Ole Anderson

Ole Anderson (real name Alan Rogowski) was a Pro Wrestling legend as a Wrestler and part owner. He held numerous NWA World Tag Team Championships with his "brother" Gene, and was "related" to Arn Anderson.

Profile

• Height: 6'1"
• Weight: 256 lbs.
• Birthday: September 22, 1942
• Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Other Names: Rock Rogowski
• Nickname: "The Rock"
• Managers: James J. Dillon
• Wrestlers managed by Ole: Arn Anderson, Ric Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham, Mike Enos, Wayne Bloom, Bryant Anderson, Samoan Afa, Samoan Sika

Career

Ole started wrestling in 1967 in the American Wrestling Association as Rock Rogowski where he held the AWA Midwest Heavyweight Title and the AWA Midwest Tag Team Titles.

He went on to the National Wrestling Alliance where he formed a legendary tag team called the Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Gene Anderson. They feuded with Mr. Wrestling, Wahoo McDaniel, Jack Brisco, Jerry Brisco, Tommy Rich and Thunderbolt Patterson throught the 1970's and early 1980's. Ole was a booker most of this time also.

In April 1985, Ole was teaming with Thunderbolt Patterson when Arn Anderson debuted in the NWA. Ole soon turned on Thunderbolt to team with Arn as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew.

Ole was part of the original Four Horsemen, a stable of "heels", with Nature Boy Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and manager James "J.J." Dillon. They formed at the beginning of 1986 and Ole left the group after being kicked out in favor of Lex Luger in early 1987. During his time in the Horsemen, Ole feuded with Magnum T.A., Dusty Rhodes, The Rock 'N Roll Express and the Road Warriors.

Ole retired in 1988 as his son Brian was starting his amateur wrestling career. Brian would wrestle later in WCW as Bryant Anderson.

Ole returned to the NWA in late 1989 to reform the Four Horsemen with Flair, Arn and Sting. They quickly kicked Sting out of the group. Ole soon retired from wrestling to manage the Horsemen, who by then had included Barry Windham and Sid Vicious. By 1991, Ole had retired from managing too.

Ole briefly came back to WCW as the booker/Vice-President in 1992 but did not last long as he clashed with the corporate management with his "old school" philosophy.

Championships/Accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance

• 7-Time NWA World Tag Team Champion (with Gene Anderson 6 times and Stan Hansen once)
• 1-Time NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Champion (with Gene Anderson)
• 1-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Champion
• 1-Time NWA Eastern States Heavyweight Champion
• 4-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Champion (with Gene Anderson)
• 2-Time NWA National Tag Team Champion (with Arn Anderson and Thunderbolt Patterson)

American Wrestling Association

• 1-Time AWA Midwest Heavyweight Champion
• 2-Time AWA Midwest Tag Team Champion (with Ox Baker and The Claw)

Other Titles

• 1-Time Florida Tag Team Champion (with Ron Garvin)
• 1-Time Florida Television Champion
• 1-Time Georgia Television Champion
• 16-Time Georgia Tag Team Champion (with Gene Anderson 6 times, Ivan Koloff 5 times, Lars Anderson 2 times, Rene Goulet once, Ernie Ladd once and Jerry Brisco once)
• 1-Time Southeast Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Champion

Pro Wrestling Illustrated

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) ranked Ole # 74 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003. He was also named to two of the best tag teams of the "PWI Years" in 2003. He was # 66 with Stan Hansen and # 79 with Arn Anderson. His team with Gene Anderson was before the "PWI Years", so they did not qualify.
• Ole also won two PWI Tag Team of the Year awards with Gene. They were in 1975 and 1977.

Halls of Fame

• Ole was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994.

Trivia

Ole is not related to Ric Flair or any of the Andersons. His son, Brian Rogowski, wrestled as Bryant Anderson in WCW. Brian is the only real relative of Ole's in professional wrestling.

Books

Autobiography: Inside Out 2003 with Scott Teal