Grappling With Tragedy: Dave ‘DJ’ Peterson
Posted: Sep 9th 2024 By: Brian Damage - RingTheDamnBell.Wordpress.com
Grappling with Tragedy is a series of articles that deal with unfortunate, tragic incidents that have occurred throughout the history of professional wrestling. It is unlike the ‘Wrestling with Sin’ series that deals more with the seedier side of wrestling like arrests, murders and suicides. Grappling looks more at particular tragic incidents that have in some instances altered pro wrestling in some way.
Dave ‘DJ’ Peterson
Dave ‘DJ’ Peterson was trained to become a professional wrestler by famed midget wrestler ‘Lord’ Littlebrook and wrestler Mike George and made his debut in 1984. Peterson had the size and the look of a star for the 80’s. He stood 6’3, weighed 265 pounds and was very athletic for his size. Peterson wrestled for various territories including Central States, World Class, Mid South/UWF Calgary Stampede and Continental based in Alabama. He feuded with the likes of the Freebirds and won several regional titles including the WCCW television title.
Peterson did have a few runs on the national level wrestling as a low to mid card wrestler for both the AWA and Jim Crockett Promotions. He even had a brief run in the WWF as enhancement talent putting over bigger named stars. Peterson was very good friends with Marty Jannetty who he teamed with many times in the Central States territory. When Jannetty went to the AWA, Verne Gagne asked him to pick a partner to form a new tag team. Being put on the spot, Jannetty named Shawn Michaels who he also knew from Central States and formed the Midnight Rockers.
Jannetty would later say it was a big regret that he didn’t choose his best friend and that it was a major oversight on his part. DJ Peterson would eventually be brought into the AWA as a singles wrestler. In the dying days of the company, Peterson teamed with The Trooper aka The Patriot to win the AWA world tag team titles. DJ and the Trooper would be the very last AWA tag team title holders before the promotion went under.
After the AWA folded in 1991, Peterson continued his career by wrestling on the independents. On May 25th, 1993, Peterson who was an avid motorcyclist was involved in a crash that killed him instantly. Rumors had it that Peterson may have been decapitated in the motorcycle crash. Regardless, DJ Peterson still had a career ahead of him. He was only active in the business for 9 years. Dave ‘DJ’ Peterson was only 33 years old at the time of his death.
Supplemental Information
Spotlight in History
- 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
- 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
- 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
- 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
- 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
- 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
- 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
- 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
- 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
- 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02
- 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
- 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
- 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
- 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
- 04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
- 04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
- 04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
- 04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
- 04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
- 04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
- 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
- 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
- 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
- 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
- 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
- 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
- 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
- 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
- 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
- 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
- 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
- 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
- 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
- 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
- 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
- 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
- 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
- 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
- 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
- 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
- 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
- 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
- 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
- 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
- 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
- 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
- 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
- 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
- 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
- 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
- 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
- 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
- 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
- 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
- 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
- 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
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Oklafan Quiz
Who was the Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion at the time TPW went on hiatus?
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