Athletes - Adrian Adonis

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	Athletes - Adrian Adonis

Keith Franke (September 12, 1954- July 4, 1988) was an American professional wrestler, best known as Adrian Adonis.

As Adonis, he would go through two distinct ring personae in the 1980s: First, as a trash-talking biker clad in black leather and chains; and later as the effeminate "Adorable Adrian", with bleached hair, pink tights, and perfume (occasionally sprayed in the face of his opponents to blind them). He made the transformation in 1986 on Piper's Pit and gave his "retired" leather jacket to Roddy Piper.

Feud with Roddy Piper

When Piper took a hiatus from the WWF in 1986, Adonis began hosting his own Piper's Pit-styled segment, "The Flower Shop." Adrian's manager (Jimmy Hart) announced the beginning of the show each week as follows: "Here's the host of The Flower Shop....Adorable Adrian!", which was greeted by a chorus of boos from the fans. As with Piper's Pit, Adonis regularly insulted the good guys while openly supporting fellow heel wrestlers; frequently, he would hug and kiss his friends as he welcomed them onto his set.

Piper returned in 1986 and was appalled at the transformation of his segment. This led to a brutal feud between Piper and Adonis, with Piper now wrestling as a face. On the last edition of the syndicated "WWF Championship Wrestling" (shown late August 1986) from the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY, Adonis attempted to interview the tag team of Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, when suddenly Piper resurfaced onto the scene where his legendary Pit took place many times over. Piper had a bewildered look on his face, seeing the tartan-plaid set had been replaced with a set of tulip and pansies. Moreover, "HotRod" looked even more perplexed at his old bodyguard "Ace" Cowboy Bob Orton was now protecting Adonis and above all traded his rugged cowboy hat with a PINK one reflecting the effeminate tendencies of his new boss (Adonis). Orton complained that Piper didn't pay him enough to explain his new loyalties. Piper then vowed that the Pit would return soon. On September 6, 1986, the airing of the first episode of the syndicated "WWF Superstars of Wrestling" from the Providence (RI) Civic Center, Adonis hosted "The Flower Shop" with Hart and Orton by his side and was ready to interview "Magnificent" Don Muraco. Once again, Piper interrupted. He handed Adonis a note that stated the official return of Piper's Pit the following week. So the next week, "Piper's Pit" returned to the delight of many (keep in mind, Piper's face turn was not complete yet); The set of 9 to 10 foot tartan and beige walls with the two Piper posters on them, a new two-tone Piper crest, the two chairs, graced the arena for the whole world to see. Piper's first guest since returning was supposed to have been former AWA, then-WWF announcer "Killer" Ken Resnick before Adonis & Co. made their presence felt. "The Adorable One" then went on a verbal rampage berating Piper for "going behind his back to the WWF high echelon" for bringing back the Pit/ending the Flower Shop. Adonis then made a challenge to Piper for a Battle of the talk shows in two weeks. Piper wanted to settle it right then and there. Adonis agreed, and as Adonis was ready to sit down, Piper pulled the chair and walked off-set. But the challenge was on. On September 27, 1986, on the "WWF Superstars of Wrestling" from the Baltimore (MD) Arena. The Confrontation began, two show's sets appeared side by side on the Arena's stage, the blue and gold latticed, flower-laden "Flower Shop" and the aforementioned "Piper's Pit set". Piper walked on his set to cheers and as soon as he was about to speak, the camera panned over to the "Flower Shop" set as Jimmy Hart made his patented introduction of Adonis. Adonis' guest was Bob Orton. As soon as Orton was going to speak, Piper chimed in and waved the cameraman back to the Pit. Piper then brought on his guest, Don Muraco. Interesting to point out, Piper defeated Don Muraco in a hard-fought qualifying 1986 King of the Ring match from the old Sullivan (Foxboro) Stadium in Foxboro, MA that summer. So Muraco must have had no love loss for Piper with that loss fresh in mind.) Piper and Adonis went back and forth trading insults and racy items to each other. Things came to a head when Piper called Muraco "Fatso", this prompted Adonis to approach Piper and ask him who he was talking to. Piper replied to "Take your Choice" (Muraco or Adonis), then melee ensued. Adonis, Muraco, Orton ganged up on Piper. Piper trying to overcome the odds. Then with Muraco and Orton holding a defenseless Piper down, Adonis smashed a ceramic (I'm sure worked) flower pot to Piper's head and rendering him unconscious. Piper fell down and then Adonis took a folding chair and took a shot at Piper's knee a couple of times. Jimmy Hart then called for the destruction of the Pit. The heels decimated the Piper's Pit set to shreds. To add insult to injury, Adonis smeared make-up to Piper's face. Finally, the Islanders, Haku and Tama (ironically the latter, the cousin to fabled, legendary Piper rival Jimmy Snuka), came to make the save, but the damage was done: His face full of make up, his knee busted and his Piper's Pit destroyed. The following week, a hobbling Piper with baseball bat in hand was looking for Adonis & co on the "Flower Shop", Piper proceeded to exact revenge, and destroy "The Flower Shop" set with the bat. After the Shop's walls tumbled and crumbled down to the ground, the enraged Piper (now a bona fide babyface in the wake of the heinous actions) shouted to the TV camera, "The War Has Just Begun!!!". On an NBC-TV's Saturday Night's Main Event in Cleveland not too long after the Pit-Shop confrontation, Piper whacked Adonis on the arm full-tilt rendering him out of commission for a stretch of time. In November that year, Piper was in the midst of his new "Piper's Pit" era on the syndicated "WWF Superstars of Wrestling" complete with a brand new set and was scheduled to interview the tag team of George "The Animal" Steele and the late Junkyard Dog, when Jimmy Hart came onto the set and starting verbally going off on Piper then slapping him. Piper had had enough and hosted Hart in the air, suddenly Adonis appeared through the entranceway and whacked Piper in the back with a crutch, which incited a battle on the set with the two men trading blows. Adonis would get the better of Piper, thanks to Hart, with a a sleeper hold dubbed "Good Night Irene" that sent the HotScot into a sleepy state to the floor. Adonis punctuated the assault by putting a few flowers into the mouth of the unconscious Piper before vacating the premises with Hart. Things came to a boil in December 1986, when Piper and Adonis met in the ring. The two immediately tore into each other without regard to the rules. The brawl became so violent everyone from the locker room spilled into the ring to break the two up, but it was no use.

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