Brian Adams (wrestler)
This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2023) |
Brian Adams | |
---|---|
Birth name | Brian Keith Adams |
Born | Kona, Hawaii, U.S. | April 14, 1964
Died | August 13, 2007 Tampa, Florida, U.S. | (aged 43)
Cause of death | Combined drug intoxication |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | The American Ninja[1] Brian Adams[1] Crush[1] The Demon[2] Kona Crush[1] The Midnight Soldier[1] |
Billed height | 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)[3] |
Billed weight | 315 lb (143 kg)[3] |
Billed from | Kona, Hawaii |
Trained by | Antonio Inoki Tatsumi Fujinami |
Debut | 1986[1] |
Retired | January 2003 |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Air Force |
Brian Keith Adams (April 14, 1964 – August 13, 2007)
Early life
Brian Adams was born in
Professional wrestling career
This section needs additional citations for verification. (June 2023) |
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1986–1987)
Brian Adams made his debut for
Pacific Northwest Wrestling and return to NJPW (1987–1988)
In November 1987, Adams joined the NWA Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) promotion, where he was given the nickname "the American Ninja". Upon arrival, he feuded with Super Ninja, which culminated in a loser-leaves-town match, which Adams won. Adams left PNW in February 1988 to return to NJPW for a tour, this time under the masked persona, The Midnight Soldier. The NJPW tour lasted from February 29 to March 19.[citation needed]
Continental Wrestling Association and All Japan Pro Wrestling (1988–1989)
Upon returning to Portland, he did not return to PNW, but instead joined Billy Jack Haynes' short-lived Oregon Wrestling Federation. After OWF quickly folded, Adams wrestled throughout the independent circuit in Portland, until November 1988, when he joined Mike Miller in Memphis, to wrestle for Continental Wrestling Association. Later that same month, he wrestled a match for World Championship Wrestling teaming with Jerry Price losing to Lex Luger and Sting. In January 1989, Adams and Miller went to wrestle a tour for All Japan Pro Wrestling. The AJPW tour lasted from January 2 to 28.[citation needed]
Return to PNW (1989–1990)
In March 1989, Adams finally returned to PNW, where he aligned with
World Wrestling Federation (1989, 1990–1991)
Adams appeared in a dark match on August 9, 1989, defeating Barry Horowitz on WWF Wrestling Challenge.[9]
In June 1990, while still working for the PNW, Adams debuted in the
Second return to PNW (1991–1992)
Upon his departure from the WWF, Adams, who continued to use the Crush
Return to WWF
Kona Crush (1992–1993)
On the back of his success in PNW, Adams went back to work for the WWF in 1992, retaining the Crush name and still a fan favorite but using a new character of an easygoing surfing Hawaiian who wore bright neon tights and utilized a new two-handed skull vice finisher called the Cranium Crunch.[10] Crush made his televised debut in WWF as his new character on the May 9, 1992, episode of Superstars, defeating Kato.[14] The two would continue to work at house shows that month. Crush made his first pay-per-view appearance under the gimmick with a win over Repo Man (Barry Darsow, who also played Crush's former Demolition partner, Smash) at SummerSlam.[15] Crush then engaged in a feud with Doink the Clown, after he was attacked with a loaded prosthetic arm while confronting the clown about his cruel pranks on children at ringside, which caused Crush to miss the 1993 Royal Rumble.[16] The feud culminated at WrestleMania IX, where Crush lost after a second, identical Doink appeared from underneath the ring and struck Crush with the prosthetic arm.[17][10] At the first King of the Ring pay-per-view, Crush challenged Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship, but lost the match after a distraction by Doink.[18][19]
On July 4, Crush injured his back in the Stars and Stripes Challenge trying to bodyslam the WWF Champion Yokozuna, who at the time had a billed weight of 580 lb (260 kg). The bodyslam challenge took place on the US Navy Aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. Crush, generally considered to have the best chance of those present, was the first wrestler to actually get Yokozuna off his feet, but his back gave out, forcing him to stop. Lex Luger won the challenge.[20] On the July 12 episode of Monday Night Raw, Crush unsuccessfully challenged Yokozuna for the WWF Championship. After the match, Yokozuna sent a message to Luger by performing several Banzai Drops to Crush. This angle was used to write Crush off television to recover from his back injury; he returned that following October.[16]
Alliance with Mr. Fuji and Tribal Crush (1993–1995)
Crush returned to WWF on the October 18 episode of Monday Night Raw and attacked his on-screen friend
Crush would become a
In 1995, Crush returned to the WWF at
Nation of Domination and Disciples of Apocalypse (1996–1997)
After a brief stint in jail, Adams was brought back to the WWF in July 1996 with a new biker look at the beginning of the
Crush's rivalry with Vega ended when he joined the Nation in early 1997.[29] Crush aided Faarooq in his feud with Ahmed Johnson.[30][31] After his loss to Goldust at King of the Ring, Crush argued with Savio Vega, during Faarooq's WWF Championship title shot, which distracted Faarooq, causing him to lose the match.[32] The following night on Raw is War, Crush and Vega, along with the rest of Nation were fired by Faarooq, turning Crush face for the first time since 1993. As a result, Crush began feuding with Faarooq and formed his own biker faction called Disciples of Apocalypse, which was introduced on the June 23 episode of Raw is War.[33][29]
