Joseph Michael Laurinaitis or Joe Laurinaitis was a professional wrestler. He was popular by his ring name Road Warrior Animal or simply Animal. He was one half of the tag team The Road Warriors/The Legion of Doom and competed in several wrestling promotions, WWF, WCW, NWA, AWA, and others. The duo won numerous tag team championships as well. Animal and Hawk were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.
The popular wrestler died on 22 September 2020 in Missouri. He died at the age of 60.
Joe Laurinaitis is known for a variety of things.
Road Warrior Animal was his ring name.
The Road Warriors’ half-brother.
Joe Laurinaitis was born in Lithuania.
Joe Laurinaitis was born on September 12, 1960, in New York City. Joseph Michael Laurinaitis was his given name. He was born in the United States, in the city of Philadelphia. He was an American citizen. His race was white, and his faith was Christianity. His hometown is Minnesota, where he has worked since he was a kid. Joseph Anthony Laurinaitis was his father, and Lorna Ann Laurinaitis was his mother.
John and Marcus are his two children. John (Johnny Ace) is a professional WWE wrestler and former Senior Vice President of Talent Relations. Marcus is also known as The Terminator, a former wrestler.
Irondale High School was his alma mater.
He served as a bouncer at Grandma B’s in the Twin Cities because of his big frame.
Wrestling Career of Joe Laurinaitis
While working as a bouncer at Grandma B’s, Laurinaitis met wrestling trainer Eddie Sharkey.
Laurinaitis, Mike Hegstrand, Richard Rood, and Barry Darsow were among the first people Sharkey began dating.
In November 1982, Laurinaitis made his professional wrestling debut. Using a biker gimmick, he debuted under the moniker The Road Warrior.
Paul Ellering formed The Road Warriors out of Laurinaitis and Hegstrand. Animal was given to Laurinaitis, and Hawk was given to Hegstrand.
They began as a gimmick for bikers.
The two began wearing studded dog collars, spiked shoulder pads, and face paint after shaving their heads into Mohawks.
The group was an immediate success.
They were four-time NWA National Tag Team Champions.
Their team won more championships in larger promotions such as the American Wrestling Association and All Japan Pro Wrestling in the United States.
The AWA and the National Wrestling Alliance are where the Road Warriors spend their time (NWA).
They finally quit AWA and signed lucrative contracts with NWA.
The team won the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament for the first time.
They popularized the WarGames match, the Scaffold match, and their signature Chicago Street Fight during their first run in the NWA.
Animal’s eye damage occurred during the Road Warriors’ feud with The Forces of Pain in 1988. (kayfabe). A match was scheduled between the two teams. The Forces of Pain, on the other hand, left the NWA.
In 1988, the Road Warriors took home the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
Due to a feud with Jim Herd, the Road Warriors left NWA in 1990.
The Legion of Doom squad joined the WWF in 1990 and battled under the banner Legion of Doom.
When the team first joined the WWF, they were involved in a prominent rivalry with Road Warrior Clones, Demolition.
In 1991, the Legion of Doom took home the WWF Tag Team Championship.
They quit the WWF after losing their titles.
They later returned to WWF with “Rocco,” a wooden ventriloquist dummy that they disliked.
After the SummerSlam 1992, Hawk left the WWF. For the first time in nine years, Laurinaitis was alone.
He fought alone until his contract with WWF ended.
In September 1992, he retired from wrestling due to a legitimate back injury.
Laurinaitis made a few non-wrestling appearances in WCW in 1993.
At the Battle of the Champions XXIV, he made appearances.
In September 1993, he served as the advisor for Sting’s team at Fall Brawl.
He remained out of the ring in order to collect on a Lloyd’s of London insurance policy.
Laurinaitis reunited with Hawk and signed a deal with WCW after fully recovering from a back injury.
In 1996, the Road Warriors had a feud with the Steiner Brothers.
The Road Warriors never won a championship and quit WCW in June 1996.
In 1997, they returned to the WWF and were involved in the Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Hart Foundation feud.
When The Godwinns were defeated by The Legion of Doom in October 1997, they became two-time tag team champions.
In November 1997, they were defeated by the newly formed New Age Outlaws for the title.
After multiple failed challenges, the L.O.D. was repackaged as Legion of Doom 2000.
In 1998, the Legion of Doom got involved in their most controversial storyline, which was based on Hegstrand’s real-life drug and alcohol addiction.
Although Hawk dealt with his personal problems, a third member, Puke, was introduced to the squad.
They finally fell out of WWF.
Animal began making solo appearances, despite the fact that their band was never formally disbanded.
In 1999, the Road Warriors competed at the AJPW Giant Baba Memorial Show.
The Road Warriors worked for i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling in Australia in 2000, where they were embroiled in a feud with The Public Enemy over the i-Generation Tag Titles.
Animal also wrestled in Japan for Battlearts as Animal Warrior in 2000, teaming up with Alexander Otsuka.
In January 2001, Animal returned to WCW as the “enforcer” of The Magnificent Seven stable. His mission was to keep WCW World Champion Scott Steiner safe.
The Magnificent were disbanded just before Vince McMahon bought WCW in March 2001.
The contract for Animal was not chosen.
On September 8, 2001, Animal reunited with Hawk at Jersey Championship Wrestling, beating the Moondogs 2000 in Lodi, New Jersey.
In 2002, Animal made a comeback to All Japan Pro Wrestling as Animal Fighter, teaming up with Keiji Muto.
The Road Warriors’ last appearance was in 2003 for Fighting of World Japan Pro Wrestling, where they were feuding with the Shane Twins.
Hawk, Animal’s lifetime companion, died on October 19, 2003. He went on to pursue a solo wrestling career.
MNM was defeated by Animal and Heidenreich for the WWE Tag Team Championship. “Hawk, this one was for you, buddy!” he said after winning.
In June 2006, he was released from his WWE contract.
In Mexico City, Mexico, on May 11, 2008, Animal teamed up with Power Warrior to beat Damián 666 and El Terrible to win the UWA Tag titles at Toryumon Mexico Dragonmania III.
In 2008, Animal announced his retirement from professional wrestling.
Animal and Hawk of the Road Warriors were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011.
In July 2012, he returned to WWE in SmackDown to celebrate Raw’s 1,000th episode, beating Heath Slater.
Later, he appeared in the 1,000th episode of Raw.
On September 1, 2018, Animal made a surprise appearance at All In to kick off the celebration.
Joe Laurinaitis Wife
Laurinaitis has three children, Joseph son), James (son), and Jessica (daughter). James and Jessica were born to his former wife, Julie, a former powerlifter and bodybuilder. Joseph was from his previous marriage. His son James is an NFL linebacker and has played for St. Louis Rams, and New Orleans Saints.
Joe Laurinaitis Height
Joe Laurinaitis stood at a height of 1.85 m i.e. 6 feet and 1 inch tall. He had body weight of 285 lbs i.e. 129 kg. He had an athletic body build. Most of his career, he wrestled bald.
Joe Laurinaitis Death
Joe Laurinaitis died of natural causes on 22 September 2020. He had celebrated his 60th birthday ten days ago. He died at the age of 60 in Osage Beach, Missouri.
Joe Laurinaitis Net Worth
Joe Laurinaitis spent over 20 years in professional wrestling. He is best known as a member of The Road Warriors with Hawk. The duo went on to win numerous titles in several promotions. They wrestled in GCW, NWA, AWA, WWF, WCW, TNA, and several other independent promotions. He made his fortune from his wrestling career. His net worth is estimated at around $3 million.
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