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Post by Joe Neglia on Dec 19, 2017 4:28:35 GMT -5
Several wrestlers have mentioned this real fight. Backstory is, in the mid-70s, Ladd was the Florida champ. He refused to lose the title on TV and promoter Eddie Graham agreed to do it in a dark match, but then tried to film it anyway, prompting Ladd to leave the building early. Not long after, one of the Briscos called Ladd to meet with them the next morning. When the brothers approached Ladd in the parking lot, Jack dove in and tried to take him down, unaware Ladd (sensing potential trouble, as the Briscos were Graham's policemen) had a tire iron tucked away behind his back...
After the fight was over, Ladd stuffed the two in the back of his car, drove them to a local hospital where he dumped them on the front curbside, and returned home (a variation of this is that while still in the parking lot, Ladd waved down a passerby and alerted them to go find an ambulance for the two knocked-out guys he had just discovered in the lot).
A few of the minor details change with who's recalling the story (the hospital/passerby thing, Brian Blair possibly witnessing it, and whether the Briscos arranged the meeting the next morning or were waiting for Ladd when he arrived at an office elsewhere that night). Ladd's discussed the fight, but not sure if either Brisco ever did. Bret Hart talks about it in his book (but "ironically" leaves out the reason for the fight: Ladd refusing to drop the title on his way out and getting doublecrossed in the arranged match. Dick "The Destroyer" Steinborn, who was a partner with Ladd at one point, has backed it up.
Personal opinion? I don't care how legit good Jack and Gerald were, picking a fight with an armed Ernie Ladd was never, ever, ever going to go their way. Ever.
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Post by Mozenrath on Dec 19, 2017 4:44:18 GMT -5
Several wrestlers have mentioned this real fight. Backstory is, in the mid-70s, Ladd was the Florida champ. He refused to lose the title on TV and promoter Eddie Graham agreed to do it in a dark match, but then tried to film it anyway, prompting Ladd to leave the building early. Not long after, one of the Briscos called Ladd to meet with them the next morning. When the brothers approached Ladd in the parking lot, Jack dove in and tried to take him down, unaware Ladd (sensing potential trouble, as the Briscos were Graham's policemen) had a tire iron tucked away behind his back... After the fight was over, Ladd stuffed the two in the back of his car, drove them to a local hospital where he dumped them on the front curbside, and returned home (a variation of this is that while still in the parking lot, Ladd waved down a passerby and alerted them to go find an ambulance for the two knocked-out guys he had just discovered in the lot). A few of the minor details change with who's recalling the story (the hospital/passerby thing, Brian Blair possibly witnessing it, and whether the Briscos arranged the meeting the next morning or were waiting for Ladd when he arrived at an office elsewhere that night). Ladd's discussed the fight, but not sure if either Brisco ever did. Bret Hart talks about it in his book (but "ironically" leaves out the reason for the fight: Ladd refusing to drop the title on his way out and getting doublecrossed in the arranged match. Dick "The Destroyer" Steinborn, who was a partner with Ladd at one point, has backed it up. Personal opinion? I don't care how legit good Jack and Gerald were, picking a fight with an armed Ernie Ladd was never, ever, ever going to go their way. Ever. Especially when, if the meeting was arranged beforehand, Ernie would have known what they were intending to do. Ernie would have obviously known their role.
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Futureraven: Beelzebruv
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Post by Futureraven: Beelzebruv on Dec 19, 2017 5:20:47 GMT -5
Several wrestlers have mentioned this real fight. Backstory is, in the mid-70s, Ladd was the Florida champ. He refused to lose the title on TV and promoter Eddie Graham agreed to do it in a dark match, but then tried to film it anyway, prompting Ladd to leave the building early. Not long after, one of the Briscos called Ladd to meet with them the next morning. When the brothers approached Ladd in the parking lot, Jack dove in and tried to take him down, unaware Ladd (sensing potential trouble, as the Briscos were Graham's policemen) had a tire iron tucked away behind his back... After the fight was over, Ladd stuffed the two in the back of his car, drove them to a local hospital where he dumped them on the front curbside, and returned home (a variation of this is that while still in the parking lot, Ladd waved down a passerby and alerted them to go find an ambulance for the two knocked-out guys he had just discovered in the lot). A few of the minor details change with who's recalling the story (the hospital/passerby thing, Brian Blair possibly witnessing it, and whether the Briscos arranged the meeting the next morning or were waiting for Ladd when he arrived at an office elsewhere that night). Ladd's discussed the fight, but not sure if either Brisco ever did. Bret Hart talks about it in his book (but "ironically" leaves out the reason for the fight: Ladd refusing to drop the title on his way out and getting doublecrossed in the arranged match. Dick "The Destroyer" Steinborn, who was a partner with Ladd at one point, has backed it up. Personal opinion? I don't care how legit good Jack and Gerald were, picking a fight with an armed Ernie Ladd was never, ever, ever going to go their way. Ever. Especially when, if the meeting was arranged beforehand, Ernie would have known what they were intending to do. Ernie would have obviously known their role. And shut their mouths.
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msc
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Post by msc on Dec 19, 2017 5:24:38 GMT -5
This just backs up my opinion that Ernie Ladd was sorely underused in the last 25 years of his life onscreen.
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Post by Limity (BLM) on Dec 19, 2017 6:11:02 GMT -5
Ernie Ladd, part of the historic LA Rams' Fearsome Foursome, with a weapon, against the Briscoes...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2017 8:14:17 GMT -5
This is one of those weird, wrestling jock things.
