Steve Carrier on January 13, 2018
On today’s episode of The Taz Show, Taz will discuss the classic matchup between Abdullah The Butcher and Bruiser Brody which aired from Japan on April 10th, 1981 as part of the Champions Carnival tournament.
Taz points out that that Abdullah and Brody didn’t need the NWA or WWE “machine” to get over. They got over huge all over the world by constantly travelling to different territories and bringing their aggressive style with them wherever they went. Whether it be Japan, Puerto Rico, or the United States, these two men had an amazing rivalry throughout the years, and we rarely see this type of rivalry today.
He mentions that Abdullah and Brody were very different looking individuals, but neither of them look like regular people who work in an office building. They were both very unique looking people and if you saw either of them in an airport, you’d know they were stars of some kind.
Braun Strowman is one of the only competitors in WWE today that resembles this type of old-school character. He’s similar to Brody and Abdullah in the sense that if you see him walking towards you in public you’d probably turn and walk the other way. He has a tremendous mystique about him, and there’s no doubt that this is a person you wouldn’t want to mess with.
Taz says he misses the old days with characters like Brody, Abdullah and Stan Hansen. Things felt real, and not over-produced like it is today. He recalls coming up in the business during the late 1980’s and wondering what he was going to do in order to fit in with that crew of legitimate bad asses.
He adds that guys like Hansen did whatever they wanted when they got in the ring. Hansen wasn’t listening to anyone’s instructions from the back or from the referee in the ring; he held the creative control, and the action was always riveting. These guys were unpredictable, and that’s why they were so entertaining to watch in the ring.
This match jump starts with Brody attacking Abdullah as he tries to enter the ring. Brody (with a steel chain in hand) jumps Abdullah and brings the physicality right away. Abdullah is busted open and bleeding everywhere just a couple of minutes into the match.
Taz points out that there’s an ambiance and aura about these men that’s never going to be seen in the business again. Brody proceeds to bite the open wound on Abdullah’s head before Abdullah turned things around and pulls his patented fork out of his trunks, attacking Brody with it.
He points out that Sabu might have been the last professional wrestler to have this type of aura surround him. Much like his uncle, The Shiek, Sabu had that unpredictability about him which made it impossible to take your eyes off of him when he performed. Fans were legitimately afraid of Sabu.
As the match begins to conclude, Abdullah and Brody make their way to the outside of the ring. The match has devolved into complete insanity by this point with the bell ringing constantly. The finish didn’t matter here – this was a brawl. The arena’s spotlight can’t keep up with them as they battle around the outside. Taz points out that the cameramen and producers have no idea what’s going on either and that’s what made this feel so believable.
The fans in the stands begin running for their lives as the competitors battle towards them. These fans were legitimately terrified of these performers and kayfabe was still a real thing at this point, especially in Japan. The match is eventually thrown out, as both men make their way to the back bloodied and exhausted.
Taz points out that Brody lost his life after being stabbed in a locker room in Puerto Rico. This was a terribly unfortunate situation, and it’s a shame that Brody wasn’t able to continue his career for many more years. Brody was a trendsetter and he changed the history of the business, and even to this day people try to copy his look and style.
That sums up today’s episode of The Taz Show. You can listen to the show yourself anytime here, and I’ll catch ya tomorrow for another recap!
January 13, 2018 12:29 pm
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