Ron Slinker
Ron Slinker, born David Ronald Slinker in 1945 in Kent, Washington, was an American wrestler and martial artist. He trained in martial arts from a young age, earning high-level belts in judo and Yoshukai karate. After serving in the U.S. Marines, he studied at the University of Tampa and worked as a police officer in Tampa for ten years. He also taught karate and competed in many tournaments, earning spots on the U.S. judo team in 1971 and winning a regional judo title.
In professional wrestling, Slinker performed in several North American promotions under names like Ron Slinker, The Spoiler, and Captain. He wrestled for promotions such as International World Class Championship Wrestling, Mid-South/UWF, and Florida/ NWA groups. He had memorable storylines with managers and tag teams, and he won the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship in 1979. He also teamed with partners such as Ron Bass and won the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship in 1990.
After retiring in the early 1990s, Slinker became a promoter and booking agent in Florida. He helped launch Rob Szatkowski’s wrestling career, encouraging him to use the name Rob Van Dam, and he helped connect Szatkowski with opportunities in wrestling. He also trained future stars like Flex Kavana (The Rock). Slinker had two children, David Jr. and Dina, plus siblings and a stepson, Dennis Knight, who wrestled under several ring names.
Slinker appeared in the 1979 kung fu film Mr. No Legs. He faced ongoing personal struggles, including addiction and legal troubles related to theft and drug conspiracy. He died in 2008 in Tampa, Florida, at the age of 62 from liver failure caused by years of alcoholism.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:05 (CET).