Buddy Rose Paul Perschmann ( November 27 , 1952 – April 28 , 2009 ) was an American professional wrestler , better known by his ring name , " Playboy " Buddy Rose . Career . Paul Perschmann was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson in the early 1970s . Under his own name , he made his debut on December 3 , 1973 in Rice Lake , Wisconsin in a 10 - minute draw with fellow camp mate Bob Remus , the future Sergeant Slaughter . He wrestled primarily for the AWA , WWF , and for promoter Don Owen in Pacific Northwest Wrestling . One of the most legendary feuds in the Pacific Northwest pitted Rose against " Rowdy " Roddy Piper . According to Piper in his autobiography , this was the feud that really made him a name in the business , and it cemented Rose ' s status as an icon of the region . Rose also had a long feud with " Superfly " Jimmy Snuka . His long - time tag team partner , Edward Wiskoski , stood by his side for three decades . Wrestling for the WWF during 1982 - 83 , he would often work 90 days in a row . When he had a rare day off , he would fly back to the West Coast and headline cards there . At the peak of his WWF run , he was main eventing at Madison Square Garden against Bob Backlund for the WWF World Heavyweight title . Rose , who also had some bouts with Pedro Morales during this period , was managed by the Grand Wizard . Rose and Doug Somers engaged in a feud with the Midnight Rockers over the AWA Tag Team Titles in 1986 and 1987 . During this run , Rose was never pinned . A consummate heel , Rose was well respected for both his great ability to work the microphone and as a ring general . Later in his career , when he gained a large amount of weight , he turned this into a comical gimmick . When the ring announcer introduced him and listed his weight at 271 pounds , Rose would angrily take the microphone away from him , and would flip the seven and one around and claim to weigh " a slim , trim , 217 pounds " . This would bait the crowd into a booing frenzy . On occasion , he would also do one - handed push - ups & kip ups in the ring , and challenge other more muscular opponents to a " pose - down . " Rose claims that Vince McMahon used to say , " I want everybody to work out . . . except for Buddy , " knowing that Rose ' s weight was his gimmick . Rose , wrestling as the masked Executioner , lost to Tito Santana in the opening match of the inaugural WrestleMania . Rose had another run in the WWF from 1990 to early 1991 , being used primarily as a comical enhancement talent . In the mid - to - late 1990s , Rose hosted a call - in talk show on a Portland radio station . His last match took place at Wrestle Reunion 2005 in Tampa , Florida . He competed in a six - man tag team bout pitting himself , Col . DeBeers ( Edward Wiskoski ) and Bob Orton , Jr . against Jimmy Valiant , Roddy Piper and Jimmy Snuka . This was billed as Jimmy Valiant ' s retirement match , but Rose ( who took the biggest bump of the night ) retired after this as a wrestler , and only made personal appearances . He opened a wrestling training school with Wiskoski in Portland after his retirement . Death . On April 28 , 2009 , Rose was found dead in his home in Vancouver , Washington by his wife . The medical examiner attributed his death to natural causes . Rose , who had struggled with his weight since the late 1980s , was morbidly obese , leading to problems with blood sugar and diabetes .