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Legend Brisco passes away

Legend Brisco passes away

Posted: Feb 2nd 2010 By: mikeiles

WWE Hall of Famer Jack Brisco has died at the age of 68 following complications from open heart surgery.

He had been in poor health for a number of months and collapsed a week ago while recovering from the operation.

Brisco was renowned as one of the best pure wrestlers in the business at the time. He held the NWA world heavyweight championship in the mid 1970s for two and a half years, only interrupted by the one week reign of Japan's Giant Baba.

He also held the NWA World Tag Team Championship three times with his brother Gerald as The Brisco Brothers tag team.

Brisco was an accomplished amateur wrestler before turning pro, winning the NCAA National Wrestling Championship in 1965.

He grew up a huge fan of the grappling industry and dreamed of a career in professional wrestling. When he broke into the pro ranks, he was regarded as a natural and a man who learned his craft with phenomenal speed, much like Kurt Angle in the modern era.

Brisco rose to fame in the mid 1970s and his feud with Dory Funk Jr for the NWA world heavyweight championship was regarded as a classic of its time, winning Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Match of the Year Award in 1974.

Twelve months earlier, Brisco was voted Wrestler of the Year twelve and he and his brother's rising stock saw them pitted against The Funk Brothers of Dory Jr & Terry.

However, Brisco played just an important part in wrestling history outside the ring. He and Gerald sold their shares in Georgia Championship Wrestling to Vince McMahon in 1984, and convinced others to do the same. That gave McMahon a controlling stake in the company and proved a major turning point in his expansion of the World Wrestling Federation from a regional to a national promotion.

Brisco is also credited with discovering Terry Bollea in the late 1970s, who he sent to Hiro Matsuda to be trained. Bollea went on to be known universally as Hulk Hogan.

He was also a major influence on the career of Ric Flair, who learned his trade in the Brisco era. The Nature Boy has often mentioned Brisco's name in interviews both in the ring and out of it.

Despite quitting wrestling in 1984, he and his brother were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008.

WWE commentator Jim Ross paid tribute to Brisco, describing him as "one of the greatest in ring technicians to ever lace up a pair of boots. Through hard work and dedication he became one of the most famous men to ever wrestle for a living."

 

Tags: Jack Brisco, WWE, NWA, Gerald Brisco, Brisco Brothers, Dory Funk, Jr., Terry Funk, Hiro Matsuda, Ric Flair, Jim Ross

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Spotlight in History

  • 1976 Bill Watts & Billy Robinson def. Karl Kox & Ken Patera for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 1987 Matt Borne def. Ted Arcidi for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 2002 Kool Ade def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Kool Ade for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 2007 Cheerleader Melissa became the AACW Womens Champion
  • 2007 Oliver John became the AACW Internet Champion
  • 2007 Jack Dalton [2nd]/Jack Legacy became the AACW Mid-American Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 2007 J. D. Rebel & Fuel became the SECW Tag Team Champions
  • 2011 Uncle Mikey & Michael Titus became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 2018 Alex Royal def. J. D. for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion

Week of Sun 11-10 to Sat: 11-16

  • 11-10 1976 Bill Watts & Billy Robinson def. Karl Kox & Ken Patera for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 11-10 1987 Matt Borne def. Ted Arcidi for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-10 2002 Kool Ade def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 11-10 2002 Jeffrey Parker def. Kool Ade for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 11-10 2007 Cheerleader Melissa became the AACW Womens Champion
  • 11-10 2007 Oliver John became the AACW Internet Champion
  • 11-10 2007 Jack Dalton [2nd]/Jack Legacy became the AACW Mid-American Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-10 2007 J. D. Rebel & Fuel became the SECW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-10 2011 Uncle Mikey & Michael Titus became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-10 2018 Alex Royal def. J. D. for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 11-11 1964 Danny Hodge became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 1985 Eddie Gilbert & The Nightmare def. Wendell Cooley & Al Perez for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 11-11 1988 Eric Embry def. Jeff Jarrett for the WCCW World Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 2006 Mustafa Sharmoot def. Glen Steel for the AACW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 2017 Running Wolf def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-11 2022 Nova Phoenix became the CPW Women’s Champion
  • 11-11 2022 Koko def. Tommy Dean for the CPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-12 1979 Bill Watts & Buck Robley def. Mike George & Bob Sweetan for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 11-12 2002 Baby B def. Jeffrey Parker for the ACW Hardcore Champion
  • 11-12 2011 The Jersey Kings (Scott Riley & King James) def. Pork Chop & Shane Cortez for the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-12 2022 Ronnie Morton def. Ryan the Ripper for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 11-12 2022 Andrew Fenix def. Dove Puro for the WAH Hunger Dojo Champion
  • 11-12 2022 San La Muerte became the WAH Spotlight Champion
  • 11-12 2022 Elijah Sparks def. San La Muerte for the WAH Spotlight Champion
  • 11-13 1950 Verne Gagne became the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-13 1964 Angelo Savoldi def. Hiro Matsuda for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-13 1965 Mike Clancy became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-13 1965 Jack Brisco became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-13 2010 Arrogant Money (Randy Price & Austin Tacious) def. Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-13 2010 Awesome X (Kevin Morgan & Xavior) def. Arrogant Money (Randy Price & Austin Tacious) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-13 2015 The Pen Palz (Skyler Fayden & Dimitri Alexandrov) became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-13 2015 Lance Osburn became the SRPW United States Champion
  • 11-13 2015 Jon Cross def. Riker for the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-13 2021 Rebel Hearts (Christian Temple & Justin Gray) def. The Psychotic Messengers (Maniac Mike & Malachi) for the EPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-13 2021 Striker def. Warren Powers for the EPW All-American Champion
  • 11-13 2022 Subject to Death (Leo Fox & Derek James & Cade Fite) became the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
  • 11-13 2022 Derek James became the BPW Lion Heart Champion
  • 11-13 2022 Cappuccino Jones def. Derek James for the BPW Lion Heart Champion
  • 11-14 1980 Bruiser Brody def. Stan Stasiak for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 11-14 2009 Goldeneye def. Sage for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 11-14 2009 John O'Malley def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-14 2009 Running Wolf def. Michael H for the 412PE Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-14 2010 Greatness On Demand (Rage Logan & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 11-14 2015 Aaron Neil def. Double D for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 11-14 2015 Nemesis (Bobby Starr & Damien Morte) def. The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-14 2015 Rolling Thunder became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-14 2020 Alex Royal def. Sam Stackhouse for the WFC Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-14 2020 Dimitri Alexandrov def. Tim Rockwell for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 11-15 1963 Bull Curry def. Louie Tillet for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 11-15 2003 Northern Threat (Luc Lapointe & Dexter Hardaway) def. X-Cal for the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-15 2013 Miss Diss Lexia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 11-15 2014 Double D & Jermaine Johnson def. The Old School Studs (Randy Price & Gary Tool) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 11-16 1942 Fred Nelson became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-16 1965 Jack Brisco def. Don Kent for the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-16 2013 Kareem Sadat became the SWCW Luchadore Champion
  • 11-16 2013 Kevin James Sanchez def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 11-16 2019 Karnage def. Naomi Sanders for the BPW 365 Champion
  • 11-16 2019 Sam Stackhouse def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Champion
11-10
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