History Wrestling / BrianPillman

* InMemoriam: From 1998 to 2001, the Heartland Wrestling Association in Ohio held the "Brian Pillman Memorial Show," featuring wrestlers from WWE, WCW, ECW, OVW and the HWA.

'''Brian Pillman''' (1962-1997) was an American football player and {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er from Cincinnati, UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}} who competed primarily for Wrestling/{{WCW}} from 1989 until 1996. He debuted in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion in 1986. He made his American debut in 1989 for WCW as "Flyin'" Brian Pillman. He and Tom Zenk defeated the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin) for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-us-t.html NWA United States Tag Team Titles]] by winning a tournament. He defeated Richard Morton at ''WCW Halloween Havoc 91'' to become the inaugural [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-lh.html WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion]], and would lose the title to Wrestling/JushinThunderLiger in December and regain it in February. He was a {{Face}} up until he turned in September 1992. This led to him forming the Hollywood Blondes with [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin "Stunning" Steve Austin]] in early 1993. They would defeat Wrestling/RickySteamboat and Wrestling/ShaneDouglas for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-t.html WCW World Tag Team Titles]] and held them until ''WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV''. Pillman was injured and so WCW simply plugged [[Wrestling/WilliamRegal Lord Steven Regal]] into Pillman's place for the match where the Blondes lost the titles to Wrestling/ArnAnderson and Paul Roma. Pillman got stuck in the midcard until he, Wrestling/RicFlair and Arn reformed the Four Horsemen after ''Halloween Havoc 95'', with Wrestling/ChrisBenoit as the fourth member.

* {{Badass}}: Holy hell and how! Let's see, he survived being born with ''throat cancer'', had to leave the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball Cincinnati Bengals]] because he intimidated ''his own teammates'', kicked [[Wrestling/SidEudy Sid Vicious]]' ass in a bar fight and, at ''[=CyberSlam=]'', threatened to "yank out my Johnson and piss on this hellhole," and the fans chanted "Let him piss!"

-->"''The Loose Cannon, Brian '''[[AtomicFBomb FUCKING]]''' Pillman hates all you TV Troper smart marks!"''

* TheQuisling: He ''was'' one of two Americans in the [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Hart Foundation]].

* TheQuisling: He ''was'' the only American in the [[ForeignWrestlingHeel Hart Foundation]].

In early 1996, the Horsemen started a feud with [[Wrestling/DungeonOfDoom the Dungeon of Doom]]. This led to the infamous Pillman-Wrestling/KevinSullivan WorkedShoot "I respect you, bookerman!" incident at ''WCW [=SuperBrawl=] VI'', which was Pillman's final match in WCW. Immediately after that, he went on TV and cut a promo about how he wanted to be released from his contract. Right after this, he went on TV and cut a promo about how he wanted to be released from his contract. The whole angle, fully planned out by Sullivan and Pillman, had required them to work ''everyone'', including the office, and it ended up working out ''too'' well, since, by the time Sullivan realized that the office wasn't in on the joke, Pillman had his release.

'''Brian Pillman''' (1962-1997) was an American football player and {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er from Cincinnati, UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}} who competed primarily for Wrestling/{{WCW}} from 1989 until 1996. He debuted in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion in 1986. He made his American debut in 1989 for WCW as "Flyin'" Brian Pillman. He and Tom Zenk defeated the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin) for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-us-t.html NWA United States Tag Team Titles]] by winning a tournament. He defeated Richard Morton at ''WCW Halloween Havoc 91'' to become the inaugural [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-lh.html WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion]], and would lose the title to Wrestling/JushinThunderLiger in December and regain it in February. He was a {{Face}} up until he turned in September 1992. This led to him forming the Hollywood Blondes with [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin "Stunning" Steve Austin]] in early 1993. They would defeat Wrestling/RickySteamboat and Shane Douglas for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-t.html WCW World Tag Team Titles]] and held them until ''WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV''. Pillman was injured and so WCW simply plugged [[Wrestling/WilliamRegal Lord Steven Regal]] into Pillman's place for the match where the Blondes lost the titles to Wrestling/ArnAnderson and Paul Roma. Pillman got stuck in the midcard until he, Wrestling/RicFlair and Arn reformed the Four Horsemen after ''Halloween Havoc 95'', with Wrestling/ChrisBenoit as the fourth member.

He had made one appearance in Wrestling/{{ECW}}, teaming with Shane Douglas in a losing effort against Wrestling/RonSimmons and Wrestling/TooColdScorpio in 1994. At ''ECW [=CyberSlam=] 96'', February 17, 1996, he made his surprise return, claiming that [[CheapHeat WCW boss Eric Bischoff had fired him]] and, after getting the ECW fans on his side, [[http://www.cagematch.net/?id=93&nr=47 completely turned on them]], burying them as {{Smart Mark}}s, then questioning the term itself, asking "What's a Smart Mark? A mark with a high IQ?"

