Paul R. Perschmann (November 27, 1952 – April 28, 2009) was an American Professional Wrestler and trainer as "Playboy" Buddy Rose. He debuted in 1973 after training under Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson and competed primarily for the NWA Pacific Northwest territory in Portland, the AWA and for WWE, as well as in Hawaii, San Francisco, and other territories in the US and Canada as well as for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He has the dubious distinction of losing the first-ever WrestleMania match, as the masked Executioner to Tito Santana. Among his in-ring achievements, he was a former AWA World Tag Team Champion with "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers, a 12x NWA PNW Tag Team Champion and an 8x NWA PNW Heavyweight Champion. He retired in 2005 and passed away in 2009.
"These tropes weigh 217 lbs.":
- Acrofatic: He moved very well and took some big bumps for a guy his size. He described himself as being "built for go, not for show."
- Arch-Enemy: His biggest feuds were with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and with Jimmy Snuka in Portland and with the Midnight Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) in the AWA.
- Badass Teacher: He and Ed Wiskoski (the AWA's Col. DeBeers) had a wrestling school, and likely their most famous student was "Sweet 'n' Sour" Larry Sweeney. Sweeney acknowledged his training under Rose at CHIKARA Planet of the Grapes, June 19, 2005, explaining how, after having lost his stable Sweet 'n' Sour International, he had gone to Portland to seek Rose's advice. This led to Rose directing him to the (nonexistent) tournament for the ICW/ICWA Tex-Arkana Television Title, which Sweeney claimed to have won.
- Bash Brothers/True Companions: with Ed Wiskoski.
- Blatant Lies/Insistent Terminology: When he would be announced as weighing 237 lbs., he'd correct the announcer and say that he only weighed 217 lbs.
- Commuting on a Bus: During his WWE run in 1982-1983, he would go back and forth between WWE and Portland.
- Demoted to Extra/Jobber: In his early 1990s run in WWE.
- Everyone Went to School Together: He and the future Sgt. Slaughter trained at the same time and had their first match against each other.
- Finishing Move: Las Vegas Jackpot (DDT)
- Heel–Face Revolving Door: In Portland. He turned face in 1983 and heel in 1984.
- Loser Leaves Town: Sent Rick Martel out of PNW in 1982 by winning one of these.
- Power Stable: (in PNW): "Playboy" Buddy Rose's Army, with The Sheepherders, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, "Killer" Tim Brooks, Fidel Cortez and Rip Oliver.
- Tag Team:
- The Younger Generation, with Jesse Ventura
- The Beach Boys, with Avalanche (WCW's PN News)
- Translator Buddy: For Ed Wiskoski in promos, due to his tendencies toward Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness. Doubles as an Incredibly Lame Pun.
- Ur-Example: While competing under his real name, he was Kevin Von Erich's first-ever opponent, on August 9, 1976 in Ft. Worth, Texas. On June 28, 1977, he faced David Von Erich in David's Sportatorium debut.