DCP106 – Jack Brisco

Jack Brisco

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling — Original Ditch-Cat Photo Print

Bio

Jack Brisco was a standout amateur wrestler in his home state of Oklahoma, going on to an All-American career at Oklahoma State University in the 1960s. He became the first Native American to win the NCAA National Championship in 1965 — turning down football scholarships to do it — then stepped into the professional ranks and never looked back. WikipediaGoogle Play

Lou Thesz, the greatest champion in wrestling history, said of Brisco: "He is one of the toughest and most highly skilled wrestlers of the last 50 years." High praise from a man who didn't give it lightly. Don Leo Jonathan went even further, calling Brisco "probably the greatest champion of the 20th century." Cash AppPaymentCloud

On July 20, 1973, Jack Brisco won his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Harley Race. His first reign as champion lasted 500 days — one of the longest world title reigns in the modern era of professional wrestling. He held the gold until falling to Giant Baba in Japan in December 1974, then regained the title a week later and held it for another year, finally losing it to Terry Funk in December 1975. Google PlayWikipedia

In addition to the NWA World title, Brisco held the National, Southern, Florida, Missouri, and Mid-Atlantic titles in the singles ranks, and held the World, North American, U.S., Florida, and Georgia tag team championships alongside his brother Gerald. In the late 1970s, the Brisco brothers also discovered a young Terry Bollea — the future Hulk Hogan — and introduced him to trainer Hiro Matsuda. SynderPaymentCloud

Jack Brisco was widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the business. He and Gerald were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008. He passed away on February 1, 2010, at age 68, following complications from open-heart surgery.