But how did a man who was just 5’11 and 200 lbs. dripping wet, become one of the biggest light heavyweight wrestling stars of his time, the answer is as simple as answering a help wanted ad.
While watching wrestling on TV in 1973, Zumhofe who moved to Cyrus with his daughter Heather six years ago when she began attending college at the University of Minnesota, Morris, saw an ad recruiting new talent to try out for the AWA. Zumhofe said the ad asked viewers if they had what it took to become a professional wrestler.

"I had this dream that maybe I could become a professional wrestler," he said.

After calling on the ad, Zumhofe attended a wrestling camp put on by wrestling guru Vern Gagne. The camp was meant as a way for Gagne to find new talent, and hone their skills before being put in the national spotlight. During the first week of the camp, Zumhofe said there were approximately 40 people who attended the camp, "and by the end there were only four of us left," said Zumhofe.

Each week, the four began to train against new people who answered the call to become a professional wrestler, with each week ending the same, the new talent was sent home and the four wrestlers remained.

After perfecting his skills, Zumhofe began to wrestle in the public as a part of the AWA. During the early years Zumhofe enjoyed some success as a light heavyweight and tag team wrestler, but didn’t become a big-time star until he adopted the "Rock and Roll" nickname.

"I was in the game five or six years before the Rock and Roll character came alive," he said.
Unlike the wrestlers of today, where characters and entertainment is as important as the match itself, Zumhofe said  AWA owner Gagne was more concerned with the technical aspect of wrestling than the entertainment. Zumhofe said the monicker "Rock and Roll" came from his manager who said some of the girls liked the way he moved in the ring and the excitement he brought when he wrestled.
"I always thought I would be a German, you know Buck Zumhofe," he said.
Armed with his signature giant boom box Zumhofe cris crossed the country and traveled overseas becoming synonymous with wrestling. He was on the cover of magazines, and with each victory fans cheered his name. Though he said wrestling "is a high you can’t copy ever," the constant travel schedule was as much a curse as it was a blessing.
"What really hurts is your life," he said. "You are going here and there and before you know it 10 years went by."
During his wrestling career Zumhofe captured the Texas Tag Team Championship, the Hawaii State Tag Team Championship, the Cruiser Weight Championship of Portland, and the AWA Light heavyweight Championship numerous times. But as proud as he was to carry those titles, Zumhofe said he is equally proud of introducing the world of wrestling to music on his larger than life boom box which he propped up on his shoulder and played while he walked to the ring.
"I’m the first guy to have entry music, there was no such guy before me," he said.
In fact, Zumhofe said in the world of copycat businesses, in a way he even had a hand in starting the music being played during the introductions of sporting events such as hockey and football.
"I didn’t know it at the time but I started it all," he said.
However, he admits that many people might not believe his claim, but nonetheless stands firm with his notion of bringing music to the introductions of players in sports.
During the mid 1980’s Zumhofe said wrestling began to change as new wrestling king Vince McMahon and what is now the World Wrestling Entertainment, began to concentrate more on big arms and the entertainment side of wrestling, than technical moves, which was his stronghold. At 5’11 and barely 200 lbs., Zumhofe said he didn’t fit into that plan and began wrestling just part-time in the late 80’s and early 90’s, while working a variety of jobs including opening up his own bar and driving a forklift at a concrete factory in New London. However, his life took an unexpected turn one weekend when his daughter Heather came to visit and began to inquire about learning some wrestling techniques.
"I always had an old wrestling ring in the back yard and like every other day I would show her things," said Zumhofe.
Zumhofe said his daughter was a natural and after three months of learning the tricks and trades of the business, he began to contact former associates and managers inquiring if they would be interested in managing or helping his daughter get into the increasingly popular world of women’s wrestling. But after calling everyone he knew, "you know who called me back, no one which was good," he said.
Instead Zumhofe began working as an independent promoter, using his name to manage private wrestling shows pairing his daughter and himself with a large cast of other wrestlers. Business was slow early on, just one show here and there, but as word began to spread about the former AWA Light heavyweight Champion’s wrestling organization which shares the same name as his wrestling monicker R and R Wrestling, work began to pick up and rather quickly in a never ending promotional blitz on the upper Midwest.
"(For instance) We would call the VFW and give them a great show and type in all the bars in the area and ask them if they had heard of the show," he said. Over seven years later rarely is there a weekend where the wrestling organization isn’t booked both Friday and Saturday night.
"People can’t fathom we do it every weekend, and it’s hard for me to imagine sometimes too," he said.
At each stop there is time to talk with fans, visit with people and sign autographs with those who remember the good ol’ days of professional wrestling.
Headquartered in Cyrus, Zumhofe said both he and his daughter have remained in the town long after she has been done with college, because of it’s affordable housing as well as the proximity to a number of major highways.
Though he has never had a serious injury due to wrestling, Zumhofe who is now 57, said he knows time in a sport of awkward landings and violent moves isn’t on his side. However, instead of hanging up his wrestling boots, Zumhofe said he may cut down on his personal schedule or referee more matches, "but I’m not going to quit."
Instead, Zumhofe will continue to share his dream of becoming a professional wrestler with a new generation of wrestling fans, while still proving he has what it takes to become the next great wrestling star.

Rock and Roll Buck Zumhofe is a former American Wrestling Association Light Heavyweight Champion who now runs his own wrestling organization out of his Cyrus home. Pictured above in front of his garage, Zumhofe has a number of old banners and posters of both himself and former wrestling associates.
Photo by Chad Koenen