* IHaveTheHighGround: It's where he got his RedBaron "Flyin'."

* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness

'''Brian Pillman''' (1962-1997) was an American football player and {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er from Cincinnati, UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}} who competed primarily for Wrestling/{{WCW}} from 1989 until 1996. He debuted in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion in 1986. He made his American debut in 1989 for WCW as "Flyin'" Brian Pillman. He and Tom Zenk defeated the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin) for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-us-t.html NWA United States Tag Team Titles]] by winning a tournament. He defeated Richard Morton at ''WCW Halloween Havoc 91'' to become the inaugural [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-lh.html WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion]], and would lose the title to Jushin "Thunder" Liger in December and regain it in February. He was a {{Face}} up until he turned in September 1992. This led to him forming the Hollywood Blondes with [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin "Stunning" Steve Austin]] in early 1993. They would defeat Wrestling/RickySteamboat and Shane Douglas for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-t.html WCW World Tag Team Titles]] and held them until ''WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV''. Pillman was injured and so WCW simply plugged [[Wrestling/WilliamRegal Lord Steven Regal]] into Pillman's place for the match where the Blondes lost the titles to Wrestling/ArnAnderson and Paul Roma. Pillman got stuck in the midcard until he, Wrestling/RicFlair and Arn reformed the Four Horsemen after ''Halloween Havoc 95'', with Wrestling/ChrisBenoit as the fourth member.

* {{Badass}}: Holy hell and how! Let's see, he survived being born with ''throat cancer'', had to leave the [[UsefulNotes/AmericanFootball Cincinnati Bengals]] because he intimidated ''his own teammates'', kicked Sid Vicious' ass in a bar fight and, at ''[=CyberSlam=]'', threatened to "yank out my Johnson and piss on this hellhole," and the fans chanted "Let him piss!"

* PintSizedPowerhouse: 6', 227 lbs. and he slammed '''[[Wrestling/AbdullahTheButcher ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER!]]'''

* RapePillageAndBurn: At ''King of the Ring 1996'', he said, [[http://www.cagematch.net/?id=93&nr=107 "I'm gonna rape,
pillage and plunder this entire federation!"]]

In early 1996, the Horsemen started a feud with [[Wrestling/DungeonOfDoom the Dungeon of Doom]]. This led to the infamous Pillman-Wrestling/KevinSullivan WorkedShoot "I respect you, bookerman!" incident at ''WCW [=SuperBrawl=] VI'', which was Pillman's final match in WCW. Immediately after that, he went on TV and cut a promo about how he wanted to be released from his contract. Right after this, he went on TV and cut a promo about how he wanted to be released from his contract. The whole angle, fully planned out by Sullivan and Pillman, had required them to work ''everyone'', including the office, and it ended up working out ''too'' well, since, by the time Sullivan realized that the office wasn't in on the joke, Pillman had his release. He had made one appearance in Wrestling/{{ECW}}, teaming with Shane Douglas in a losing effort against Wrestling/RonSimmons and Wrestling/TooColdScorpio in 1994.

At ''ECW [=CyberSlam=] 96'', February 17, 1996, he made his surprise return, claiming that [[CheapHeat WCW boss Eric Bischoff had fired him]] and, after getting the ECW fans on his side, [[http://www.cagematch.net/?id=93&nr=47 completely turned on them]], burying them as {{Smart Mark}}s, then questioning the term itself, asking "What's a Smart Mark? A mark with a high IQ?"

* RapePillageAndBurn: At ''King of the Ring 1996'', he said, [[http://www.cagematch.net/?id=93&nr=107 "I'm gonna rape, pillage and plunder this entire federation!"]]

