Paul Robert Perschmann (November 27, 1952 – April 28, 2009) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Playboy Buddy Rose. He wrestled primarily for the AWA, WWF, and for promoter Don Owen in Pacific Northwest Wrestling. Early life Paul Robert Perschmann was born on September 27, 1952 in Las Vegas, Nevada. In his youth, he participated in baseball, softball, and hockey. Professional wrestling career American Wrestling Association (1973–1976) Paul Perschmann was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson in the early 1970s, spending time working as a referee and on the ring crew. Under his own name, he made his debut as a babyface on December 3, 1973 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin in a 10-minute draw with fellow campmate Bob Remus (better known as Sgt. Slaughter). He continued to wrestle under his own name for the duration of his initial tenure, facing such opponents as Billy Graham, Dusty Rhodes, Billy Robinson, and Jos LeDuc. After being defeated by Khosrow Vaziri (The Iron Sheik) at a house show in Milwaukee, WI on January 3, 1976, Perschmann departed from the promotion. National Wrestling Alliance (1976–1982) Perschmann joined NWA Western States and made his debut twelve days later, losing to Red Bastien at a house show in Amarillo, TX on January 15, 1976. He wrestled in several National Wrestling Alliance territories that year before settling in the collective's Pacific Northwest Wrestling promotion. He made his debut on October 15, 1976 and wrestled Rick Hunter to a draw. This was also the first time that he did not wrestle under his name, instead having been redubbed "Buddy Rose". Now wrestling as Buddy Rose both in the PNW and other NWA outfits, on May 24, 1977 he received his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship title opportunity when he faced Harley Race in an unsuccessful effort in Portland, Oregon. However, later that year he would capture his first championship, teaming with Jesse Ventura to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title. After losing the titles that June, he would team with Ed Wiskoski (Colonel DeBeers) to regain them from Lonnie Mayne and Sam Oliver in a "loser leaves town" match on December 6, 1977. Rose would team on and off with Wiskoski for several decades afterwards, no matter whether the latter was using his "Polish Prince", "Mega Maharishi Imed", or "Colonel De Beers" gimmicks. In 1978 Rose partnered with John Studd