VIDEO: Roddy Piper debuts in WCW

On this day - April 17, 1954 Roderick George Toombs better known to fans as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and is currently signed to WWE. He is best known for his work in WWE and although he is Canadian, due to his scottish heritage he was billed as being from Glasgow Scotland and known for his signature kilt and bagpipe entrance music. He earned the nickname "Rowdy' from displaying his trademark "Scotish" rage. Although he was a crowd favourite due to his rockstar-like persona, he often played the villain and was also nicknamed "Hot Rod". Although he was never a world champion he accumulated a total of 34 championships in various promotions throughout his career. The Hot Rod was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2005.

He started his career at the age of 19 when he made his pro debut in Winnipeg against Larry "The Axe" Hennig and lost in 10 seconds. He was a boxer and amateur wrestler before becoming a professional wrestler. Piper had won the Golden Gloves championship and was also awarded a Black Belt in judo by "Judo" Gene LeBell who himself  was a judo champion, instructor, stuntman and wrestler

in 1973, Piper began as a jobber in the AWA, Kansas City, The Maritimes and Texas where he workd for Paul Boesch then in Dallas working for Fritz Von Erich's Big Time Rasslin'. He had a brief stint in California which turned out to be long term when promoters saw the money making possibilities he had as a villain

In 1975 he joined the NWA as a top heel for NWA Hollywood Wrestling but by 1980 Piper had left to join Mid-Atlantic where he stayed until 1983. In 1983, Vince McMahon Jr. came calling wanting to serve out Piper's contract to Crockett and Piper began his WWF career. He began his career as a manager due to injuries sustained in his dog collar match with Greg Valentine but soon began having matches and was given his own segment Piper's Pit later in the year.

Piper began a feud with Hulk Hogan and in the mid 80's at the boom of the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection sides were taken and the battle lines were drawn as the Hogan-Piper feud heated up leading to a monumental event known as "The War To Settle The Score". Piper and Hogan were also the pioneers who main evented the inaugural Wrestlemania paving the way for the largest extravaganza in sports entertainment.

in late 1986, Piper began having a change of heart and entered into a feud with Adrian Adonis who had started his own segment called The Flower Shop. After weeks of taking shots at each other, Piper's allies turned on Hot Rod, siding with Adonis. As '86 transitioned into 1987 the stage was set Hair vs Hair as Piper set to face Adonis in what would be Piper's curtain call. Win, lose or draw this would be his last match. After emerging victorious, Piper left WWE and would not return until two years later when Wrestlemania 5 featured the return of Piper's Pit. Piper then began feuding with Rick Rude. At the dawn of the 90's Wrestlemania 6 was just around the corner and a new adversaru arose in Bad News Brown.. Throughout his WWF career, Piper had never held a championship belt. Until January 19, 1992. Royal Rumble '92 from Albany New York Roddy Piper finally strapped a belt around his waist when he defeated The Mountie for the Intercontinental championship. He would lose that title 3 months later to Bret "The Hitman" Hart at Wrestlemania 8.

He left WWF soon after and surfaced in WCW in 1996 where he had a four year run rekindling his feud with Hulk Hogan who had just turned heel and formed the NWO appearing at Halloween Havoc. In 2000, WCW terminated Piper's contract and he rejoined WWE in 2003. He returned at Wrestlemania 19 interfering in the Hulk Hogan-Vince McMahon match and thus beginning his second run as a heel in WWE. In 2003, Piper also appeared in TNA hosting several 'In The Pit With Piper' segments

In 2005, WWE announced Piper would be inducted into the Hall Of Fame,

Below is a clip of Roddy Piper's debut in  WCW