Athletes - James Brunzell

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	Athletes - James Brunzell

James Brunzell is a professional wrestler better known by his stage name of "Jumping" Jim Brunzell.

Career

Jim Brunzell wrestled for the AWA throughout the 1970's, primarly as a mid-card talent. He would sign to wrestle for the Mid-Atlantic region and go on to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship twice in the late 1970's, a significant singles title at the time. Upon returning to the AWA, Brunzell would reform his tag team with Greg Gagne, known as the "High Flyers", and be elevated to main event status.

The tandem of Brunzell and Gagne would go on to hold the AWA World Tag-Team Championship on two separate occasions feuding with teams like Jesse Ventura and Adrian Adonis and Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera. Brunzell would remain with the AWA in both tag team and singles competition until the summer of 1985.

Brunzell then signed to wrestle with the WWF, forming the popular tag team the "Killer Bees" with another WWF newcomer, B. Brian Blair. Apparently, Verne and Greg Gagne felt somewhat betrayed. Greg even expressed his displeasure during AWA broadcasts, making subtle references to Brunzell's departure and his new gimmick.

Brunzell and Blair experienced moderate success while with the WWF. Their stay was highlighted by a match against Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Shiek in front of 93,000 people at the Pontiac Silverdome as part of WrestleMania III and a win at the inaugural Survivor Series on Thanksgiving Day 1987. They would go to team together until Blair left the promotion in 1988. Brunzell continued in singles competition, being used to put over younger talent like the recently signed Curt Hennig.

He would leave the WWF in early 1989 and compete on the independent circuit, primarily in the Chicago area. Brunzell would resurface in Herb Abram's UWF in 1991 and reunite with B. Brian Blair, winning the tag titles twice. After the UWF closed, Brunzell would return to the independent circuit and continue to wrestle until the mid 1990's.

Proflie

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 234 lbs.
Birthday: August 13, 1949
Hometown: White Bear Lake, MN
Debut: 1972
Managers:
Trained By: Verne Gagne
Other Gimmicks:
Finisher: Dropkick

Championships and accomplishments

NWA Mid-Atlantic
*2-Time NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion
*2-Time NWA World Tag-Team Champion (Central States version) (w/ Mike George)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
*PWI ranked him # 180 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003. He was also ranked # 49 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" with Greg Gagne.
*1977 Tag-Team of the Year, 2nd runner-up (Brunzell & Greg Gagne)
*1978 Most Inspirational Wrestler, 3rd Runner-Up
*1981 Tag-Team of the Year, 3rd Runner-Up (Brunzell & Greg Gagne)
*1982 Tag-Team of the Year (Brunzell & Greg Gagne)
*1991 PWI 500 Ranking: #151
*1992 PWI 500 Ranking: #142
*1993 PWI 500 Ranking: #334
*1994 PWI 500 Ranking: #409
Other Titles
*2-Time AWA World Tag-Team Champion (w/ Greg Gagne
)
*2-Time UWF Tag Team Champion (w/ Brian Blair
)
*1-Time WFWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for James Brunzell ]

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