Through The Years With Crush

[The Brain]

It’s time again for me to create a thread about a random wrestler that doesn’t get talked about a lot here. Today we’ll discuss Brian Adams, better known as Crush. Over the years Crush took on many different gimmicks but unlike a lot of guys that went through several gimmick changes he was always recognized as the same guy. Let’s take a look at the evolution of Crush throughout his career.

Demolition Crush: The first time I ever saw Crush was in 1990 when he was introduced as the third member of Demolition. At the time Ax was looking to get out of the ring and take a job on the creative team. Crush was brought in as a replacement for Ax and during the transition Demolition had three members. I didn’t care for Crush in Demolition at all. It was nothing against him but to me Demolition was at their best when they were Ax and Smash. I’ve also never been a big fan of the Freebird rule where any two members of a team can defend the tag titles. Ax and Smash won the titles at WM6 before we ever knew who Crush was so I thought it was kind of lame that this new guy just walked into the WWF and was considered a tag champion on a three man team. Demolition was an awesome team for a short period of time and the addition of Crush was their downfall.

Kona Crush: This would be the babyface Crush that wrestled in the WWF in 1992/1993. I think this was my favorite version of Crush. He debuted shortly after WM8 as the WWF was going through some changes. Hulk Hogan had just left the company and even though Randy Savage and The Ultimate Warrior were fighting over the title it felt like an opportunity for a new star to step up. Crush seemed to have that star potential at the time. He was a likeable character with a lot of size and strength and someone the fans could get behind. Don’t get me wrong, in no way am I saying Crush could have become anywhere near as popular as Hulk Hogan was but he did seem like a guy that could possibly get a main event push during a transitional time. Crush never did get that push and ended up wrestling guys like Repo Man and Doink but I always thought that character could have achieved more.

Fuji’s Crush: In the fall of 1993 Crush turned heel and aligned himself with Mr. Fuji. Despite never getting that main event push Crush was popular with the fans and was viewed as a good guy with integrity. It was pretty shocking to see an angry and bitter Crush return from an injury with Mr. Fuji by his side. I thought the heel turn was very well done and kicked off a great feud with Randy Savage. It looked as tough Crush’s new look and attitude might push him to bigger things as the heel turn felt like a big deal. A match with Savage at mania was a good start but by mid 1994 Crush quietly disappeared from the WWF.

Convict/Nation Crush: In 1995 Crush spent a short amount of time in prison. He returned to the WWF in 1996 and in a surprising move at the time his real life prison sentence was acknowledged on tv as he had heel attorney manager Clarence Mason represent him in getting his job back. Shortly after his return Crush joined Faarooq in the Nation of Domination. I enjoyed the Nation in late 1996/early 1997 but Crush was just a role player. Role players are important but if I’m picking a favorite character of Crush I’m not picking one where he was a sidekick.

Biker Crush (DOA): In the summer of 1997 Faarooq kicked Crush and Savio Vega out of the Nation. Both were upset with Faarooq over this and each formed their own groups taking on the role of the leader. Crush formed the Disciples of Apocalypse with Chainz, Skull, and 8 Ball. Crush spent the second half of 1997 feuding with the Nation and Savio’s new group Los Boricuas before leaving the WWF immediately after Survivor Series.

Kronik Crush: In 2001 Crush returned to the WWF again a few months after WWF purchased WCW. This time he went under his real name of Brian Adams but his past as Crush was acknowledged. He had Bryan Clark, formerly Adam Bomb, as his tag team partner. A lot of people were happy to see Kronik in the WWF and thought they would make a big impact in the tag division. Unfortunately that did not happen as Kronik was done with the WWF after one ppv match against Undertaker and Kane. Despite them only being around for a couple weeks I could see people voting Kronik Crush as their favorite based on his time under that gimmick in WCW and the potential they hoped for in the WWF.

So there you have it. Six different characters of Crush over the years. Which of these characters was your favorite and what are your general thoughts on Crush?

 

[Mustang Sally]

I admit to wondering why the guy seemed to appear and disappear so often over the years, and this post helps explain what was going on. Actually, there was a lot of personal turmoil for a guy with his kind of ability. Too bad for all of us.

