Bobby Roode
Robert Francis Roode Jr.[6] (born May 11, 1976)[1] is a Canadian professional wrestler signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under his real name, Robert Roode and he is also known as “The Glorious One”.
He is best known for his 12-year tenure for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), from 2004 to 2016, under the ring name Bobby Roode. After debuting for TNA as part of Team Canada in 2004, Roode won the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Eric Young. After a singles run following the team’s breakup, he formed a tag team with James Storm as Beer Money, Inc. Together with Storm, he is a six-time TNA World Tag Team Champion and they are the longest reigning champions in TNA history. Roode eventually became a two-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, with his first reign being the longest reign in the company’s history at 256 days. In his later years with the company, Roode also won the World Tag Team Championship with Austin Aries and was a one-time TNA King of the Mountain Champion.
Roode signed with WWE and since signing, is a one-time world champion. In 2016 under the ring name Bobby Roode, he began his career in NXT, where he was a one-time NXT Champion prior to his main roster call-up. Roode debuted on SmackDown in August 2017, winning the United States Championship in January 2018, his first championship on the main roster, and won the Raw Tag Team Championship with partner Chad Gable in December. In April 2019, he changed his ring name to Robert Roode and won the 24/7 Championship in May, followed by another Raw Tag Team Championship with partner Dolph Ziggler in September. In January 2021, Roode and Ziggler won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship.
Roode grew up around an athletic environment playing minor hockey in Peterborough and attended Kenner Collegiate Vocational Institution. He was also a stick boy for the OHL’s Peterborough Petes and witnessed players such as future NHLers Mike Ricci, Tie Domi, and Chris Pronger train for the local major junior team.
Roode was trained in his hometown of Peterborough, Ontario by fellow Ontarians Shane Sewell and Sean Morley.[2] He completed his training after a year and wrestled his debut match in June 1998 as “Total” Lee Awesome against Pete Rock.[2][7] He then went on to work for various Canadian independent promotions, as well as making appearances for the Puerto Rican promotion, World Wrestling Council (WWC). He also went on to work a series of dark matches for World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment (WWF/WWE) between 1998 and 2004 before he was signed by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).[7]
Roode began working for Real Action Wrestling in 2001, where he formed a villainous stable known as The Cardinal Sinners along with Kingman and Mike Hughes as well as part-time members Wildman Gary Williams and The Acadian Giant. Roode later rejoined them as a part of their Wrestling Reality show to be aired on The Fight Network, but he was not seen on these episodes due to contractual obligations with TNA.
While in TNA, Roode also wrestled for BSE Pro in Ontario, Border City Wrestling in Windsor, Ontario and at NWA Shockwave in New Jersey. 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 to the restarting of the company, all of the NWA Cyberspace championships were vacated, including Roode’s Heavyweight title.
Roode performed for the WWF/WWE numerous times between 2001 and 2004. He usually appeared in secondary television programs like Jakked/Metal, Sunday Night Heat or Velocity. He also wrestled dark matches before Raw and SmackDown.
