Jim Brunzell
| James Brunzell | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 13, 1949 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Jim Brunzell |
| Billed height | 5 ft 9 in (178 cm) |
| Billed weight | 234 lb (106 kg) |
| Trained by | Verne Gagne |
| Debut | 1972 |
James Brunzell (born August 13, 1949) is a retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name of "Jumping" Jim Brunzell. Known for his successful tag teams, Brunzell performed for various wrestling promotions over the course of approximately two decades.
Career
American Wrestling Association
Jim Brunzell wrestled for American Wrestling Association (AWA) throughout the 1970s, primarily as a mid-card talent. In 1973, he made a cameo appearance sparring with Billy Robinson in the film, The Wrestler.
National Wrestling Alliance
During the later half of the 1970s, he signed to wrestle for the Mid-Atlantic region and won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship twice, a significant singles title at the time.
Return to AWA
Upon returning to AWA, Brunzell reformed his tag team with Greg Gagne, known as the "High Flyers", and was elevated to main event status. The tandem of Brunzell and Gagne held the AWA World Tag Team Championship on two separate occasions, feuding with teams like Jesse Ventura & Adrian Adonis and Jerry Blackwell & Ken Patera. Brunzell remained with the AWA in both tag team and singles competition until 1985.
World Wrestling Federation
Brunzell then signed to wrestle with World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as they continued their national expansion. Here, he formed the popular tag team, The Killer Bees, with another WWF newcomer, Brian Blair. Apparently, Verne and Greg Gagne felt somewhat betrayed by the move. Gagne even expressed his displeasure during an AWA broadcast, making subtle references to Brunzell's departure and his new gimmick.
Brunzell and Blair experienced moderate success while with the WWF. The two feuded with the likes of The Hart Foundation as well as the Funks, Jimmy Jack Funk & Hoss Funk, who they faced in front of over 64,000 fans at The Big Event. Their stay was also highlighted by a match against Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik as part of WrestleMania III and a win at the inaugural Survivor Series on Thanksgiving Day 1987. The Killer Bees teamed together until Blair left the promotion in 1988. Brunzell continued in singles competition for a time, being used to put over newer talent like Curt Hennig.
Independent circuit
He left WWF in 1989 and competed on the independent circuit, primarily in the Chicago area. Brunzell also wrestled for Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1991. While there, he reunited with B. Brian Blair under the name Masked Confusion, winning the tag team title twice. After UWF closed, Brunzell returned to the independent circuit and continued to wrestle until the mid 1990s, even making occasional appearances in the WWF as a jobber.
On May 23, 1993, Brunzell wrestled at World Championship Wrestling's inaugural Slamboree pay-per-view. He wrestled in a six-man tag match alongside fellow "legends" Wahoo McDaniel and Blackjack Mulligan against Dick Murdoch, Don Muraco, and "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka. Ironically enough, Brunzell appeared on the WWF's RAW telecast in a jobber role, the same month as his WCW PPV appearance as a "legend".
In 1994, he made an appearance in the American Wrestling Federation as a guest referee in a bout for the AWF Heavyweight Championship, in which Tito Santana beat Bob Orton, Jr., to win the title.
In 2006, Brunzell became involved in a highly-publicized "interview feud" after his former tag team partner, Brian Blair, was insulted by the Iron Sheik in a series of shoot interviews that received heavy circulation on the internet. Brunzell received high praise from the Sheik for his athletic and high-jumping prowess.
Currently, Brunzell works as a financial planner for Focus Financial in the Minneapolis area.
In wrestling
- Finishing and signature moves
Championships and accomplishments
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (2 times) - with Mike George
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 180 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- PWI ranked him # 49 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" with Greg Gagne.
- PWI Tag Team of the Year award with Greg Gagne in 1982.
- West Four Wrestling Alliance
- WFWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (1 time)