My favorite incarnation was Fuji's Crush, more for the feud against Randy Savage than anything else. Before Macho Man, there were too many stiffs like Doink and Kato opposing Crush, but the promise of Savage being out there kept interest in Crush high.The build-up was good, with Crush coming off as a truly fearsome character. The "Falls Count Anywhere" match they had at Wrestlemania was a classic, one I didn't expect Savage to win, but was glad he did.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Crush, easily one of the dullest wrestlers of all time. I still have a soft spot for him. Mostly because I love Demolition in all their forms, I saw him at SummerSlam '92 (in a match that I think got cut from the card) and I was genuinely invested in his heel turn and feud with Savage.

But for such a long career he doesn't really have many highlights. There's the Savage feud and... that's pretty much it. Kona Crush had bright attire and not much else, Demolition were being replaced by LOD when he came on board. DOA! Well they seem like a better stable when you compare them to a current biker stable, I guess.

 

[justtxyank]

Agree with the poster who called him dull. Never cared for him in any form until Kronik in WCW, but that was really only because I dug Wrath. Adams just never translated to anything entertaining for me on the screen. His run as a member of the nWo B team was weak sauce just like everything he's ever done outside of the feud with Savage and the run with Kronik.

 

[blue_moon]

I am another that agrees dull sums up Crush. Can't say I liked him in an guise but if pushed I would say Kronik Crush. Kronik were a pretty cool tag team. I think it might have been easier to name my worst Crush. It was definitely the 1996 version with weird chain noise/earring thing. Wow that version dull.

 

[justtxyank]

I am another that agrees dull sums up Crush. Can't say I liked him in an guise but if pushed I would say Kronik Crush. Kronik were a pretty cool tag team. I think it might have been easier to name my worst Crush. It was definitely the 1996 version with weird chain noise/earring thing. Wow that version dull.

nWo version was worse. No character at al, just "Hey, here's a semi big man who wrestled in the WWF! You should care!"

His friendship with Savage helped keep him employed is my guess.

 

[enviousdominous]

One other person voted for Kronik Crush, that's honestly a huge relief.

Looking at all the Crush personas, I can't possibly pick one that was absolutely flawless. He's had terribly embarrassing moments as every one of them, which weren't always his fault mind you. Just saying, I really wish he was still alive so someone could use him properly. I imagine he might debut in TNA as the leader of a rival gang to Aces and Eights or perhaps come back to WWE as a squad commander for The Shield. He didn't seem like he was slowing down prior to his passing, it's a damn shame that fate took him when it did.

Demolition Crush was great when it came to putting over The Hart Foundation, but I'm of the opinion that the novelty of his presence wore off quick and with it the novelty of Demolition itself.

Kona Crush was nifty back when you could get over by being an altruistic dimwit, there was nothing to his character except that he would open his promos with "Aloha". His fued with Doink made him a little more interesting, for the week that it lasted.

Mr. Fuji recruited Crush and he became a badguy by association. It was a weird time in that Fuji and Yokozuna had always been playing the part of anti-American Japanese egomaniacs. Yokozuna had attacked Crush, and Randy Savage didn't help Crush. Therefore, Crush joined Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji. Crush, an American, joined the team of the Foreign Fanatics because he was so gosh durned mad at Randy Savage, Randy Savage by the way was wrestling in a completely different Survivor Series match. So yeah, because WWF. There was also that match with Savage at Wrestlemania 10 with the botched finish.

Convict Crush was never note-worthy apart from the shock of his debut, when he looked like he was stranded in Bangkok for five years. His was remembered for wearing bright yellow leotards, even when he was a bad guy. Now he was wearing blue jeans and, if I remember correctly, a jean vest. He and Savio Vega working together brought back memories of the Madonna-Letterman interview.

Biker Crush was definitely an improvement from every previous gimmick he'd ever suffered through. Not just because he'd be sharing the spotlight with Undie's cousin, finally he was a viable main character in the grand scheme of the show. He went on to win absolutely nothing after the WWF pissed away all the potential that this gimmick had into some cheesy street fight matches that nobody cared about. He was unceremoniously squashed by Glen Jacobs and jumped over to WCW where he became guy wearing an nWo shirt #14.

The Kronik gimmick was awesome. It didn't come with very much explanation, but it didn't need any of it. He and Clark were two big dudes of similair size, they changed their looks to be more like genetically enhanced Glenn Danzig clones. Their entrance was ominous without coming across as insisting too much onto itself. Sure, they were derivative of the APA. This gimmick gave Adams a tag team championship reign that wasn't mired in stupidity like his reign with Yokozuna. He was now a tag team specialist with a record of legitimacy and he could get a good pop from the crowd when he and Clark set up their opponent for the double choke slam. I should also note that when Mike Awesome disguised himself as Bryan Clark, it was the greatest moment in WCW for that year and vicariously involved Brian Adams.

