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Bios

Animal

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 286 lbs.

From: Chicago, IL

Birthday: Sep 12th

Pro Debut: September 11, 1982

Aliases: Road Warrior Animal, Animal Warrior, The Road Warrior, Joe Lauren

Feds Worked For: MSW, UWF, AWA, NWA, NWA-TNA, Pro Wrestling USA, TNA, WCW, WWE, WWF, All Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), Big Time Wrestling (CA), Capitol Sports Promotions (Puerto Rico), Central States Wrestling (IA/KS/MO), Championship Wrestling from Florida (FL), Championship Wrestling from Georgia (GA), Continental Wrestling Association (AL/TN), Fighting Investigation Team Battlarts (Japan), Fighting of World Japan Wrestling (Japan), Georgia Championship Wrestling (GA), Houston Wrestling (TX), i-Generation Wrestling (Australia), International Wrestling (Canada), IWA Japan (Japan), IWA Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico), Jersey Championship Wrestling (NJ), Kensuke Office Pro Wrestling (Japan), Lucha Libre Internacional (Mexico), Maryland Championship Wrestling (MD), Memphis Wrestling (TN), Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (NC/SC/VA), Minnesota Independent Wrestling (MN), National Wrestling League (MD), New Japan Pro Wrestling (Japan), NWA Birmingham (AL), Pacific Northwest Wrestling (OR/WA), Premier Championsho Wrestling (Canada), Pro Wrestling ZERO1 (Japan), Southwest Championship Wrestling (OK/TX), St. Louis Wrestling Club (MO), Super World Sports (Japan), Superstars of Wrestling (Australia), Toryumon Mexico (Mexico), Ultimate Pro Wrestling (CA), USA Pro Wrestling (NY), Ward Family Promotions (VA), World League Wrestling (KS/MO/OK), World Wrestling Council (Puerto Rico), Wrestle Association-R (Japan), X Wrestling Federation (FL/IN/WI)

Finisher: Power Slam

Signature Moves: Gorilla Press Slam, Punch (Animal Strike), Shoulderblock, Jumping Elbow Drop

Career Highlights: -AWA World Tag Team Champion (w/ Hawk)
-iGW Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Hawk)
-IPW Tag Team Champion (w/ Hawk)
-NWA International Tag Team Champion (w/ Hawk)
-NWA National Tag Team Champion (4x; all w/ Hawk)
-NWA World 6-Man Tag Team Champion (3x; 2 w/ Hawk & Dusty Rhodes; 1 w/ Hawk & Genichiro Tenryu)
-NWA World Tag Team Champion (w/ Hawk)
-SOW Tag Team Champion (3x; all w/ Hawk)
-UWA Tag Team Champion (w/ Power Warrior)
-WWE Tag Team Champion (w/ Heidenreich)
-WWF World Tag Team Champion (2x; both w/ Hawk)

Affiliates: Hawk, Paul Ellering, Heidenreich, Sunny, Droz/Puke, Dusty Rhodes, Christy Hemme, Genichiro Tenryu, Arn Anderson, Jake Roberts, King Kong Bundy, Matt Borne, The Iron Sheik, The Sheik, The Spoiler, Buff Bagwell, Jeff Jarrett, Lex Luger, Ric Flair, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Kensuke Sasaki/Power Warrior, Ultimate Warrior, Nikita Koloff

Notable Feuds: Ivan Koloff, Bobby Eaton, Arn Anderson, Jerry Sags, Man Mountain Darsow/Krusher Khrushchev/Smash/Repo Man, Brian Knobbs, Stan Lane, Lex Luger, Ronnie Garvin, Ric Flair, John Tenta/Earthquake, Tully Blanchard, Brett Sawyer, King Konga/The Barbarian, Tugboat/Typhoon, Nikita Koloff, King Kong Bundy, Dennis Condrey, Crush/Brian Adams, The Warlord, Ron Simmons/Faarooq, Mike Enos/Blake Beverly, Wayne Bloom/Beau Beverly, Fatu, Samu/The Tahitian Prince, Mike Rotundo/Mike Rotunda/Irwin R. Shyster, Masked Superstar/Ax, Hawk, Sting, Paul Diamond, Pez Whatley/Shaska Whatley, Kip Montana/Billy Gunn, Michael Hayes, Jesse James, Steve Williams, Baron Von Raschke, Curt Hennig/Mr. Perfect, Johnny Nitro, Joey Mercury, Pat Tanaka, Rick Rude, Dusty Rhodes, Buzz Sawyer, Ole Anderson, Henry O. Godwinn/Mark Canterbury, Skull, 8-Ball, Phinneas I. Godwinn/Dennis Knight/Mideon, Steve Keirn/Skinner, Ray Traylor/Big Bubba/Bubba Rogers/Big Bossman, Barry Windham/Blackjack Windham, Rob Rechsteiner/Rick Steiner, Butch Reed, Tommy Rich, Jimmy Garvin, Mr. Fuji, The Crusher, Dan Spivey, Jacques Rougeau, Jr./The Mountie/Quebec Jacques, Larry Hennig, The British Bulldog, Manny Fernández, Owen Hart, Jumbo Tsuruta, Kevin Sullivan, Genichiro Tenryu

Other Facts: -Real name was Joseph Michael Laurinaitis
-Brother of pro wrestlers John Laurinaitis and Fury
-Father of former NFL player James Laurinaitis
-Former member of Legion of Doom
-Former member of LOD 2000
-Former member of The Magnificent Seven
-Appeared in 2 episodes on the TV show "Learning the Ropes" in 1988
-The book "The Road Warriors: Danger, Death, and the Rush of Wrestling" was released in 2011
-Voted Rookie of the Year (w/ Hawk) by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 1983
-Voted Tag Team of the Year (w/ Hawk as The Road Warriors) by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1988
-Voted Feud of the Year (w/ Hawk, Dusty Rhodes, & Nikita Koloff vs. Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Lex Luger, & Ric Flair) by the readers of Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 1987
-Voted Comeback of the Year by the readers of pro Wrestling Illustrated in 2005
-Ranked #18 in the 1991 PWI 500
-Ranked #24 in the 1992 PWI 500
-Ranked #224 in the 1996 PWI 500
-Ranked #135 in the 1997 PWI 500
-Ranked #82 in the 1998 PWI 500
-Ranked #258 in the 1999 PWI 500
-Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011
-Inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in 2012 (w/ Hawk & Paul Ellering as The Road Warriors)
-Passed away September 23, 2020 due to a heart attack