'''Brian Pillman''' (1962-1997) was an American football player and {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er from Cincinnati, UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}} who competed primarily for Wrestling/{{WCW}} from 1989 until 1996. He debuted in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion in 1986. He made his American debut in 1989 for WCW as "Flyin'" Brian Pillman. He and Tom Zenk defeated the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin) for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-us-t.html NWA United States Tag Team Titles]] by winning a tournament. He defeated Richard Morton at ''WCW Halloween Havoc 91'' to become the inaugural [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-lh.html WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion]], and would lose the title to Jushin "Thunder" Liger in December and regain it in February. He was a {{Face}} up until he turned in September 1992. This led to him forming the Hollywood Blondes with [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin "Stunning" Steve Austin]] in early 1993. They would defeat Wrestling/RickySteamboat and Shane Douglas for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-t.html WCW World Tag Team Titles]] and held them until ''WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV''. Pillman was injured and so WCW simply plugged [[Wrestling/WilliamRegal Lord Steven Regal]] into Pillman's place for the match where the Blondes lost the titles to Wrestling/ArnAnderson and Paul Roma. Pillman got stuck in the midcard until he, Wrestling/RicFlair and Arn reformed the Four Horsemen after ''Halloween Havoc 95'', with Wrestling/ChrisBenoit as the fourth member. In early 1996, the Horsemen started a feud with [[Wrestling/DungeonOfDoom the Dungeon of Doom]]. This led to the infamous Pillman-Wrestling/KevinSullivan WorkedShoot "I respect you, bookerman!" incident at ''WCW [=SuperBrawl=] VI'', which was Pillman's final match in WCW. Immediately after that, he went on TV and cut a promo about how he wanted to be released from his contract. Right after this, he went on TV and cut a promo about how he wanted to be released from his contract. The whole angle, fully planned out by Sullivan and Pillman, had required them to work ''everyone'', including the office, and it ended up working out ''too'' well, since, by the time Sullivan realized that the office wasn't in on the joke, Pillman had his release. He had made one appearance in Wrestling/{{ECW}}, teaming with Shane Douglas in a losing effort against Wrestling/RonSimmons and Wrestling/TooColdScorpio in 1994. At ''ECW [=CyberSlam=] 96'', February 17, 1996, he made his surprise return, claiming that [[CheapHeat WCW boss Eric Bischoff had fired him]] and, after getting the ECW fans on his side, [[http://www.cagematch.net/?id=93&nr=47 completely turned on them]], burying them as {{Smart Mark}}s, then questioning the term itself, asking "What's a Smart Mark? A mark with a high IQ?" Pillman jumped to WWE in the summer and mostly did commentary as he recovered from a bad ankle injury sustained in a car crash. As part of Austin's feud with Wrestling/BretHart, Austin infamously demolished Pillman's ankle by wrapping a chair around it and then using a second chair to hit the ankle and the first chair, leading to the invention of the term "[=Pillmanizing=]". Pillman later joined Bret's heel faction the Hart Foundation. This led to his feud with Wrestling/{{Goldust}}, which would, ultimately, be his final feud. He passed away on October 5, 1997, the night of ''WWF in Your House: Badd Blood'', where he was scheduled to face [[Wrestling/MickFoley Dude Love (Mick Foley)]], in a match where, if Dude won, Goldust would get five minutes with Pillman.

* WrestlingFamily: Almost. His stepdaughter Lexi debuted as a valet in 2008 but died in a car accident in 2009.

** (in WCW): The Hollywood Blondes

* SlasherSmile

'''Brian Pillman''' (1962-1997) was an American football player and {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er from Cincinnati, UsefulNotes/{{Ohio}} who competed primarily for Wrestling/{{WCW}} from 1989 until 1996. He debuted in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion in 1986. He made his American debut in 1989 for WCW as "Flyin'" Brian Pillman. He and Tom Zenk defeated the Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin) for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-us-t.html NWA United States Tag Team Titles]] by winning a tournament. He defeated Richard Morton at ''WCW Halloween Havoc 91'' to become the inaugural [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-lh.html WCW World Light Heavyweight Champion]], and would lose the title to Jushin "Thunder" Liger in December and regain it in February. He was a {{Face}} up until he turned in September 1992. This led to him forming the Hollywood Blondes with [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin "Stunning" Steve Austin]] in early 1993. They would defeat Wrestling/RickySteamboat and Shane Douglas for the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-t.html WCW World Tag Team Titles]] and held them until ''WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV''. Pillman was injured and so WCW simply plugged [[Wrestling/WilliamRegal Lord Steven Regal]] into Pillman's place for the match where the Blondes lost the titles to Wrestling/ArnAnderson and Paul Roma. Pillman got stuck in the midcard until he, Wrestling/RicFlair and Arn reformed the Four Horsemen after ''Halloween Havoc 95'', with Wrestling/ChrisBenoit as the fourth member. In early 1996, the Horsemen started a feud with [[Wrestling/DungeonOfDoom the Dungeon of Doom]]. This led to the infamous Pillman-Wrestling/KevinSullivan WorkedShoot "I respect you, bookerman!" incident at ''WCW [=SuperBrawl=] VI'', which was Pillman's final match in WCW. Immediately after that, he went on TV and cut a promo about how he wanted to be released from his contract. He had made one appearance in Wrestling/{{ECW}}, teaming with Shane Douglas in a losing effort against Wrestling/RonSimmons and Wrestling/TooColdScorpio in 1994.

* RedBaron: First 'Flyin' then 'Loose Cannon'