The only hic-up from his Kronik days, that I've ever noticed, was the match they had with Undie and Kane when they came to the WWE. There's little doubt in my mind that Undie was just wrestling like a prick in that he was still going through his "derr' tryahn du dake mah dob!" phase.

 

[bioshock]

I think Crush could of been a huge star during his WWF time from 92-97ish if he only had the right manager to push him and do the talking for him. When he came on the scene as a singles wrestler in the WWF in 1992 I would say he was a prototype wrestler of the future for WWF, he had the size, the muscles, had the look of someone who could be a champion, and he had some good moves, and great on his feet. Yet he lacked the skills on the mic to put him over.

Give Crush just the right manager and I think he could of been a star. But that never worked out, as we know in wrestling its more about how well you can talk than how well you can wrestle. And sure he did have a manager in Fuji, but Fuji was not the guy to help get him over, that is for sure.

I think Crush could of had a great career had he been part of ECW from 94-98 instead of with WWF, his ex con gimmick would of worked great in ECW and given his size and what he could do in the ring, since ECW didn't require mic skills, he would of been a world champion there without a doubt, its a shame.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The big thing missing from Brain's discussion of Kona was the key to his future... he was not intended to be Doink's opponent... Davey Boy was, yet Diana apparently said "They're gonna make you fight a clown?" and he was then booted due to the steriods and or his unwillingness.

Crush took the push that was intended for Davey Boy, he was big, in Vince's eyes kid friendly (despite being a gun nut) and someone who could improve...

Sadly he never did, he got hurt around the Yoko time which took his push away and when he came back he was again a replacement, this time for Ludvig Borga and by then he was already in trouble.

I never hated Adams as a worker, he was a fine big man, but was never worth the push he got over others. Adams against Bossman/Ray Traylor is embarrasing in terms of ability, potential and overness... yet Crush seemed to do better... Guys like Warlord and Barbarian were on the same level, and better in many ways... yet Crush got constant push.

Comes down to the BSK (if you don't know "look it up" it's the worst kept secret) Crush and Taker were buddies from day one, thus his push maintained. By the time he went to WCW and Kronik any muppet could get a payday and push from WCW. Kronik could have been interesting had they started in WWE, but it was clearly a case of "We're overpaying these guys, what can we do with them" and they quickly got found out post buyout.

I don't hate Crush, I like that he was different as a face in 93, had cool music and his match with Savage at Mania X was damn good... but he was never as good as any of the other guys Vince had in that era who he failed to push... and worse than most of those Bischoff pushed... Today though that push and spot goes to a Ziggler rather than a Crush... there I said it... flame me...

 

[joshmosh127]

No matter what gimmick Crush was doing, he was still garbage. He had a lack luster move set and his promos were a guy yelling at the camera with absolutely no charisma...the question isn't which Crush was your favorite, it should which Crush was your favorite jobber. He never amounted to anything respectable. I can't ever recall the audience giving him anything other than a sub-par pop

 

[BretHitmanHart92]

When I was a kid I loved Kona Crush. I remember thinking he should have been the one instead of Lex Luger to bodyslam Yokozuna in '93.

I think if you are a fan of Crush (which I am, guilty pleasure) its because you were a kid in 1993, which I was. If that's you then I don't see how you can like any crush better than the Hawaiian babyface Crush.

If you didn't watch during that time then I don't see how you could even be a fan of his cuz he wasn't the greatest thing ever.

Does that make sense.

Anyways, go watch KOTR 93 Crush v HBK, that's my favorite Crush match. I know most of it is Shawn's work but I like the match. Sue me.

 

[HBsam31]

I always blamed Crush for ruining Demolition as a kid. I liked the Ax and Smash version much better than when they added Crush. If I had to pick a favorite Crush it would be the Mr Fuji Crush pretty much because of the feud with Savage. Kona Crush never did it for me, but I did like the heel turn with Fuji that came from it. I liked the mean streak. All being said though Crush was never one of my favorites even from the beginning.

 

[Lowdown]

Looking back, I'm gonna say that he was at his best when he was with Fuji. At the time it was a complete 180 from the babyface version were he seemed like a big goofball. When he took on a the bitter role it seemed to work for him, at least for a little bit. I forget what the issue was that got the feud with him an Savage started, but it was nice mid-card rivalry at the time. I also liked him and Adams in Kronik, but only in WCW. They both seemed a formidable tag team, and I wished they'd gotten farther in their run. Sadly, the trend didn't continue in WWF.

