Brian Pillman
Brian William Pillman[2] (May 22, 1962 – October 5, 1997) was an American professional wrestler and football player. He is known for competing in World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation in the 1990s.
Brian Pillman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | Brian William Pillman May 22, 1962 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. | ||
| Died | October 5, 1997 (aged 35) Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S. | ||
| Spouse | Melanie Pillman (m. 1993) | ||
| Children | 6, including Lexis King | ||
| Ring name(s) |
| ||
| Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Billed weight | 227 lb (103 kg) | ||
| Billed from | Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. "The kennel club" (as The Yellow Dog) Hollywood (as California Brian) | ||
| Trained by | Stu Hart[1] | ||
| Debut | 1986 | ||
Football career | |||
| No. 41, 58 | |||
| Position: | Linebacker | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Weight: | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Norwood (Norwood, Ohio) | ||
| College: | Miami (OH) | ||
| Undrafted: | 1984 | ||
| Career history | |||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
He was well known as "The Loose Cannon",[3] which was a gimmick that would see him do worked shoots that would gain him infamy for his unpredictable character.
Before becoming a professional wrestler, Pillman played football in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals and in the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders.
Pillman was found dead by police in his Bloomington, Minnesota hotel room on October 5, 1997 from a previously undetected heart condition called arteriosclerotic heart disease.[4][5] That same night, Pillman was supposed to face Dude Love on the WWF pay-per-view Badd Blood: In Your House.
His son Brian Pillman Jr. now wrestles for WWE (formerly the WWF), on their NXT brand under the ring name Lexis King.[6] He has also worked for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Major League Wrestling (MLW).[7]
Championships change
- Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling
- NWA United States Tag Team Championship (one time) (with Tom Zenk)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (one time) (with "Stunning" Steve Austin)
- WCW Light Heavyweight Championship (two times)[8][9]
- WCW World Tag Team Championship (one time) (with "Stunning" Steve Austin)[10]
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- He was ranked #84 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" by PWI in 2003.[11]
- Stampede Wrestling
- Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (two times) (with Bruce Hart)
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- 5 Star Match (1991) with Sting, Rick Steiner, and Scott Steiner vs. Ric Flair, Larry Zbyszko, Barry Windham, and Sid Vicious (February 24, WarGames match, WrestleWar)
- Feud of the Year (1997) with Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Davey Boy Smith vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Most Underrated (1994)
- Rookie of the Year (1987)
- Tag Team of the Year (1993) with Steve Austin as The Hollywood Blonds
References change
- ↑ "Brian Pillman: Facts". WrestlingData.com.
- ↑ "Son of Brian Pillman making own legacy". Archived from the original on September 25, 2013.
- ↑ "What Could've Been: Imagine Brian Pillman in the WWE Attitude Era". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
- ↑ "Pillman found dead". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved November 7, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Stone Cold Truth (p.112–113)
- ↑ Johnson, Mike (August 29, 2023). "New Signing Starts WWE Run". PWInsider. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ↑ "Brian Pillman Jr.'s status with MLW following his AEW appearance". July 4, 2020.
- ↑ "Brian Pillman's first WCW Light Heavyweight Championship reign". WWE. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ↑ "Brian Pillman's second WCW Light Heavyweight Championship reign". WWE. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ↑ "WCW World Tag Team Championship history". WWE. Archived from the original on September 9, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ↑ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 13, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2013.