The Killer Bees (professional wrestling)

Infobox Wrestling team
article_name=The Killer Bees
type=T


caption=
members=Jim Brunzell B. Brian Blair
heights=Brunzell:
height|ft=5|in=10
Blair:
height|ft=6|in=1
weights= convert|456|lb|kg|abbr=on
debut=1985
disbanded=1992-93
promotions=WWF |

The Killer Bees was a tag team comprised of "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair in the World Wrestling Federation from 1985 to 1988 and later on in the independent circuit. The team name is a play on the name of the Miami Dolphins' defensive unit known as the Killer Bs as well as the fact that both team members' last name started with a "B".

Before the Bees

Jim Brunzell had made his debut in the early 1970s, achieving most of his fame along with Greg Gagne as “The High Flyers" in the American Wrestling Association, where the two won the AWA tag team titles on two occasions cite book | author=Royal Duncan & Gary Will | title=Wrestling Title Histories | publisher=Archeus Communications | year=4th Edition 2006 | id=ISBN 0-9698161-5-4 ] .

B. Brian Blair was trained by Hiro Matsuda and made his debut in 1977, competing in various territories (including the WWF) before 1985 [cite web| url = http://www.bbrianblair.com/bio.html | title = B. Brian Blair Biography| accessmonthday = 04-03| accessyear = 2007| author = Brianblair.com Webmaster] .

World Wrestling Federation

The two men were signed by the WWF as it continued its national expansion through 1985, debuting under the “Killer Bees" name right away. The teaming of Blair and Brunzell was suggested by Hulk Hogan cite web | url = http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingChats/blair_may01-can.html | title = “B.Brian Blair Chat" | accessmonthday = 12 March | accessyear = 2007 | author = Canoe Slam Wrestling | date = May 2001] . The team had a special gimmick referred to as Masked Confusion where both wrestlers would put on identical masks during the match to confuse the opponents and referee and usually win that way -- despite this normally being a tactic used by the heels. The “Masked Confusion" idea was given to Blair by Billy Red Lyons, who had used it in Maple Leaf Wrestling.

The team debuted on June 17, 1985, defeating the team of Steve Lombardi and Dave Barbie cite web | url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/85.htm | title = WWF Ring Results 1985 | accessmonthday = 12 February | accessyear = 2007 | author = Graham Cawthon | date = 2007-01-22 ] . After facing several makeshift teams, the Killer Bees started a long-running feud with the Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart). The Bees also had a running feud with the Funks (Hoss, Terry and Jimmy Jack). In August 1986, they faced Hoss and Jimmy Jack Funk in front of 70,000 people at The Big Event in Toronto cite book | author=Brian Shields | title=Main event – WWE in the raging 80s| publisher=Pocket Books| year=4th Edition 2006 | id=ISBN 978-1-4165-3257-6 ] , a card headlined by Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff. The team also received a couple of unsuccessful shots at then-WWF tag team champions The Dream Team cite web | url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/86.htm | title = WWF Ring Results 1986 | accessmonthday = 12 February | accessyear = 2007 | author = Graham Cawthon | date = 2007-01-22 ] .

The Killer Bees were a part of a battle royal involving wrestlers and NFL players at "WrestleMania II" cite book | author=Brian Shields | title=Main event – WWE in the raging 80s| publisher=Pocket Books| year=4th Edition 2006 | id=ISBN 978-1-4165-3257-6 ] and next got the spotlight at "WrestleMania III", where they faced Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik, losing by disqualification because of the interference of Hacksaw Jim Duggan. After WrestleMania III, the Killer Bees moved on to a feud with WWF newcomers Demolition. By this point, the Bees' stock was clearly slipping in terms of their card placement, though they were one of two teams (with the Young Stallions) to "survive" the 10-team elimination match at the inaugural Survivor Series on Thanksgiving Day 1987.

The Killer Bees’ last prominent appearance was at “WrestleFest" in summer 1988, where they lost to The Fabulous Rougeaus . In the fall of 1988, B. Brian Blair left the WWF after repeated promises of winning the tag team titles never came to fruition, thus (at least temporarily) ending the yellow and black days of the Bees. The duo's last WWF match as a team came on August 24, 1988, against the Young Stallions cite web | url = http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/87.htm
title = WWF Ring Results 1987| accessmonthday = 12 February| accessyear = 2007| author = Graham Cawthon | date = 2007-02-05 ] . Brunzell remained with the WWF into the 1990s, mainly being used to make younger stars look good in the ring.

After the WWF

In the early 1990s, the Bees reformed in Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation, winning that promotion's tag team titles before the federation folded . While there, they were unable to use the WWF-trademarked name "Killer Bees" and were instead known as Masked Confusion.

In wrestling

*Finishing and signature moves:*"Bee Stinger" (Double leaping hip attack):*Double dropkick

Championships and accomplishments

*Universal Wrestling Federation:*UWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time)

References

External links

* [http://www.bbrianblair.com/ Brian Blair's website]
* [http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/bios/blair.html “Wrestling Accelerator" B. Brian Blair Profile]