 

[relentless1]

id first like to point out to the OP that there is life outside of the WWE, he did have a stine in the nWo and the original Kronik, long before that gimmick was squashed in the WWF, thats the Kronik I voted for, the WCW version that "kicked ass and cashed checks" and a reminder for the future, if youre going to list off a guys wrestling history, dont forget about what he did outside of the all holy WWF/E

speaking of brian adams, one of the funniest moments from him that i can remember is when the wolfpac elite were beating up curt hennig and he goes " whats the deal, curts like a brother to us!" to which Nash replies "its just business man" then adams immediately starts puttin the fists to curt lol

 

[The Brain]

Looking back, I'm gonna say that he was at his best when he was with Fuji. At the time it was a complete 180 from the babyface version were he seemed like a big goofball. When he took on a the bitter role it seemed to work for him, at least for a little bit. I forget what the issue was that got the feud with him an Savage started, but it was nice mid-card rivalry at the time. I also liked him and Adams in Kronik, but only in WCW. They both seemed a formidable tag team, and I wished they'd gotten farther in their run. Sadly, the trend didn't continue in WWF.

You can check out today's post in the "On This Day In Wrestling History" thread in the spam zone to see his heel turn against Savage. That was an excellent heel turn and my favorite moment of Crush's career. I probably would have voted for that version of Crush as my favorite if it lasted longer. He didn't do much after the feud with Savage and was gone from the WWF by SummerSlam 94, but the heel turn and feud with Savage was great despite the disappointing match at WM10.

id first like to point out to the OP that there is life outside of the WWE, he did have a stine in the nWo and the original Kronik, long before that gimmick was squashed in the WWF, thats the Kronik I voted for, the WCW version that "kicked ass and cashed checks" and a reminder for the future, if youre going to list off a guys wrestling history, dont forget about what he did outside of the all holy WWF/E

I didn't watch WCW much during Crush's time there and didn't even remember he was in the nwo. I've always preferred the all holy WWF/E so that's what I decided to discuss in this thread.

 

[Slash-LN]

I liked the Fuji Crush mostly because I thought he looked like a total bad ass. He suddenly had an awesome mean streak also. He may not have done much but he was still cool.

I liked the Kona Crush too. I was a kid when he came around and I totally bought into him.

Brian Adams in Kronik was awesome too. I'm one of the people who was excited to see them come to the WWE after WCW and was hoping for them to have a good run. I was a Bryan Clarke fan too so when they teamed up I was pleased.

I'm going with Fuji Crush I guess.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Crush got a bad rap when it came to Demolition. The truth was that Ax, Bill Eadie, was winding down his in-ring career, and instead was taking on more of a managerial role. Crush suffered in comparison to a seasoned vet like Eadie, but he was by no means horrible.

My personal favorite incarnation was Fuji's Crush because for the first time he seemed to be getting a legit push, he had a great look, and a pretty decent run with Savage. It came to a quick end with Wrestlemania X, and I don't know if there was a story behind the scenes on this. All things being equal, Crush probably should've gotten the win in the match, but c'est la vie.

After that, he just seemed like a guy who was always going to be around as a viable big guy, but never really hit the big time.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Ax was on the outs... Vince no longer wanted him around and he had health problems which took him out of the ring. Vince figured he owned the Demoliton gimmick and wanted to get the dream match with LOD at least once.

It's harsh to criticise Crush for taking the spot when Barry Darsow was not the original Smash but Moondog Spot! All Crush did was take a spot same as Smash did but this time the team was established and thus people noticed the change.

Fuji's Crush was interesting for a short time, the turn on Savage as he blamed him for his injury at Yoko's hands was quite novel but Fuji was the worst manager possible for a guy with questionable mic skills. Crush like a lot of guys at that time suffered from the lack of real managerial talent in the WWF. Had they put him with Jim Cornette then or Bobby Heenan post Flair - he could have easily main evented but Fuji with anyone but Yoko at that time just didn't work for me.

Kona Crush was unique as very few big guys at that time went face in the way he did... the standard MO was to go out of the tag team and go solo as a heel like Warlord, Barbarian, Haku and the like. He didn't "turn" as such, in the way Bossman did - that perhaps hurt him more than anything, a Crush v Smash feud after a turn would have been far better for him than being fed to Doink. But to be fair to him he was very nearly given the IC title as Shawn was so far in the doghouse by then... so he did something right or knew somebody right...