May 15th 2024 08:50am

Sign Up / Sign In|Help

 

Former NWA world champion Jack Brisco dies

Former NWA world champion Jack Brisco dies

Posted: Feb 1st 2010 By: mikeiles

Jack Brisco, one of pro wrestling top stars in the 1970s, died today due to complications from open heart surgery, according to multiple reports. He was 68.

Brisco had undergone the surgery a few weeks ago, and a little over a week ago he collapsed while undergoing rehab and was in rough shape, according to wrestlingobserver.com. There are no further details at this point.

For longtime fans as well as younger fans who know the industry?s history, Brisco?s name is synonymous with wrestling excellence. His long program with then-NWA world champion Dory Funk, Jr. in the early 70s is considered the standard for outstanding technical wrestling.

Shortly after winning the 1965 NCAA wrestling championship at 191 pounds while at Oklahoma State, Brisco made a seamless transition from amateur to pro wrestler. Regarded as one of the greatest in-ring workers of all time, Brisco won the NWA world title ? which at the time was considered the true world championship ? from Harley Race in July 1973 and held it for nearly a year and a half, except for a week in December 1974 when he lost and then regained the title from Shoehei ?Giant? Baba in Japan.

In addition to being a singles star in various NWA territories into the early 80s, he also formed a very successful tag team with his brother, Gerald ?Jerry? Brisco. In any discussion about the greatest tag teams of all time, the Briscos and the Funks (Terry and Dory Jr.) are often the first two mentioned. The Briscos had a classic feud against Rick Steamboat and Jay Youngblood over the NWA world tag team title in 1983, culminating in a match at the inaugural Starrcade that was billed just below the NWA world title match between Race and Ric Flair.

The Brisco brothers also played a huge role behind the scenes in changing the course of wrestling history. In 1984, Jack and Jerry gained a majority interest in Georgia Championship Wrestling and sold the company to Vince McMahon, which resulted in the WWF taking over the coveted 6:05 p.m. Saturday time slot on SuperStation TBS. A year later, McMahon sold the slot to Jim Crockett Promotions.

In the 1970s, the Briscos discovered a twenty-something blonde-haired muscleman in Florida who was interested in becoming a pro wrestler. The young man?s name was Terry Bollea. They referred him to trainer Hiro Matsuda, and Bollea eventually became the biggest star in wrestling history as Hulk Hogan.

Having grown up in Baltimore, a traditional WWWF/WWF city, I only got to see Jack Brisco wrestle in person on a couple occasions, although I knew about him from wrestling magazines. When I began following wrestling, Brisco, Bruno Sammartino (WWWF) and Verne Gagne (AWA) were the three world champions.

I was excited the first time I actually got to see the legendary Brisco in action. It was April 1984 at The Baltimore Arena shortly after the Georgia territory began expanding into the Northeast. Brisco was in the main event, challenging another superstar who I had never seen in person until that night for the NWA world title ? Flair.

After the Briscos had cut the deal with McMahon for the sale of Georgia Championship Wrestling in the summer of ?84, the Briscos came to the WWF as a tag team later that year, and I saw them unsuccessfully challenge then-WWF tag team champions Dick Murdoch and Adrian Adonis at the Arena.

Jack Brisco retired not long after that at 43. According to The Wrestling Observer, while the Briscos were wrestling in the WWF in late ?84, there was a blizzard in the Northeast and Jack told his brother that he was flying home and calling it a career. He never wrestled again.

The Briscos were inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008, and Jack also is a member of The Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame and the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.

I extend my condolences to Brisco?s family and friends.

 

Tags: Jack Brisco, NWA, Dory Funk, Jr., Harley Race, Gerald Brisco, Terry Funk, Ric Flair, WWF, Verne Gagne, AWA, WWE

Printable version Email to a friend

Supplemental Information

Latest News

1
Spotlight on Ernie “the Big Cat” Ladd

Spotlight on Ernie “the Big Cat” Ladd

Today, Robert Segedy places the spotlight on the legendary career of Ernie “the Big Cat” Ladd. From his days as a football... Read More

All News

The Scoop

The Scoop

NEWS WWE uploaded a video with A. J. Styles getting in the best shape of his life for “Backlash”. You can watch the video by clicking [url=https://ww... Read More

All Columns

1

Spotlight in History

  • 1959 Mike DiBiase def. Dory Funk for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 2010 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & Bobby Star) def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 2010 Jonathan Cross def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 2015 Charlie Haas def. Jerome Daniels for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 2021 Killbane def. The Canadian Red Devil for the NCWO Oklahoma Champion

