Joe Ruud

Joseph Ruud was born on November 28, 1981, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Beginning his professional wrestling career in 2003, Ruud trained with Eddie Sharkey and competed under the name “Thoruf Marius” across various promotions. His career took him to Japan, where he trained and wrestled with Pro Wrestling Noah in 2007, engaging in both tag team and singles matches. Returning to the United States in 2008, he continued wrestling on the independent circuit, notably with F1rst Wrestling, before signing a developmental contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in February 2011, where he adopted the ring name “Erick Rowan.”

His tenure with WWE began in Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) before transitioning to NXT in 2012, where he became a prominent member of “The Wyatt Family” alongside Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper. As part of this faction, he achieved significant success, becoming a one-time NXT Tag Team Champion with Luke Harper and later a two-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion. His career in WWE saw him participate in major events such as WrestleMania 32, where he faced The Rock, and various feuds and storylines until his release in April 2020. Following his departure from WWE, Ruud began performing on the independent circuit and in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the name “Erick Redbeard,” notably appearing in a tribute show for his late tag team partner Jon Huber (Luke Harper).

Ruud has also expanded his career into acting, appearing in films like “Ghosts of the Ozarks” (2021) and “Back Fork” (2019), and television series such as “Mayor of Kingstown” (2021) and “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson” (2023). In 2024, he returned to WWE, rejoining as Erick Rowan and becoming part of the new faction, “The Wyatt Sicks.” Throughout his career, Ruud has demonstrated versatility and a commanding presence, leveraging his athletic background and unique persona in various entertainment fields, including brand collaborations and endorsements.