Crush led the DOA into a gang war against Faarooq's Nation of Domination and Savio Vega's Los Boricuas throughout the late 1997, thus turning into a fan favorite.[29] The three leaders fought in a triple threat match at Ground Zero, which Vega won.[34] The DOA traded wins with Los Boricuas at SummerSlam, Badd Blood: In Your House and the November 22 episode of Shotgun Saturday Night.[35][36][29] DOA had their next rivalry with The Truth Commission, which culminated in a Survivor Series match between the two teams at Survivor Series, which Truth Commission won.[37]
Adams left the WWF in the fall of 1997, partially in protest to the Montreal Screwjob. His absence was explained by a storyline injury sustained during a brawl with Kane on the November 24 episode of Raw is War. Crush's last appearance was on the November 29 episode of Shotgun Saturday Night, where DOA defeated enhancement talents Steve Corino, Marty Garner, Jason Ahrndt, and Mike Hollow.[29]
World Championship Wrestling
New World Order (1998–1999)
Adams signed with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and made his debut on the February 16, 1998 episode of Nitro as a heel by attacking Bret Hart, revealing himself as the newest member of the New World Order (nWo).[10] Adams made his in-ring debut on the February 19 episode of Thunder in a tag team match with nWo teammate Curt Hennig against Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart, with the match resulting in a double disqualification.[38] The nWo split in April 1998 and Adams chose to join Hollywood Hogan's nWo Hollywood faction. Adams made his pay-per-view (PPV) debut at Slamboree against Lex Luger in a losing effort.[39]
Adams received a shot for the World Heavyweight Championship against Goldberg on the July 27 episode of Nitro, but failed to win the title. He lost to Steve McMichael at Road Wild and pulled out an upset win over Eddie Guerrero on the August 30 episode of Monday Nitro, only after Guerrero laid down for Adams on purpose due to his protest with WCW management.[40][38]
Adams became a lower card performer, he often tag-teamed with the likes of Scott Norton and Stevie Ray, occasionally losing matches against smaller and lesser known wrestlers. However, he also gained quick victories over enhancement talents in singles competition. He was usually used by the nWo as a henchman due to his big size.[38] Adams and Norton defeated Fit Finlay and Jerry Flynn in Adams' debut at Starrcade.[41]
In 1999, Adams was put into nWo Black and White or nWo B-Team, a group of mid-card nWo wrestlers of the nWo Reunion after both nWo factions united. Adams was put into a partnership with Horace Hogan and the two participated in a tournament to crown the new World Tag Team Champions. They ousted Billy Kidman and Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Faces of Fear before losing to Curt Henning and Barry Windham and Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko in semi-final matches.[42]
The Demon and KroniK (1999–2001)
Afterwards, he was chosen to portray the KISS-themed wrestler "The Demon" after walking out on the New World Order and entering a limo that supposedly had the band inside. He played the character for its debut on the August 23 episode of Nitro in which KISS also played a live concert. He would play it one more time to come out and have a staredown with Vampiro and abandoned it afterwards without wrestling. The Demon mantle was subsequently passed to Dale Torborg with no explanation given. Adams switched back to competing under his given name and returned for a title shot for the United States Heavyweight Championship against Sid Vicious on the October 4 episode of Nitro, where he lost. After defeating Horace Hogan on the October 13 episode of Thunder, Adams took a hiatus.[43]
In the spring of 2000, Adams received the biggest
However, KroniK switched allegiances to
Following the title loss, KroniK lost a
KroniK helped
Third return to WWF (2001)
After the WWF's purchase of WCW, KroniK appeared in WWF as part of the
World Wrestling All-Stars and Japan (2001–2003)
Adams and Clark briefly worked for
After recovering from his shoulder injury that occurred during his boxing training, Adams returned to wrestling for "Wrestle 1", a pay-per-view for the Japanese promotion W-1, which was a promotion with close ties to AJPW and held at the Tokyo Dome. In January 2003, he made his last in-ring appearance, teaming with Bryan Clark, and facing Bill Goldberg and Keiji Mutoh in a losing effort. He suffered a spinal injury in this match that forced him into retirement.[10]
Boxing career
Adams, who had success as an amateur boxer in the
Personal life
On March 13, 1995, Adams was arrested at his home in Kona, Hawaii, after narcotics officers searched his home and discovered 500 units of anabolic steroids without prescriptions and several unregistered automatic firearms. He was released on $10,275 bail. On October 28, 1995, he was sentenced to five years probation after pleading no-contest to 11 counts of drug and weapons charges.[60]
In 1996, Adams had an uncredited role in the
Adams had
He was very good friends with Mark Calaway better known in the WWE as The Undertaker.