Week of Sun 05-12 to Sat: 05-18

  • 05-12 2002 Rocco Valentino became the OCW Oklahoma Television Champion
  • 05-12 2012 The New Era [2nd] (Richie Adams & Goldeneye) def. The Dramatic Athletes (Jake McCoy & X-Cal) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 05-12 2012 Venus became the IZW Queens Champion
  • 05-12 2013 The Canadian Red Devil def. Bobby Starr for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-12 2013 Impact, Inc. (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Shawn Sanders & Tyson Jaymes for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Garrett Murphy became the NAW Lightweight Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Big Smooth def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Brayden def. Kareem Sadat for the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Gavin Dixon def. Mikey [2nd] for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-12 2023 Ronnie Morton def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 05-13 1979 Wahoo McDaniel def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 1984 Magnum T. A. def. Mr. Wrestling II for the MSW North American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 2006 Justin Lee def. Gary Gram for the NWA-U X Division Champion
  • 05-13 2012 Les Mayne became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-13 2016 Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse def. Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 05-13 2017 Sam Stackhouse def. Drake Gallows for the BCW Buzzsaw Champion
  • 05-13 2017 Garrett Murphy def. Anarchy [2nd] for the NAW Lightweight Champion
  • 05-13 2023 Lunchador def. Dr. Corvus for the WAH Hunger Dojo Champion
  • 05-13 2023 Rush Freeman became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 2023 The Psychotic Messengers (Tank Bryson & Malachi) def. Dark Forces (San La Muerte & Reese) for the WAH Tag Team Champions
  • 05-14 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 1975 Danny Miller def. Skandor Akbar for the TSW North American Champion
  • 05-14 2004 Butch Dalton def. Jon Davis for the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 2004 Devon Monroe def. Mitch Carter for the TPW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 2005 John O'Malley became the IZW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-14 2005 Impact Inc. (John Zorthos & Bernie Donderwitz) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-15 1959 Mike DiBiase def. Dory Funk for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 2010 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & Bobby Star) def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-15 2010 Jonathan Cross def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 2015 Charlie Haas def. Jerome Daniels for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 2021 Killbane def. The Canadian Red Devil for the NCWO Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-16 1963 Bull Curry became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-16 1981 Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton def. Akbar Army (Jerry Brown & Ron McFarlane) for the TSW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 2009 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 2015 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. Team Bull (Aaron Neil & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 2015 Clint Cassidy def. Mr. Nasty for the UWE United States Champion
  • 05-16 2015 Brett Stopp def. Fuel for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-16 2015 Anarchy [2nd] def. Brett Stopp for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 1965 Bull Curry def. Karl Kox for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-17 1986 Bruiser Brody def. Rick Rude for the WCCW Television Champion
  • 05-17 1987 The Lightning Express (Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner) def. Rick Steiner & Sting for the UWF Tag Team Champions
  • 05-17 1996 The Bad Boyz (Krull Danzig & Brett Knight) def. The Texas Outlaws (Bobby Burns & Dan Wilder) for the WWEmp Tag Team Champions
  • 05-17 2008 El Super Colibri def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 05-17 2008 Michael York def. Brett Taylor for the SECW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 2008 Michael York became the SECW Eastern Oklahoma Title Champion
  • 05-17 2008 Michael York became the SECW Eastern Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-17 2009 Kevin Morgan became the AWFUL Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 2014 The Sexy Camachos (Angel Camacho & Roberto Camacho & Vinnie Camacho) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 1970 Boris Malenko def. Mil Mascaras for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 1973 Jose Lothario def. Blackjack Mulligan for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 1984 Gino Hernandez def. Jimmy Garvin for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 2007 Lonnie Valdez & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 2013 The P.I.N.K. Nation (Ray Martinez & Tommy Toops) def. Bobby Burns & Sam Stackhouse (substituting for Psycho Sawyer) for the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 2013 B-Arthur became the SRPW Womens Champion
  • 05-18 2013 Anarchy [2nd] def. The Mercenary for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 2014 Striker def. Robert Lee for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 05-18 2019 Skylar Slice def. Erica for the MSWA Ladies Champion
05-15
  • Erwin IV May 15th Today!
  • Andrew Bridge May 15th Today!
  • Oscar Amazing May 15th Today!
  • Koko May 15th Today!
  • Kevin Von Erich May 15th Today!
  • Joe Cuedo May 15th Today!
  • Buddy Roberts May 16th
  • Ryan Martin May 16th
  • Buddy Knox May 16th
  • Alan Jefferson May 16th
  • Ryker James May 16th
  • Dan Maestro May 17th
  • J. B. Pain May 17th
  • Billy Red Lyons May 17th
  • Mike Pappas May 17th
  • Kyle Hawk May 17th
  • Wage May 17th
  • Akuma Jones May 18th
  • Kristopher Haiden May 18th
  • Jimmy Snuka May 18th
  • Gajo May 18th
  • Luna Nightshade May 18th
  • J. R. Wind May 18th
  • Matt Riviera May 18th
  • Andre the Giant May 19th
  • Dick Slater May 19th
  • Will Chambers May 19th
  • Mongol May 19th
  • Bateman May 19th
  • Buzz Markley May 19th
  • Dale Veasey May 20th
  • Chuey Martinez May 21st
  • Ivan Kalmikoff May 21st
  • Babyface D'Amanti May 23rd
  • Santana Jackson May 23rd
  • Donna Christanello May 23rd
  • Slash May 23rd
  • Lucas May 24th
  • Shane Rawls May 24th
  • Ricky Romero May 24th
  • Gemini [2nd] May 24th
  • Guy Atticus May 25th
  • Dominique Lereaux May 25th
  • Quarky Storm May 25th
  • Michael York May 25th
  • Dark Journey May 25th
  • Reggie Lincoln May 26th
  • Tank Bryson May 26th
  • Michael Duplanti May 26th
  • Justin Adams May 26th
  • Crucifer May 27th
  • Kelly Kiniski May 27th
  • Kamala May 28th
  • Edge Stone May 28th
  • Maria Star May 28th
  • Dean Lambert May 28th
  • Jim Thorpe May 28th

More Look Back In History

Card Results

1