Achim Albrecht

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Achim Albrecht
IFBB Mr. Universe (over 90 kilograms category)
  • 1990[2]
    • PredecessorJean Luc
    SuccessorRonnie Coleman

    Achim Albrecht (born 2 July 1962) is a German

    World Wrestling Federation (WWF), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and the United States Wrestling Association (USWA) under the ring name
    Brakkus (also spelled Brakus) until retiring due to injury in 1999.

    Bodybuilding career

    Achim Albrecht initially participated in

    International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (IFBB) Mr. Universe contest (over 90 kilograms category) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[5]

    In 1991, Albrecht relocated to the United States, where he signed a contract with Joe Weider, the co-founder of the IFBB. Albrecht competed on the bodybuilding circuit and authored articles on nutrition and body training for the magazines Flex and Muscle & Fitness.[3]

    He competed in the

    preacher curl that prevented him from competing in the 1992 Mr. Olympia contest.[7] Upon recovering from the injury, Albrecht competed in the 1993 and 1994 Arnold Classic contests (placing tenth and eighth), the 1994 Mr. Olympia contest (placing seventeenth) and the 1996 IFBB Night of Champions contest (placing tenth).[6]

    In 2009, Albrecht was placed eighth in a historical ranking of the bodybuilders with the best

    quadriceps femoris muscles by Flex.[8]

    Professional wrestling career

    Achim Albrecht
    Born (1962-07-02) 2 July 1962 (age 61)[1]
    Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany[1]
    Spouse(s)Dana Mederos
    (divorced)
    Children2
    Professional wrestling career
    Ring name(s)Achim Albrecht[9]
    Argo[9]
    Brakkus[9]
    Brakus[10]
    Billed height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[11]
    Billed weight275 lb (125 kg)[11]
    Billed fromGermany
    Stamford, Connecticut
    Trained byTom Prichard[9]
    Bret Hart[12]
    Debut30 November 1996[9]
    Retired1999[9]

    World Wrestling Federation (1996–1997)

    In September 1996, Albrecht signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).[1] He was trained as a professional wrestler by Tom Prichard and Bret Hart alongside Mark Henry and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.[2][9][12][13]

    Albrecht made his professional wrestling debut on 30 November 1996, under the ring name "Argo", defeating

    Ralf Möller
    ).

    Albrecht wrestled at WWF house shows and in dark matches throughout late 1996 and 1997, including a

    Salvatore Sincere and The Jackyl.[9] In mid-1997, vignettes began airing to promote Albrecht's debut on WWF television in which he threatened members of the WWF roster such as Vader and Triple H.[10]

    My name is Brakkus and I come from Germany. I weigh 300 pounds. And when I come to America, to the World Wrestling Federation, I will get Vader in the ring and destroy him![10]

    Instead he worked in house shows until November 1997.

    United States Wrestling Association (1997)

    In mid-1997, Albrecht wrestled several matches for the

    stable. While appearing with the USWA, Albrecht wrestled several matches against Bill Dundee.[9]

    Extreme Championship Wrestling (1997–1998)

    In late-1997, Albrecht was sent by the WWF to the

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based independent promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) as part of a working relationship between the two promotions. The secondment to ECW was intended to season Albrecht's abilities before he debuted on WWF television.[14][15]

    In ECW, Albrecht was part of the Wright Connection, a stable led by Lance Wright along with

    Droz. The stable were billed as having been sent to ECW by the WWF Chairman, Vince McMahon, with Albrecht acting as the bodyguard of Wright. As part of the angle, Albrecht wore a T-shirt reading "Property of the WWF", was billed from Stamford, Connecticut (the location of the WWF headquarters) and would drape a WWF banner over defeated opponents.[16][17][18] At November to Remember 1997, Albrecht, Furnas and Lafon interfered in a "WWF versus ECW" flag match between Rob Van Dam and Tommy Dreamer.[19]

    Albrecht

    Taz, ultimately challenging him for the ECW World Television Championship at CyberSlam 1998 on 21 February 1998. The match saw Albrecht powerbomb Taz twice before receiving a suplex through a table and submitting to the Tazmission.[10][20] The match aired in syndication on 25 February 1998, episode of ECW Hardcore TV
    .

    Return to the WWF (1998)

    Albrecht was recalled to the WWF in March 1998, making his WWF television debut on 17 March 1998, episode of

    chainmail vest to the ring.[10]

    In the summer of 1998, Albrecht was entered in the WWF Brawl for All, a shootfighting tournament. Albrecht faced Savio Vega in a first round match on 6 July 1998, episode of Monday Night Raw. Albrecht was eliminated from the tournament after Vega won the match on points, with Albrecht sustaining a bloodied nose. Vega later claimed that Albrecht was originally not aware that the Brawl for All was a shootfighting tournament and had initially believed it would be worked.[21][22][23]

    Abrecht went on to defeat

    Jesús Castillo, Jr. of Los Boricuas in a squash match on 27 July 1998, episode of Raw is War in his final televised WWF match.[9]

    Stampede Wrestling and retirement (1999)

    Albrecht left the WWF in 1998. He competed briefly on the Canadian independent circuit under his real name, wrestling for promotions such as Stampede Wrestling. While on the independent circuit, Albrecht formed a short-lived tag team with the English wrestler Davey Boy Smith called "The European Alliance".[2][9]

    Albrecht retired from professional wrestling in 1999 as a result of injuries to his knee and shoulder sustained in the bout with Vega in 1998. He went on to work as an International Sports Sciences Association-certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist in San Francisco, California.[2]

    Personal life

    Albrecht was previously married to Dayna Medeiros, with whom he has a son and a daughter.[2]

    Championships and accomplishments

    Bodybuilding

    • German Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation
      • International German Bodybuilding Championships winner (1989)[4]
    • International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness
      • Mr. Universe (over 90 kilograms category) (1990)[5]

    References

    1. ^
      ISBN 978-0-7864-1754-4
      .
    2. ^ a b c d e Henson, Joaquin (6 June 2001). "Pacquiao backs off from wrestler". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    3. ^ a b "San Francisco, California Personal Trainer: Achim Albrecht". Personal Trainer Central. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    4. ^ a b "Deutsche Bodybuilding Meister (in German)". Deutscher Bodybuilding und Fitness-Verband. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
    5. ^
      International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness. Archived from the original
      on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    6. ^ a b "Achim Albrecht". MuscularDevelopment.com. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    7. ^ Albrecht, Achim (November 1993), "My torn biceps", Muscle & Fitness (volume 54, issue 11), p. 84
    8. ^ "Best Quads Ever". Flex. 25 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
    9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Brakkus". Cagematch.net. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    10. ^ a b c d e Reynolds, R.D. "Brakus: Mein Name Ist Brakus". WrestleCrap. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    11. ^
      ISBN 978-0-7566-4190-0
      .
    12. ^
      ISBN 978-1-55022-939-4
      .
    13. ^ Dworkis, Michael. "Dr. Tom Prichard: The Doctor of Talent". MichaelDworkis.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
    14. Pro Wrestling Torch
      . Retrieved 24 September 2012.
    15. Pro Wrestling Torch
      . Retrieved 24 September 2012.
    16. Pro Wrestling Torch
      . Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    17. Pro Wrestling Torch
      . Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    18. Pro Wrestling Torch
      . Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    19. ISBN 978-1-55490-268-2
      .
    20. Pro Wrestling Torch
      . Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    21. World Wrestling Entertainment
      . Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    22. Pro Wrestling Torch
      . Retrieved 22 September 2012.
    23. ISBN 978-1-77090-221-3
      .

    External links
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Achim_Albrecht&oldid=1217622671"