Professional Wrestler. After becoming the first American Indian to win an NCAA wrestling title, he had a professional career of about 20 years during which he was twice National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion. Born Freddie Joe Brisco, he was raised in northern Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma State University on a wrestling scholarship; shortly after winning the college championship in 1965 he turned professional and captured the first of his numerous local and regional NWA belts in the fall of that year. Competing mostly in Missouri and Florida, he was to join with two legends, Haystacks Calhoun and Gorgeous George, to garner tag team titles in the late 1960s. After a brief stay with Championship Wrestling from Florida, he left in late 1969 for Japan; Brisco returned to achieve, thru the 1970s, his most significant period of success. While engaging in a long-running scripted feud with the brothers Dory Jr. and Terry Funk (around 200 matches), he first took the NWA world title from Harley Race on July 20, 1973. After a number of defenses (including a particularly memorable bout with Dory Funk), he lost to Giant Baba on December 4, 1974. Recapturing the crown six days later, he remained champion for exactly a year before losing to Terry Funk. Thru the late 1970s, he continued winning belts, teaming with his younger brother Gerald in tag team matches. (The Briscos also did scouting, discovering a muscular rock musician named Terry Bollea who was to become Hulk Hogan, while mentoring a young Ric Flair). In the early 1980s, the Brisco brothers fought in Puerto Rico and were busy with Georgia Championship Wrestling, competing and also buying stock which they eventually sold to Vince McMahon, helping to form the basis of the WWF (now, WWE). Brisco retired in 1984, and for many years ran, with two of his brothers, an automotive body shop in Tampa. He was named to the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005, and to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008, and died of complications from cardiac surgery after being ill for some time.
Professional Wrestler. After becoming the first American Indian to win an NCAA wrestling title, he had a professional career of about 20 years during which he was twice National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion. Born Freddie Joe Brisco, he was raised in northern Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma State University on a wrestling scholarship; shortly after winning the college championship in 1965 he turned professional and captured the first of his numerous local and regional NWA belts in the fall of that year. Competing mostly in Missouri and Florida, he was to join with two legends, Haystacks Calhoun and Gorgeous George, to garner tag team titles in the late 1960s. After a brief stay with Championship Wrestling from Florida, he left in late 1969 for Japan; Brisco returned to achieve, thru the 1970s, his most significant period of success. While engaging in a long-running scripted feud with the brothers Dory Jr. and Terry Funk (around 200 matches), he first took the NWA world title from Harley Race on July 20, 1973. After a number of defenses (including a particularly memorable bout with Dory Funk), he lost to Giant Baba on December 4, 1974. Recapturing the crown six days later, he remained champion for exactly a year before losing to Terry Funk. Thru the late 1970s, he continued winning belts, teaming with his younger brother Gerald in tag team matches. (The Briscos also did scouting, discovering a muscular rock musician named Terry Bollea who was to become Hulk Hogan, while mentoring a young Ric Flair). In the early 1980s, the Brisco brothers fought in Puerto Rico and were busy with Georgia Championship Wrestling, competing and also buying stock which they eventually sold to Vince McMahon, helping to form the basis of the WWF (now, WWE). Brisco retired in 1984, and for many years ran, with two of his brothers, an automotive body shop in Tampa. He was named to the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005, and to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008, and died of complications from cardiac surgery after being ill for some time.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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