Death
On August 13, 2007, Adams was found dead by his wife at their Tampa, Florida home. The medical examiner concluded that the cause of death was a result of mixing the painkiller buprenorphine with the muscle relaxant carisoprodol and the sedatives chlordiazepoxide and alprazolam. The coroner determined the drugs in his system were individually at therapeutic levels, but their combination impeded his respiratory system enough to kill him. He was 43 years old.[65]
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- Oregon Wrestling Federation
- OWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mike Miller[8]
- Pacific Northwest Wrestling
- NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship (2 times)[8]
- The Grappler (1) and Steve Doll(1)
- Salem City Tournament (1988)[66]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- World Championship Wrestling
- WCW World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Bryan Clark[8][45]
- World Wrestling Federation/WWF
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Unforgiven[70]
- Worst Feud of the Year (1997) vs. Los Boricuas[70]
- Worst Tag Team (2000, 2001) with Bryan Clark[70]
- ^ Demolition, after Crush became a member, defended the titles via the Freebird Rule.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Adams's Bio". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved May 15, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Online World of Wrestling". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
- ^ a b "Crush". WWE.com. WWE. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
- ^ "Brian Adams: Profile & Match Listing". Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ "Alumni page". Konawaena High School. Archived from the original on July 15, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
- ^ "WorldAtlas.com: Famous Native Hawaiians". Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e Oliver, Greg (August 13, 2007). ""Crush" Brian Adams dead at 44". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
- ^ ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "Brian Adams - Matches". Cagematch. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
- ^ World Wrestling Entertainment. August 13, 2007. Archived from the originalon February 24, 2009. Retrieved August 13, 2007.
- ^ a b "Demolition: the Imitators Become Innovators". August 13, 2004. Archived from the original on October 25, 2008. Retrieved May 15, 2007.
- ^ World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the originalon November 27, 2005. Retrieved May 15, 2007.
- ^ "KM: Portland TV 6-22-91 Page 2". Retrieved May 15, 2007.
- ^ "WWF Results 1992". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "SummerSlam 1992 results". WWE. Retrieved May 15, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "WWF Results 1993". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "WrestleMania IX results". WWE. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "King of the Ring 1993 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ Gutschmidt, Adam (June 23, 2004). "King of the Ring 1993 Re-Revued". Online Onslaught. Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2008.
- ^ "Yokozuna Bodyslam Challenge results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Survivor Series 1993 results". WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ Powell, John. "Hart elevated at WrestleMania 10". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b "WWF Results 1994". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "King of the Ring 1994 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Royal Rumble 1995 entrances and eliminations". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Pro Star Nabbed For Steroids". Classic Wrestling Articles. August 31, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ^ a b "WWF Results 1996". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Survivor Series 1996 results". WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e "WWF Results 1997". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "WrestleMania 13 results". WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "A Cold Day in Hell results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "King of the Ring 1997 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Disciples of Apocalyse Profile". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Ground Zero results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "SummerSlam 1997 results". WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Badd Blood results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Survivor Series 1997 results". WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ a b c "WCW Results 1998". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Slamboree 1998 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Road Wild 1998 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Starrcade 1998 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "World Tag Team Title 1999 Tournament". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "WCW Results 1999". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ a b c "WCW Results 2000-2001". The History of WWE. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ a b "WCW World Tag Team Championship history". Wrestling Titles. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
- ^ "The Great American Bash 2000 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Bash at the Beach 2000 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "New Blood Rising results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ISBN 978-1499656343.
- ^ "Fall Brawl 2000 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "WCW Monday Nitro - October 2, 2000". Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Halloween Havoc 2000 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ^ "Mayhem 2000 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
- ^ "Millennium Final results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
- ^ "Starrcade 2001 results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
- ^ "SuperBrawl Revenge results". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
- ^ "WWF News: Vengeance Matches, PPV Buyrates, Bryan Adams Released". RajahWWF. November 22, 2001. Archived from the original on December 13, 2001. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ "Former WWF/WCW Superstar to Step Inside a Different Ring: Brian Adams' Professional Boxing Debut Set for Nov. 16th Pay-Per-View". 411mania. October 3, 2002. Archived from the original on October 7, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
- ^ Oliver, Greg. ""Crush" Brian Adams dead at 44". CANOE -- SLAM! Sports. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2013.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Another Professional Wrestler Is Found Dead at His Home (Published 2007)". The New York Times. August 14, 2007. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
- ^ "Throwback: When 'Khiladi' Akshay Kumar beat 'The Undertaker'". DNA India. April 3, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- ^ "Kronik History". Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved December 30, 2006.
- ^ Clevett, Jason (November 25, 2003). "Savage turns to rap'n'wrestling". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Mooneyham, Mike (August 14, 2007). "Brian 'Crush' Adams Found Dead". The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham. Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
- ^ Martin, Adam (September 27, 2007). "Cause of death determined for Bryan Crush Adams". WrestleView.com. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling History". prowrestlinghistory.com.
- ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Awards " Brian Adams " Wrestlers Database " Cagematch - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net.
- ^ "Wrestling Information Archive - Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years". June 16, 2008. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 100 Tag Teams of the PWI Years". Wrestling Information Archive. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved June 26, 2008.
- ^ ISSN 1083-9593.
External links
- Crush on WWE.com
- Brian Adams at IMDb
- Brian Adams's profile at Cagematch.net , Wrestlingdata.com , Internet Wrestling Database