wrestling / Columns
Wrestling Deja Vu 03.16.09: Cruising for a Bruising
Hey yo
Welcome to the column, faithful reader. Today we’re examining up and comer Mike Knox and his similarities to the late Bruiser Brody. A while back, Jim Ross compared the two in a blog entry and many people thought he was just making the connection because of the beard and body build. Over time, we’ve seen more of Mike Knox and more people have made the connection. So, is it fair to compare Mike Knox to a young Bruiser Brody? Read on to find out, but as always, we go back and look at reader feedback from last week’s column.
Looking back
Zingy: One of the reasons Masters gimmicks seemed so lame is because he didn’t really stand out. He wasn’t that much more cut than say John Cenaor that roided up piece of crap Batista. Not to mention the Masterlock was a crappy finisher.
This is something that I completely missed when writing last week’s column. Luger was a big guy and one of the most built guys when he was in the company.
Kevin: Luger used the Forearm Smash as his finisher in WWF. He had the gimmick that alleged he was in a motor cycle accident and had a steel plate surgically placed in his arm which he used to knock out his opponent. He’d bounce off the ropes and smash ’em upside the noggin with his metal arm. Oh, those were the days.
Commenter Jake Fury asked if Luger used the Torture Rack during his days as The Narcissist and this comment cleared the air. My decision to use the Torture Rack over the loaded Forearm was just a personal preference since I liked the move.
JLAJRC: JBL and The Million Dollar Man seem like naturals for a future column. Along with Goldust and Adrian Street.
Beth Phoenix and Chyna was also requested via e-mail. JBL and Dibiase are the subjects of a column in 2 or 3 weeks. As for Goldust and Street, that’ll be made into a column in the near future. If I get more suggestions by the readers, I can set aside a week each month for a Reader’s Request column or something.
Tony Forever: I agree that Masters needed a better finisher and maybe a course in Acting101.The Full Nelson could be okay if he followed it up with a Slam to finish it off.
Several commenters pointed out the flaws of Masters’ promo delivery and I never really noticed it until going back and checking out some of his stuff. I don’t think it was too much of a hindrance, but it was definitely noticeable.
And introducing the participants
Mike Knox was signed to a developmental contract in 2005 and a year later he debuted on ECW. People disliked him because he was boring and because he acted as the protective boyfriend of Kelly Kelly. Time went on and Knox was just jobbed out to guys like CM Punk. Sometime between now and then, the WWE decided to make Knox a dominant figure. He showed up on Raw and replaced Snitsky (who was later fired) by beating up on little guys. A probable feud with Evan Bourne was placed on the shelf when Bourne was injured and Knox got to feud with Mysterio. Knox didn’t get any wins over Mysterio, but was allowed to participate in a championship match. He is an unordinary prospect, but could be a solid hand to have in the midcard.
Innovative figures are hard to come by, especially in wrestling where things are recycled a lot. Bruiser Brody was one of the guys that helped shaped the industry. His brawling style made him a treat to watch and thus made sure he was always employed during his wrestling career. Whether it was Japan, some place in America or Puerto Rico, Brody was a wanted man. His life was cut short when he was murdered at the age of 42 and it caused a rift in the Puerto Rican wrestling scene because it was believed a fellow wrestler was at fault and several other wrestlers had the opportunity to stop the murder.
Your beard is weird
Mike Knox squashes Jamie Noble
Brody makes an impact
Two weeks ago, promos played a big part in making the connection between Batista and the Ultimate Warrior, this week, the focus is on appearance. Appearance is probably the biggest factor in determining if a guy is able to get over as a wrestler. There are always exceptions, but appearance is still important. Bruiser Brody’s attire wasn’t anything too special, just a pair of tights, but his pale body and magnificent beard matched his brawling style and made him standout from the rest of the crowd. Mike Knox debuted and just looked generic. He was even made fun of Shawn Michaels and Triple H during a Survivor Series match when HBK pretended to not know who Knox was. Knox struggled to stay on TV, but his latest stint on Raw has him rocking the Brody beard. Without the beard, it’s difficult to believe JR would have drawn a comparison between the two.
Brawl for All
Hardcore wrestling experienced a re-birth during the original ECW tenure. The extreme style made it stand out from what was seen in the WWF and WCW and it had a niche audience. Before ECW, Bruiser Brody was the end all and be all in hardcore wrestling. His unique brawling ability has influenced wrestlers such as The Undertaker and Mick Foley and he is considered a legend. Mike Knox still has a long way to go in his career, but he’s a pretty decent brawler and probably a below-average wrestler. His move set is pretty limited even for a guy in the WWE, so it’s hard to compare his wrestling ability to that of Brody. If one compares the two at face value, Brody probably has an advantage at almost every category.
WDV Face-Off
1984 Bruiser Brody v. 2009 Mike Knox
Brody starts off by using his strength advantage and just shoves Knox into a corner. He tries to hit Knox with a clothesline, but Knox avoids it and hits Brody with a back suplex. Knox gets him up and hits him with some elbows before whipping him against the ropes and knocking him down with a boot. Knox goes on the turnbuckles while somewhere Michael Cole is yelling out VINTAGE MIKE KNOX and he goes old school with a moonsault…that misses. Brody is up now and takes advantage of the weakened Knox by beating him down hard with elbows and punches. A piledriver takes Knox out and Brody hits his jumping knee for the win.
The Rundown
Mike Knox‘s time as CM Punk‘s personal jobber and waste of space pretty much made JR‘s blog statement sound stupid at the moment, but as time passed, Knox has evolved as a character. I’m sure not everyone thinks Ross’ comparison was legit, but I believe the style and appearance of Knox can be directly associated with Bruiser Brody. It’s unlikely that Mike Knox will ever be at Bruiser’s performance or success level, but he went from jobber to almost-legit threat in a flash. It’s not out of the realm that he breaks through and exceeds expectations. So, in short, JR made some valid points, but I truly believe that similar appearance drew the connection between the two. Of course, JR’s qualifier (Knox’s youth) can help verify his statement.
In Case You Missed It
The following are all the columns posted over the weekend, in case you missed it.
411Mania‘s Squared Circle Report
As always after a PPV, check out all the coverage this site provides.
Goodnight, Travel Well
– I won’t pretend like Test was my favorite wrestler when he was active, but he was never offensive. It’s never good to see a guy die. It’s even more unfortunate when they’re the young age of 33. It’s a sad tale considering all the factors, but there’s nothing anyone can do or say to bring the guy back. Hopefully the situation serves as a learning tool for younger guys in the business.
– One of my favorite things about this column is that it allows me to do some research on guys I’ve never heard before. It wasn’t until the middle of last year that I even heard of Bruiser Brody and the work for this column let me see some of his matches. Good stuff.
– The Road to Wrestlemania is probably going to continue on tonight’s episode of Raw. We’ll probably see more buildup and hey, it’s 3/16, maybe a Stone Cold sighting awaits us. Raw is actually taking place in my hometown of San Antonio but I decided to sit this one out. It should be a good show with Shawn Michaels probably ending the night with a win (along with the Undertaker) over Kozlov and JBL.
– That’s all for another column. Hope you enjoyed it and decide to read my next installment next Monday. Enjoy all the basketball and I’ll see y’all in seven.
