing effort.
Rodman was then transferred to the new Florida Championship Wrestling
territory. However, Rodimer was released from his contract on August 22, 2007 to resurrect his career in real estate. This was a mutual decision between WWE and Rodimer.
, better known as Hulk Hogan.
Rodimer opened a mortgage
company in the Tampa, Florida
area called Champion Home Lending.
Rodimer grew up in Rockaway, New Jersey and attended Seton Hall Preparatory High School
in West Orange, New Jersey. He is oftentimes compared to Jeremy Shockey, formerly of the New York Giants.
His uncle is Frank Rodimer
, the former Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Paterson in New Jersey
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
better known by the ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
Dan Rodman. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) wrestling on its Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
brand
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
(via Raw's sister program Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
).
Career
Before wrestling, Rodimer played football at the University of South FloridaUniversity of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
, where he was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
fraternity. Rodimer also played semi-pro football for the Tampa Bay Barracudas, played for Arena Football League, and worked as a personal trainer. He got into wrestling by becoming a finalist in the 2004 Tough Enough competition, which was won by Daniel Puder
Daniel Puder
Daniel Puder is an American professional mixed martial artist, who is currently undefeated in MMA competition, holding a a record of eight wins and zero losses...
, and also featured current RAW wrestlers Mike Mizanin
Mike Mizanin
Michael "Mike" Gregory Mizanin is an American professional wrestler and reality television personality better known by his nickname and ring name The Miz. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment on its Raw brand...
and Ryan Reeves
Ryan Reeves
Ryan Reeves is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, but is inactive due to injury. After being one of the eight finalists on WWE Tough Enough 4, he later signed a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment and wrestled in Deep South Wrestling and Florida...
. After the competition, he wrestled on the independent circuit for Pro Championship Wrestling where he won the company's tag team titles with Rhino
World Wrestling Entertainment
On July 12, 2006, he was signed to a developmental contract with WWE and was assigned to Deep South Wrestling (DSW). His first match came on September 7, when he defeated Heath Miller (Heath Slater). On September 24, he had his first televised match in DSW as Dan Rodimer, defeating Tommy Suede.Rodimer spent the first half of 2007 wrestling primarily in Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling
Ohio Valley Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Louisville, Kentucky. OVW is run by owner Danny Davis and was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance from 1997 until 2000...
, a WWE developmental territory. He feuded with Atlas DaBone
Atlas DaBone
Richard "Rich" Young is an American professional wrestler and former professional football player best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment performing under the ring name Ricky Ortiz....
throughout February and March. They faced each other as part of a tag team match on February 17, which Rodimer and his partner won. On February 28, DaBone won an arm-wrestling match against Rodimer. One week later, DaBone was victorious again, as he beat Rodimer in a tug of war. Rodimer gained revenge, however, as he defeated DaBone in a weight lifting contest and a grudge match later that month.
Rodimer's contract with WWE enabled him to face several of the company's veterans. On February 2, Rodimer made his debut on Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
, losing to Eugene
Nick Dinsmore
Nicholas "Nick" Dinsmore , better known by his ring names Eugene and U-Gene, is an American professional wrestler...
. Rodimer then returned to OVW, where he lost a match against Mark Henry
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...
on February 21. On the April 20, 2007 edition of Heat, Rodimer appeared as Dan Rodman, losing to Val Venis
Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment...
. On the May 25 edition of Heat, Rodman won his first on air match, defeating Eugene. Rodman wrestled John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
for the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
on a house show
House show
A house show is a professional wrestling show run by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive during televised events, as well as test reactions to matches, wrestlers, and...
on June 17, but ended in a losing effort.
Rodman was then transferred to the new Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling
Championship Wrestling from Florida was the corporate and brand name of the Tampa, Florida wrestling office existing from 1961, when Eddie Graham first bought into the promotion, until 1987, when it closed down. It is also referred to as Florida Championship Wrestling...
territory. However, Rodimer was released from his contract on August 22, 2007 to resurrect his career in real estate. This was a mutual decision between WWE and Rodimer.
Personal life
One of Rodimer's idols growing up was Terry BolleaHulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, better known as Hulk Hogan.
Rodimer opened a mortgage
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
company in the Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
area called Champion Home Lending.
Rodimer grew up in Rockaway, New Jersey and attended Seton Hall Preparatory High School
Seton Hall Preparatory School
Seton Hall Preparatory School, generally called Seton Hall Prep, is a Roman Catholic boys' high school located in the suburban community of West Orange in Essex County, New Jersey, operating under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Newark...
in West Orange, New Jersey. He is oftentimes compared to Jeremy Shockey, formerly of the New York Giants.
His uncle is Frank Rodimer
Frank Joseph Rodimer
Frank Joseph Rodimer is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Paterson from 1977 to 2004.-Biography:Frank Rodimer was born in Rockaway, New Jersey, and ordained to the priesthood on May 19, 1951...
, the former Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Paterson in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Full nelson slam
- Military press gutbuster
- Signature moves
- Bear hug
- Delayed vertical suplex
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Brooke AdamsBrooke Adams (model)Brooke Nichole Adams is an American model, dancer, and professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brooke Tessmacher. She previously worked for World Wrestling Entertainment appearing with Kelly Kelly and Layla in the dance group Extreme Exposé...
- Beth PhoenixBeth PhoenixElizabeth Kocianski is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE where she wrestles on the Raw brand under the ring name Beth Phoenix, where she is the reigning WWE Divas Champion....
- Angel Williams
- Brooke Adams
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s- "The Big Deal"
- "The Real Deal"