I don't doubt that in the ring, or in any kind of grappling, the Jack and Gerry could have hooked someone into next week. But that doesn't transfer outside the ring, especially when the opponent is a massive, hard as nails dude with a weapon. But they still believed they could do that.
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Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Dec 19, 2017 9:55:24 GMT -5
The Big Cat kicking both of their asses is one of the reasons why I think Gerald Brisco's reputation as a tough guy is overrated.
The second reason is that apparently after the Montreal Screwjob Rick Rude beat the f*** out of Gerald, and apparently it wasn't a close fight. Bruce Prichard claimed the fight never happened but I think Shane confirmed in the live podcast he did with Mick Foley that Gerry got his ass kicked by Rude.
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Post by "Playboy" Don Douglas on Dec 19, 2017 10:38:21 GMT -5
The way I had always heard it was that not only did Ladd know what was coming but the Briscoes had worked themselves into being angry enough to act by hitting the bottle.
So to recap, they were going after a known badass who knows what's coming and has armed himself... and they were piss drunk.
Not smart.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2017 10:47:24 GMT -5
The way I had always heard it was that not only did Ladd know what was coming but the Briscoes had worked themselves into being angry enough to act by hitting the bottle. So to recap, they were going after a known badass who knows what's coming and has armed himself... and they were piss drunk. Not smart. This has to rank up there among the worst ideas ever in wrestling.
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Post by Mozenrath on Dec 19, 2017 10:55:00 GMT -5
The way I had always heard it was that not only did Ladd know what was coming but the Briscoes had worked themselves into being angry enough to act by hitting the bottle. So to recap, they were going after a known badass who knows what's coming and has armed himself... and they were piss drunk. Not smart. I think that might imply that even they knew this was a shit idea, so they may as well be drunk for it. They couldn't very well tell Eddie no, and Ernie wasn't going to go quietly. They could at least numb the pain and get it over with.
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Post by Alice Syndrome on Dec 19, 2017 11:03:23 GMT -5
The way I had always heard it was that not only did Ladd know what was coming but the Briscoes had worked themselves into being angry enough to act by hitting the bottle. So to recap, they were going after a known badass who knows what's coming and has armed himself... and they were piss drunk. Not smart. The only way I can see a fight being more one sided is if it's between Aurora and Murphy Levesque, and Meng.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2017 11:13:59 GMT -5
The way I had always heard it was that not only did Ladd know what was coming but the Briscoes had worked themselves into being angry enough to act by hitting the bottle. So to recap, they were going after a known badass who knows what's coming and has armed himself... and they were piss drunk. Not smart. The only way I can see a fight being more one sided is if it's between Aurora and Murphy Levesque, and Meng. Yeah, that Tongan is going DOWN.
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Post by The Thread Barbi on Dec 19, 2017 13:00:46 GMT -5
Whatever the truth is, this is wrestling and I love it!
Thanks for sharing
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Post by Aceorton on Dec 19, 2017 14:28:47 GMT -5
Oh, wrestling, you so crazy.
If any of us sent someone to the hospital with a tire iron, or tried to beat someone up and got sent to the hospital with a tire iron, the police might ask us some questions. But with wrestlers, it's just a private family disagreement.
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Post by OVO 40 hunched over like he 80 on Dec 19, 2017 14:37:21 GMT -5
Dutch Mantell in his book said that Ladd told him the story.
I just find it hilarious Ernie picking up the Briscos and throwing them in the trunk of his car like they were garbage.
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Post by MrElijah on Dec 19, 2017 16:24:14 GMT -5
So this where Heenan got his Tire Iron method.
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Post by Joe Neglia on Dec 19, 2017 16:37:05 GMT -5
The way I had always heard it was that not only did Ladd know what was coming but the Briscoes had worked themselves into being angry enough to act by hitting the bottle. So to recap, they were going after a known badass who knows what's coming and has armed himself... and they were piss drunk. Not smart. And the "hit" was ordered by Graham, who was *definitely* 3 shades to the wind when he did so.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2017 16:38:05 GMT -5
The way I had always heard it was that not only did Ladd know what was coming but the Briscoes had worked themselves into being angry enough to act by hitting the bottle. So to recap, they were going after a known badass who knows what's coming and has armed himself... and they were piss drunk. Not smart. And the "hit" was ordered by Graham, who was *definitely* 3 shades to the wind when he did so. Florida was the 'party' territory after all.
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Post by Mozenrath on Dec 19, 2017 16:51:35 GMT -5
Oh, wrestling, you so crazy. If any of us sent someone to the hospital with a tire iron, or tried to beat someone up and got sent to the hospital with a tire iron, the police might ask us some questions. But with wrestlers, it's just a private family disagreement. I guess it helped the only guys in a position to press charges would have explain just what exactly they were doing, and "We were going to orchestrate a pre-meditated attack when he hit us" isn't the best thing to go to the cops with, especially with wrestling in some places still trying to feebly keep their kayfabe going.
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Post by 2coldMack is even more baffled on Dec 19, 2017 16:59:50 GMT -5
Oh, wrestling, you so crazy. If any of us sent someone to the hospital with a tire iron, or tried to beat someone up and got sent to the hospital with a tire iron, the police might ask us some questions. But with wrestlers, it's just a private family disagreement. I guess it helped the only guys in a position to press charges would have explain just what exactly they were doing, and "We were going to orchestrate a pre-meditated attack when he hit us" isn't the best thing to go to the cops with, especially with wrestling in some places still trying to feebly keep their kayfabe going. Yeah, I really can't see what their play would be. "We were gonna go kick his ass, but he got the drop on us, arrest him"?
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